News In Brief
NOTABLE
 Hot metal Art Department students in protective gear pour molten metal into sculpture casts during a recent class. The students fire up the foundry once a semester or so in a quonset-style building tucked halfway down Bascom Hill near the hairpin turn on Observatory Drive. Photo: Stephanie Judge |
Business school to get $1 million
The Ford Motor Company is giving the School of Business more than $1 million to enhance several key programs. A five-year commitment by the company will:
- Fund a Ford Motor Company Distinguished Chair in Management and Human Resources.
- Establish a Ford Motor Company Academic Excellence Fund to assist undergraduate and graduate minority students.
- Enable the school to support outstanding students in the areas of supply chain management and manufacturing and technology management, two specialized areas where the school has achieved national recognition.
The gift also includes funding for national field trips for manufacturing and technology management students and funds to support programs within the Business Career Center.
“We are grateful for this generous gift from the Ford Motor Company especially because it will assist us in meeting several strategic goals,” Business School Dean Andrew J. Policano says. “The gift will go a long way to enhance opportunities for students.”
Last fall, Ford gave more than $2 million to the School of Business and College of Engineering. The business school’s portion of that gift was for undergraduate scholarships, advising and graduate student support.
LEARNING
New book critiques policy on welfare, poverty
“Speaking Out: Women, Poverty, and Public Policy,” a new book by the Women’s Studies Consortium, is a platform for scholars, feminists and low-income women to speak out on welfare reform.
The 265-page book was published through the Office of the UW System Women’s Studies Librarian and the General Library System.
The “Speaking Out” contributors provide historical perspectives and policy critiques, examine welfare reform in other U.S. states and report on other countries’ ideas about welfare.
Some studies offer resources and strategies for teaching about poverty. Others discuss the experiences of welfare recipients or analyze literary explorations of poverty. Several scholars speak from the viewpoint of having been poor and/or on welfare. The book is a collection of papers from the 23rd annual Women’s Studies Conference held in fall 1998 in Eau Claire. The book is available in print format or by visiting: http://www.library.wisc.edu/libraries/WomensStudies/homemore.htm#bookpubs.
The online PDF version is completely searchable and includes links from the contents page to individual chapters.
For a free print copy of “Speaking Out: Women, Poverty, and Public Policy,” contact the Women’s Studies Librarian, 430 Memorial Library, or call 263-5754.
COMMUNITY
Holocaust remembered
The university student group Jewish Coalition has organized campus events for Holocaust Remembrance Week May 1-5. Remaining events include a talk by Lucy Smith, who will speak about hiding to escape the Nazis in Poland during the war Thursday, May 4, at 7 p.m. in Memorial Union; check TITU for room. Other events also are planned. Holocaust Remembrance Week is co-sponsored by Jewish Coalition, Hillel, the Anonymous Committee, the Wisconsin Union Directorate, St. Paul’s University Catholic Center, Associated Students of Madison and the Madison Jewish Community Council.
Research park event features biotech business pioneer
One of the leaders of the high-tech renaissance in North Carolina’s “Research Triangle” will share his business development ideas Thursday, May 11, at University Research Park.
Charles Hamner, president of the North Carolina Biotechnology Center, will speak at the annual meeting of chief executive officers of the research park’s 75 companies noon-1:45 p.m. at the Research Park Conference Center, 621 Science Drive.
Hamner, an obstetrics/gynecology and veterinary medicine professor at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, has led the biotechnology center since 1988. The center helps direct the movement of biotechnology from ideas to the marketplace, and works with more than 160 biotech firms and research organizations in the state.
The “Research Triangle” development is one of the biggest concentrations of biotechnology firms in the country, with connections to UNC-Chapel Hill, Duke University and NC State University.
His talk, “Success Factors in Technology Development,” is open to the public, but space is limited and reservations are required for the lunch. Information: 262-3677.
Filmmakers stage premiere
An obsessed police detective, a free-spirited mother and a kid born with a shell on his back are the subjects of three imaginative films, all by emerging campus filmmakers, to premiere Wednesday, May 17 (and repeat Friday, May 19), at 8 p.m. in 4070 Vilas.
Shot in digital video, the three narrative films are written, produced, directed and acted by students in the Advanced Film Production class taught by visiting writer/director Stuart Gordon, known for features such as “Re-Animator” and “Honey, I Shrunk the Kids.”
Unlike many film production classes, Gordon’s course involves students from a variety of departments: actors from theatre and drama, designers from the art and design departments, composers from the School of Music, and directors, producers and writers from communication arts.
Gordon is a visiting professor in the departments of Communication Arts and Theatre and Drama as part of the UW–Madison Arts Institute’s Interdisciplinary Arts Residency Program.
The three half-hour narrative films are based on scripts written in the fall by students in a screenwriting class taught by UW professor and filmmaker JJ Murphy. Starting in January, Gordon’s Advanced Film Production students split into three groups and took on the tasks of casting, producing and directing the films, and involving other students as actors, designers and composers. Gordon acted as executive producer, advising on budgets and the organizational and creative aspects of the productions.
MILESTONES
Music school captures Karp at piano in two discs
To commemorate the teaching of Howard Karp, who will retire as professor of music this spring, the School of Music compiled a two-disc recording of his solo pianist performances spanning nearly four decades.
The idea came from Bill Lutes, a student of Karp’s during the 1970s and producer of the CD set. Some of Karp’s most frequently played composers are represented, including Bach, Liszt, Mendelssohn, Schubert and Chopin.
