For the Record

AWARDS

Cabinet 99 Award Call for Nominations
The Wisconsin Alumni Association is calling for nominations for the 2004 Cabinet 99 Recognition Award. This award, which is open to all UW–Madison women faculty and academic staff, carries a $10,000 stipend. Professor of Plant Pathology Jo Handelsman, School of Human Ecology Dean Robin Douthitt and Associate Vice Chancellor Bernice Durand are past recipients.

This recognition award was created by Cabinet 99, WAA’s women’s advocacy group, to honor the achievements of outstanding UW–Madison female faculty and academic staff.

The 2004 award will be presented in conjunction with the Cabinet 99 Symposium on Nov. 5. The recipient will be named at the end of July. The criteria are:

Outstanding contribution to the university in one or more areas — teaching, outreach, service or research;
Commitment to promoting excellence and to increasing opportunities for women in the university and community; and
Reputation for leadership, tenacity, risk-taking and courage.

The award selection committee will include faculty, academic staff and alumnae. Nomination packets for this award are due at the Wisconsin Alumni Association, 650 North Lake St., by Friday, March 26. For more information, contact Niki Denison at 262-8171.

Nominations Sought for Classified Employee Recognition Awards
The nomination process is under way for the 2004 Classified Employee Recognition Awards, which recognize classified employees who have done outstanding work for the university community.

Nominated candidates are evaluated on key factors that include promoting excellence within the work unit, performing well under pressure, developing innovative solutions to everyday problems and participating in public service activities outside normal work responsibilities.

The deadline for submitting nominations is Friday, Feb. 13. A committee of classified employees will review the nominations and make the final decisions.

Recipients will receive a commemorative plaque, paid registration to an employee development program of their choice and a cash award. These individuals will also be officially recognized in Wisconsin Week and be invited to a special spring ceremony at Olin House, where they will be honored for their achievements.

For information: http://www.ohr.wisc.edu/cera/.

Student Research Award
The Student Research Award Competition is sponsored by the Association for the Study of the Cuban Economy, an internationally recognized venue for undergraduate and graduate interdisciplinary research dealing with Cuba’s domestic issues, its foreign relations, and Cuba in comparative perspective. The Jorge P>=rez-L—pez Research Award for graduate and undergraduate papers carries an award of $500 and $250, respectively, an invitation to present the paper at the ASCE Annual Conference, a complementary membership in the association and publication of the paper in the ASCE Proceedings.

Papers received or postdated by May 1 will be considered. Winners will be announced by early June. All entries must be accompanied by a letter stating the name, mailing address, phone number and e-mail address of the nominee, and a brief statement describing the merits of the nomination. Send a hard copy of the manuscript to Enrique S. Pumar, Student Research Award Committee Chair, William Paterson University, P. O. Box 0567, McLean, VA 22101-0567. Send an electronic attachment of the paper to: students.papers@ascecuba.org.

International Institute Faculty Development Program
The International Institute announces a competition for faculty development awards to provide faculty with opportunities to work closely with an institute member program on research or course development activities to strengthen area and international studies programs.

Member programs, or research circles in conjunction with a member program, may nominate faculty and are encouraged to commit matching funds to support the endeavor. The institute anticipates making about $30,000 available during the next 18 months, and hopes to support a minimum of three or four faculty during this period. (The number may vary depending on the matching funds made available).

Programs may nominate faculty for awards this spring or summer for research or course development costs. Nominations for the academic year 2004-05 may be for research or course development costs, or one course release. Plans for providing lecturer replacement costs must be negotiated with the appropriate department and college. Proposals that contemplate a full-course buyout at 20 percent of the academic year salary must show significant matching funds.

Full-time tenured or tenure-track faculty who have been nominated/endorsed by an institute member program are eligible.

Interested faculty should contact one of the International Institute member programs to discuss this opportunity and how the proposed activities could aid the program (see http://www.intl-institute.wisc.edu for contact information). Institute member programs and research circles should circulate this call to their faculty to solicit interest. Faculty applicants should indicate the semester for which they are requesting the fellowship: spring 2004, summer 2004 (July-August), fall 2004 or spring 2005.

