Wiley briefs campus on issues
Chancellor John Wiley announced new programs and updated reporters on campus climate issues and an E. coli outbreak at a news briefing Oct. 19.
Wiley urges students, faculty and staff to report any incidents of harassment, threats or violence, especially in the wake of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11.
“I would like to encourage members of the campus community to report incidents of hate crimes to either the UW-Madison Police Department or the Dean of Students Office,” Wiley says. “UW police will be distributing a brochure around campus that explains what constitutes a hate crime of bias crime. It is very important that these incidents get reported. There is little we can do to combat the problem if we don’t know about it when it happens.
Listening sessions planned
There will be two listening sessions with Wiley on campus climate issues this coming week: Wednesday, Oct. 24, 5 p.m., Union South, 227 N. Randall Ave. (Check “Today in the Union” for exact location); and Thursday, Oct. 25, 4:30 p.m., Linne Lounge, Witte Residence Hall, 615 W. Johnson St.
E. coli assistance offered
University Health Services is continuing to work with state and local officials to pinpoint the cause of an infection of E. coli bacterium, Wiley says.
The 26 reported cases have been linked to attendance at an Oct. 6 tailgate party at the UW Stock Pavilion.
“UW-Madison is working diligently to assist members of the community affected by E. coli-related illnesses,” Wiley says.
Students or parents looking for information or help may contact the Dean of Students Office, (608) 263-5702. The university cannot directly contact those affected because of medical confidentiality.
UW–Madison will develop guidelines for future use of the Stock Pavilion based on the results of the investigation, which is ongoing, Wiley says.
Infectious disease symposium
The Medical School and School of Veterinary Medicine will sponsor a series of public presentations related to public health and infectious and emerging diseases, Wiley says.
The first event, 2-5 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 13, at the Wisconsin Union Theater, will focus on bioterrorism, and will provide information on such things as anthrax, clinical issues related to anthrax, the potential of other bioweapons, and the state’s plans to address the risk of bioterrorism.
Featured speakers at that first event will be Dennis Maki, who heads the Medical School’s section of infectious diseases, and Jeff Davis, the state epidemiologist for communicable diseases.
Future events will focus on emerging infectious diseases such as the West Nile virus, foot and mouth disease, and food safety, including the risk of E. coli infections.
The organizer for the series is George Mejicano, assistant dean for Continuing Medical Education in the Medical School.
Connections expanded
UW–Madison and the University of Wisconsin Colleges are expanding a pilot program to meet the growing demand for an undergraduate degree from UW–Madison, Wiley says.
Unveiled last spring, the UW–Madison Connections Program offered a select group of UW–Madison applicants from six Wisconsin counties “dual admission” to UW–Madison and one of four UW Colleges campuses. In the upcoming admissions cycle, the UW–Madison Connections program will expand to include all 13 UW Colleges.
These “Connections” students take their first two years of course work on a UW Colleges campus. If they remain in good academic standing, the students then make the transition to UW–Madison to complete their undergraduate degrees.
Grant boosts gender equity work
With the help of the National Science Foundation, UW–Madison will establish a “living laboratory” for gender equity in science with the establishment of a new institute to promote the advancement of women in science and engineering.
The institute, to be known as the Women in Science and Engineering Leadership Institute (WISELI), will serve as a catalyst for initiatives intended to enhance the advancement of women in science and to measure the success of such efforts.
The new UW–Madison initiative, supported by a $3.75 million grant from NSF, is intended to help broaden representation of women in science at all levels.
Outreach endowment created
A $21.7 million gift from the estate of Ira and Ineva Reilly Baldwin will create the Wisconsin Idea Endowment.
Projects under consideration include partnerships with community service programs for undergraduates, grants for faculty and staff to undertake research on societal issues, alumni service programs involving employers, grants to develop learning opportunities for public audiences on community issues, blue ribbon conferences and research publications.
“Both Ira and Ineva believed in intellectual challenge in pursuit of the public good,” says Wiley. “Their generous legacy gives us the opportunity to continue this idea.”