Almanac

(Almanac lists facts, figures and miscellany of campus interest. Know something, or want to know? Call us: 262-3846, or e-mail: wisweek@news.wisc.edu.)

Insurance survey planned
The UW System Fringe Benefits Advisory Committee (FBAC) has developed a Customer Survey to obtain input on the State Group Health Insurance Plans. The survey is designed to evaluate the level of satisfaction with the health insurance provided to UW employees, to identify areas of possible improvement and to identify the factors that are important to employees in selecting a plan. The FBAC hopes that the survey results will assist decision-makers in analyzing the problems employees have and finding solutions. All UW employees who have state group health insurance are invited to participate in the survey. It will be posted on a commercial Web site for access through the Internet. For more information, visit: http://www.uwsa.edu/hr/healthsurvey.htm. Employees may request a paper copy of the survey by calling 262-0113.

Children’s book guide updated and available
“CCBC Choices 2001,” which describes 228 of the best books for children and young adults published in the last year, is available from the School of Education’s Cooperative Children’s Book Center.

At 138 pages, “Choices 2001” is a tool for finding the best children’s book. CCBC director Ginny Moore Kruse and librarians Kathleen T. Horning and Megan Schliesman selected the “Choices” books, which include 48 first-published works of 26 authors and 22 illustrators. The Friends of the CCBC Inc. published “CCBC Choices 2001.”

UW–Madison faculty, staff and students may obtain a complimentary copy by stopping at CCBC, 4290 Helen C. White Hall, 262-9503, ccbcinfo@education.wisc.edu.

9-ball pool tournament to be held at Memorial Union
Think you’re a hot shot? Find out by entering the 4th Annual Spring 9-Ball Pool Tournament at the Memorial Union Games Room, Saturday, March 31. Fun starts at 12:30 p.m. with a free practice session, then goes until 7 p.m. or a winner is declared. Prizes include trophies, a DVD player donated by American TV and a cue with cue case donated by Midwest Billiards. For a $6 fee, entrants get free popcorn while competing and a free hour of pool. Information: Bob Wright, 263-5181, rcwright@facstaff.wisc.edu.

Writer to be in residence
Alecia Swasy, assistant managing editor/ business at the St. Petersburg Times, will serve as this semester’s business writer in residence March 25-30.

During her week’s residency Swasy will speak to classes in journalism and business, consult with students and faculty, and talk with Madison business and media professionals. Swasy joined the Times staff as business editor in 1996 and was named assistant managing editor/business in 1999. Swasy is the author of “Soap Opera: The Inside Story of Procter & Gamble” and “Changing Focus: Kodak and the Battle to Save a Great American Company.” She also reviews business books for the New York Times’ Sunday “Off the Shelf” column.

Backward glance
University officials say higher education has lost several influential friends in the Legislature since the last budget deliberations two years ago. That means a harder sell for the proposed $4.4 billion UW System budget. … The university’s economic impact in Dane County has jumped 79 percent since 1983, says a School of Business survey. … The state Laboratory of Hygiene has developed a new blood test for marijuana that can be used to tell if motorists are under the weed’s influence.