Proposals for course development should include a two-page description of:

the course to be developed or reworked;
how the course relates to the needs of students, an area studies program or research circle, or the applicant’s home department;
how the course will affect the education offered in international studies;
new pedagogical, technological or teaching approaches adopted by the course;
nomination letter from an institute member program indicating how the proposed course fits its curricular needs and priorities;
a brief letter or e-mail note from the departmental chair supporting the proposed course development and indicating that the department is willing to release the faculty member from teaching one course for the period of the grant (if appropriate);
curriculum vitae.

Proposals for research should include:

a two-page description of the applicant’s research project/s and outcomes;
a letter of nomination from an institute member program indicating how the faculty member has contributed to the program through teaching, outreach activities and service, and why the program thinks this faculty member is deserving of research support;
a brief letter or e-mail note from the departmental chair indicating that the department is willing to release the faculty member from teaching one course for the purposes of research for the period of the grant (if appropriate);
curriculum vitae.

Applications for all semester options should be submitted with a cover/nominating letter from the member program (or program in conjunction with research circle) by Friday, Feb. 6. Applications should be sent electronically to Associate Dean Aili Tripp at atripp@wisc.edu.

Announcements will be made by the end of February. Spring 2004 award funds need to be used by June 2004. Summer and 2004-05 award funds can be used between July 1, 2004 and June 30, 2005.

GRANTS AND FELLOWSHIPS

Global Studies Fellowship Competitions
The Global Studies Program is a research training and outreach program that aims at strengthening the university’s international education. Graduate students can benefit from the following fellowships and awards offered by GSP for summer 2004 and academic year 2004-05:

Foreign Language and Area Studies Awards
Provided by the Title VI program of the U.S. Department of Education, these awards are intended to improve language and international studies education in the United States. Fellowships pay the cost of tuition and a living stipend for the period covered. Students may apply for a summer intensive or an academic year program for the study of Arabic (for research outside of Africa), Persian or Turkish (for research outside of the Balkans). Additionally, graduate students in the professional schools (education, law, social work, medicine, etc.) may also use fellowships for the study of French or Spanish, provided their dissertation research is of an international or global nature. The deadline for applications is Monday, Feb. 9.

Kloeck-Jenson International Internship Grants and Predissertation Travel Grants
The program also offers grants in memory of UW–Madison doctoral candidate Scott Kloeck-Jenson. These grants are intended to assist graduate students interested in issues of social justice outside of the United States. The grants are: (1) International Internship Grants (approximately $2,500 for a 10- week internship at an institution outside of the U.S. and relevant to students’ research interests) and (2) Predissertation Travel Grants (approximately $1,000 to support student’s summer exploration of potential research sites outside the U.S.). Graduate students in all departments are eligible for these awards. Deadline for applications is Feb. 20.

For eligibility, submission details and applications, visit http://www.wisc.edu/globalstudies/. For more information, call the Global Studies Program office at 265-2631.

Brittingham Foundation Visiting Scholars Program
The Brittingham Foundation has provided generous funding to enable enrichment of small upper-level courses or seminars for undergraduates by bringing distinguished visitors to the classroom. The purpose of the Brittingham Visiting Scholar program is to introduce advanced students to those working “in the field” who can help them increase their awareness of the kinds of expertise and accomplishments they will need after they graduate. Visitors who can help students make linkages between their academic study and the world they will enter upon graduation are of special interest to this program. Thus, Brittingham visitors need not have “academic” credentials, and proposals for individuals who work outside the academy are encouraged.

Brittingham awards are intended to provide sustained interaction between a single distinguished visitor and a specifically designated small group of undergraduates during a period of a few days. This will normally occur by integrating the visitor into advanced undergraduate seminars, capstone courses or other small advanced courses. The course or seminar should either carry honors credit or provide a means by which individual students may obtain honors credit. Lecturing to large groups or classes is not necessary and does not enhance an application. In past years, visitors have been on campus approximately a week; it is unlikely that visits of fewer than three full days will be funded.

