Almanac

CALS program tops nation in advanced degrees granted
UW–Madison’s Plant Breeding and Plant Genetics program, an interdepartmental program in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, ranks No. 1 nationally in the number of master’s and doctoral degrees granted, according to recently published survey results.

Researchers at North Carolina State University surveyed 82 departments at 51 U.S. land-grant universities. Despite losses in federal funding for agricultural research and development, the UW–Madison program produced 72 master’s and doctoral degree candidates during the survey period, 1995-2000. The second- and third-ranked universities, North Carolina State and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, produced 64 and 61 graduate students, respectively.

Of the universities surveyed, UW–Madison was the only one with an interdepartmental plant-breeding program.

Since its formation in 1968, the Plant Breeding and Plant Genetics program has graduated 198 master’s and 256 doctoral candidates. Its research focuses on economically important crops such as alfalfa, carrots, onions and potatoes.

Westphal retires from museum
Klaus Westphal, longtime director of the Geology Museum, retired Feb. 1. During his 34 years at the museum, he started many popular programs, including the annual open house, guided tours and student expeditions to South Dakota. The new director is Richard Slaughter, who had served as assistant director.

Bike, moped safety advocated
Campus and city police have begun a campaign of education and enforcement regarding bicycle and moped safety, informing bicyclists and moped operators about the laws that affect them. Starting in late March, officers will step up enforcement. First-time offenders can attend safety courses in lieu of paying fines. Information: 262-2957.

Music City Bowl books settled
The Wisconsin Division of Intercollegiate Athletics recorded a net surplus of more than a quarter of a million dollars for the football team’s appearance in the 2003 Music City Bowl in Nashville, Tenn.

“One of the key financial goals of our department is to keep the expenses associated with a bowl game less than or equal to the funds provided to the institution for bowl-game expenditures,” says Deputy Athletic Director Jamie Pollard. “We ran a fiscally responsible trip to the Music City Bowl and, actually, netted a bigger margin because of a revenue-sharing component with the bowl.”

Wisconsin has recorded a positive net margin at its last four bowl games: $250,336 for the Music City Bowl, $203,335 for the Alamo Bowl, $156,333 for the Sun Bowl and $249,055 at the 2000 Rose Bowl.

Backward glance
From Wisconsin Week of March 16, 1994: For the first time since 1947, the UW men’s basketball team receives a bid to the NCAA Tournament. Finishing the season 17-10, the team receives a ninth seed and prepares to play Cincinnati. … The UW System’s “Design for Diversity” plan refocuses around the goals of improving recruitment and graduation rates for students of color. The plan dates back to 1988 and is credited with modest progress in improving the numbers of underrepresented minorities systemwide. … A major effort is launched to improve academic advising for students. The plan leads to the creation of a cross-college advising service to reach out to freshmen and undeclared students.