The recording, “The Art of Howard Karp,” was to be issued May 2 at Karp’s final scheduled performance in Mills Concert Hall. The CD set, which will sell for $30, also will be available at local book and record stores, some specialty shops, or by mail via the School of Music. Proceeds will support scholarships in the School of Music.
Campus police honor computer sleuth, others
For the second year in a row, the UW–Madison Police Department has honored Jeff Savoy, network investigator for the Division of Information Technology, with a Director’s Award for his extraordinary efforts in helping to investigate campus crimes involving computers.
One case involved child pornography accessed through university computers. As a result of the investigation, former History department administrator and Assistant Dean of Human Ecology Danny Struebing was charged in Dane County Circuit Court last week with three counts of possessing child pornography.
Other Director’s Award recipients:
- Jose Carus of Internal Audit created a well-organized paper trail for detectives as they investigated the theft of more than $600,000 in research money from the Medical School’s Office of Clinical Trials. In October 1999, the office’s former director, Rhonda Lagoni, was charged in Dane County Circuit Court with several counts of felony theft and tax evasion.
- Chemistry department employees Tom Foseid and Michael Wilson went to the aid of their friend and fellow employee Gary Beld after he collapsed on the job Jan. 5. Foseid and Wilson immediately initiated rescue efforts, including CPR, but neither they nor paramedics were able to revive Beld.
- Don Schutt and Margy Radecki of the Office of Human Resource Development and Mary Hoddy of the Training Resource Center helped make non-violent crisis intervention training more readily available to the campus community.
- UW Arboretum ranger Judy Kingsbury gathered data on crimes and incidents in the Arboretum, which provided a springboard for successful problem-oriented policing there.
- Student Scott Majerus saw a man breaking into vehicles near the Kohl Center and immediately summoned police, who apprehended the suspect a short time later. He was convicted on multiple counts of criminal damage to property, theft and entry into locked vehicles. In addition, several UWPD employees were honored with Excellent Service awards: detectives Harlan Hettrick, Anthony Curtis, David Williams, Brett Fernholz, Charles Flad and Doug Scheller; police officer Michael Newton; security officer Bill Vanderbloemen; and communications supervisor Leann Krieg.
Engineering names assistant dean for external relations
Karen Walsh, communications director for the College of Engineering since 1989, will become the assistant dean for external relations effective May 1. She will work closely with the engineering administration to provide central leadership in managing activities involving the college’s external constituencies.Her duties will include developing programs to involve alumni in college activities both on and off campus, coordinating special events, and assisting departments and programs in developing effective strategies for marketing the college to its external stakeholders, particularly alumni, government and industry.
Human ecology dean search to get under way
The university has started taking nominations and applications for the position of dean of the School of Human Ecology.The School of Human Ecology encompasses consumer science; human development and family studies; environment, textiles and design; interdisciplinary studies; and family and consumer communication.
Applications and nominations must be received by June 30. Submit applications and nominations to: Karen C. Holden, School of Human Ecology Dean, Search and Screen Committee, 133 Bascom Hall.
Statistician elected to NAS
Statistician Grace Wahba was elected May 2 to the National Academy of Sciences.Election to the academy is among the most coveted and prestigious honors in all of science, outshining all other forms of professional recognition save the Nobel Prize. Wahba and 59 other scientists and social scientists from around the country were elected today.
Wahba is the John Bascom Professor of Statistics. She joined the UW–Madison faculty in 1967. She is known internationally for the development of statistical methods that help scientists in fields as diverse as atmospheric science and medicine tease useful information from intricate and complicated sets of data.
Wahba joins 50 other current or emeritus members of the UW–Madison faculty who have been honored with election to NAS. She was elected this morning at the 137th annual meeting of the academy. There are currently 1,843 active members of NAS.
The National Academy of Science is a private organization of scientists and engineers dedicated to the furtherance of science and its use for the general welfare. Established in 1863 by an act of Congress, NAS is charged with advising the federal government, upon request, in any matter of science or technology.
COMMUNITYUW looks to partnerwith city on Thai pavilion
The university, working with Madison officals, is considering Olbrich Botanical Gardens as a site for a proposed Thaipavilion.The pavilion – a gift from the Thailand government as an expression of gratitude for the university’s educating numerous Thai students – could be the centerpiece of Olbrich’s already planned Asian garden, says LaMarr Billups, special assistant for community relations to Chancellor David Ward.
The pavilion would be a significant addition to Madison, as it will be only the third such structure to be located outside of Thailand and the only one in the United States, Billups says. The other two are in Germany and Norway. The structure could also establish a strong educational link between Olbrich and the university for students studying Asian culture, landscape architecture and other topics.
Henry Lufler, Ward’s executive assistant, briefed the Olbrich board of directors on April 18 about the pavilion and the benefits it could bring to Olbrich.
University planners originally hoped to locate the pavilion behind the Natatorium on the west side of campus. But the actual building is larger than first announced and needs more space than is available at the initial site. After getting approval from the Thai donors, the university then contacted the city about off-campus sites, and Olbrich was identified as a potential location. At the same time, university planners are reviewing other on-campus locations.
The Thai Alumni Association, one of the university’s largest international alumni groups, is responsible for the gift, which required approval from the King of Thailand. The structure will be built in Thailand before being disassembled and shipped to Madison. Thai craftspeople will reconstruct the pavilion here. The UW System Board of Regents and the State Building Commission in April approved $457,000 to build the structure’s foundation.
Building projects advance
The State Building Commission May 2 approved requests by UW–Madison to renovate part of Ingraham Hall for TRIO student support services and renovate 124 Memorial Library, among other projects.