Although Brittingham visiting scholars may work with groups other than undergraduates, the details of the proposal must demonstrate commitment to making undergraduate education the primary part of the project support by Brittingham.

Budgets of up to $2,500 will be considered for each project, although larger awards will be considered under unusual circumstances. These must be carefully justified. Travel expenses, honoraria, special supply needs and other appropriate expenses are included in this award. All proposals should include:

a brief letter from the department chair (or chairs in the case of co-sponsored proposals) indicating how the proposed visits will strengthen the education of undergraduate students and how many would be affected;
a brief proposal from the faculty member(s) in charge of the main upper-level course(s) in which the visitor will work. The proposal should clearly outline the tasks, schedule and contributions of the visitor(s), including any events such as lectures or workshops, that would benefit other students, staff and members of the community;
a budget of estimated expenses to cover the costs of the visit and other material that might be necessary, either in preparation for the visit or as a result of it. Meals and lodging will be covered by a per diem at the rate of $100 applicable only to the days on which the visitor is working with undergraduates on campus. Proposals should specify the number of per diems requested. Air fares should be based on economy class, 30-day advance purchase. In proposing honoraria, bear in mind the standards set by other programs on campus, such as those developed by the University Lectures Committee: http://wiscinfo.doit.wisc.edu/secfac/lectures/lectcomm/PoliciesAndGuidelines.htm#AboutBudget. The honorarium and per diem can be supplemented by the sponsoring unit through other funds.

Departments should forward their proposals for the 2004-05 academic year to Virginia Sapiro, associate vice chancellor for teaching and learning, 117 Bascom Hall, by March 12. Proposals should be sent by attachment to vsapiro@wisc.edu. If submitted in hard copy, deliver three full copies. Announcements of awards will be made around the first week of April. For additional information, contact Sapiro, vsapiro@wisc.edu, 262-5246.

College of Letters and Science Academic Staff Awards
The dean of the College of Letters and Science annually provides five awards recognizing the contributions of L&S academic staff members in three categories. Nominations will be accepted from any member of the university community. The awards are:

Early Career Award
One award is given with a stipend of $2,000 to someone with three to eight years as a member of L&S academic staff. The recipient will have a record that demonstrates outstanding performance in one’s position, shows substantial promise of future contributions and demonstrates a high degree of professionalism.

Mid-Career Achievement Award
Three awards are given with stipends of $3,000 each to someone with seven or more years as a member of L&S academic staff. The recipient’s record will demonstrate outstanding performance in one’s position, leadership and service beyond one’s position, and substantial professional competency and the promise of continuing contributions.

Judith S. Craig Distinguished Service Award
One award is given with a stipend of $5,000 to someone with 15 or more years as a member of L&S academic staff. The recipient will have a record that demonstrates outstanding service to the college and university throughout one’s career. Nominees may be current or past employees who were employed as of June 15 of the year prior to the nomination receipt date.

The following items must be provided to the dean of L&S as a complete packet:

A letter of nomination (maximum of two pages) from any member of the university community. This letter must include the name of the individual being nominated, the award being sought, the number of years the nominee has been a member of the academic staff in L&S, the nominator’s professional relationship with the nominee and the basis for the nomination.
At least two, but no more than four, letters of support (maximum of two pages each). These letters should make clear to a reader from outside the nominee’s work unit why the nominee is outstanding. The letters should come from those familiar with the nominee’s contributions, and should provide specific examples of how he or she has met the criteria specific to the award being proposed. Neither the dean nor any member of the review committee may nominate or write letters of support.
A curriculum vitae/r>=sum>= (maximum of five pages) highlighting the nominee’s career.
At least one of the required letters must be from a person within the nominee’s work unit.

Submit original and five photocopies beginning with an attached cover page to Dean Phillip Certain, Room 105 South Hall, by 4:30 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 13.

Direct any questions regarding the program or the nomination process to either of the co-chairs of the L&S Professional Development and Recognition Committee: Jeff Petersen, petersen@ssc.wisc.edu or Lisa Jansen, eajansen@facstaff.wisc.edu.

