Almanac

Police: common sense, precautions foil thieves
Students, faculty and staff can help prevent burglaries and thefts over the upcoming winter break by using common sense and taking basic security precautions.UW-Madison Police say thieves often visit dorms and offices during the break, when many members of the campus community travel home for the holidays or leave town for vacation. Some useful safety tips include:

Lock apartment and office doors and windows before leaving for the holidays.
Burglars frequently target cash, compact discs, laptops, bikes, jewelry, video games, bikes, stereos and televisions. Don’t leave attractive items out in plain sight. If possible, store them in a locked drawer, closet or interior room. Or, try to take small valuables with when you leave.
Draw curtains and shades and set a timer for lamps.
Temporarily stop mail and newspaper.
Record serial numbers for costly items.

If you have security questions, call UW–Madison Police, 262-4520.

Art focus of new publication
How many bags of softener salt are used each year in Mýquina’s water system? Which college artwork was created by a former fashion designer? Learn the answers to these and other questions in “The Art of Engineering,” a new guided-tour booklet of artworks located in the College of Engineering. The book includes photos, locations and background information for each piece, from paintings to sculpture — ideal for visitors to the college. They are available free of charge by contacting Roxanne Beisel, Engineering External Relations, beisel@engr.wisc.edu.

Tired of fraud e-mails?
Computer security experts at BadgIRT have received a number of reports from faculty and staff about receiving fraud e-mails. Many of these reported e-mails have similar traits. BadgIRT recommends simply deleting these e-mails upon receipt. Individuals can report receipt of the fraud e-mails by faxing a copy of the e-mail to the Secret Service: (202) 406-5031 (please include full e-mail headers). In addition, victims of the fraud can contact the Secret Service, (202) 406-5850, or fill out a form on the Web: http://www.ustreas.gov/usss/contact_fcd.htm

Police promoted
The UW–Madison Police Department has promoted two of its lieutenants to the rank of captain. Brian Bridges will oversee the department’s support services and Todd Kuschel will be in charge of security operations at UW Hospital and Clinics. They will assume their new assignments Jan. 1. Dale Burke, currently the support services captain, will head up Field Services following the retirement of Capt. Debra Hettrick on Dec. 31. Hettrick joined UWPD in 1979 as a police officer. She later became a detective, and was promoted to patrol lieutenant in 1991. She became captain of Field Services in 1994. She was the first woman in the department to reach the ranks of lieutenant and captain. “My career with the UW Police Department has been more rewarding than I ever could have imagined,” she says. “I’m very grateful to Chief Riseling for the faith she had in me when I was first promoted in 1991.”

Backward glance
From Wisconsin Week, Dec. 11-18, 1991: A federal ban on race-based scholarships is not expected to hurt UW–Madison diversity efforts. … Teaching assistants will need to meet English proficiency standards. … University Relations director Linda Weimer has been named an assistant vice chancellor at the University of California-Berkeley. … Auditors find no problems in the way the university charges off the indirect costs of research. … A business study predicts 300,000 more jobs in Wisconsin by 2000.