Virginia Horne Henry Fund for Women’s Physical Education Issues
Funding in the range of $140,000 is available for activities related to women’s physical education, including special programs, new course development, research support, visiting scholars/experts and student support. Last year 13 awards were given, ranging from $700 to $20,000. Awards will be granted on merit and the close connection to the fundamental principles of Virginia Horne Henry. She worked to create a campus resource dedicated to the pursuit of women’s lifelong learning in physical education, including knowledge and appreciation of the women’s movement and the female body in culture. All faculty and staff are eligible to apply. Applications are due Feb. 6. Information: Mariamne Whatley, 262-2463, whatley@education.wisc.edu. This fund also provides for two Wisconsin Distinguished Fellowships in Women’s Physical Education Issues. Information: Donna Schleicher, 262-6137.

POLICES AND PROCEDURES

2003-04 Spring Semester Calendar

Last day to drop courses or withdraw without notations on transcripts	Jan. 28
Last day to add courses without departmental/deans’ permission	Jan. 30
Eid al-Adha*	Feb. 1
Spring Recess	March 13-21
Last day to drop courses (undergraduates, specials, guests and professionals)	March 26
Passover (first day)*	April 6
Good Friday*	April 9
Easter	April 11
Last day to withdraw without academic penalty (undergraduates and specials)	April 16
Last day to drop courses (graduates)	April 16
Last class day	May 7
Study day	May 8
Summary period	May 9-15
Commencement ceremonies
Doctoral/professional commencement	May 14
Master’s & bachelor’s commencements	May 15-16

*In accordance with Faculty Document 488a, faculty are asked not to schedule mandatory exercises on these dates.

Classwork and Religious Observances
Faculty policy mandates that academic requirements should not be scheduled on days when a religious observance may cause substantial numbers of students to be absent from university functions. For the spring semester the policy specifically identifies Passover (April 6) and Good Friday (April 9) as such days. Please note that Jewish holidays and observances begin at sunset on the evening preceding the given date (e.g., Passover Eve day, April 5), and some holidays are celebrated during more than one day. Please mark these days on your calendar and do not schedule mandatory exercises on these dates.

Due to our university’s multicultural community, there are bound to be conflicts between mandatory academic requirements and religious observances other than those listed. Major religious observances celebrated by Muslim and Buddhist students, such as the Islamic holiday Eid al-Adha (Feb. 1), also occur during the semester. A listing, though not exhaustive, of religious holidays is available at: http://www.interfaithcalendar.org. You also may obtain a copy of the listing from the Office of the Secretary of the Faculty, 262-3958, 130 Bascom Hall.

A student’s claim of a religious conflict should be accepted at face value. A great variety of valid claims exist for religious groups, and there is no practical, dignified and legal means to assess the validity of individual claims. State law mandates that any student with a conflict between an academic requirement and any religious observance must be given an alternative means of meeting the academic requirement. The law also stipulates that students be given means by which they can conveniently and confidentially notify an instructor of the conflict.

Please adhere to the following three guidelines that have been developed to provide clarity for both students and instructors:

Announce early in the semester that students must notify the instructor within the first two weeks of class of the specific days or dates on which he or she requests relief. Including this information on your course syllabus is another appropriate method to make sure your students are informed of the policy;
Make-ups may be scheduled before or after the regularly scheduled requirements; and,
It is understood that instructors may set reasonable limits on the total number of days claimed by any one student. Occasionally, students may not fully understand the necessity for prior notice, and under these circumstances we urge you to be as flexible as possible. Our policy seeks to be sensitive to the individual needs of students.

Please advise your teaching assistants of this policy.

Lastly, fairness, compassion and sensitivity are urged when you or your TAs are approached by a student requesting class time off due to a family emergency. Demonstration of your understanding in such a circumstance may be important to the student in getting through the crisis.

Direct questions to: Secretary of the Faculty, 133 Bascom Hall, 500 Lincoln Drive, or 262-3956.