College of Annual Report 2012-13… · College of Letters and Science Annual Report ... Fix and Aaron Schaufenbuel ensure our technology is in top shape. ... Chan (Philosophy), Michael

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College of Letters and Science

Annual Report2012-13

The Humanities

The College-at-the-Core

UW-Stevens Point College of Letters and Science ● Annual Report 2012-13

Social Sciences

Natural Sciences, Mathematics and Computing

2012-13 ANNUAL REPORT2

MISSION STATEMENT AND GOALS

College of Letters and Science

Mission StatementThe College of Letters and Science mission is to serve the region, the state, and the world through…

● Academic excellence that fosters students’ career preparation, professional expertise, civic responsibility, personal development, and global adaptability

● Research and learning that generate new knowledge and new insights, which through their application, promote economic development, community well-being, personal fulfillment, and lifelong learning

● Dedication to the public good through leadership and service grounded in the foundational ideals of liberal education, robust academic majors, a vibrant general education program, and an overarching embrace of academic and personal integrity

● Adherence to the Principles of Excellence established for Liberal Education and America’s Promise (LEAP) by the Association of American Colleges and Universities.

• 13 Departments • 12 Centers and Affiliations• 27 majors• 44 minors• 167 tenure-line faculty• 80 academic staff• 20 classified staff

• More than 1,000 courses taught in 2012-13• 134,858 Student Credit Hours• More than 4,900 students enrolled in COLS

majors

COLS by the numbers

Contents

Letter from the Dean ................................................................................................................3

Teaching and Mentoring Excellence ....................................................................................4

Curricular Highlights: ................................................................................................................5

Department Highlights ............................................................................................................6

Internationalization and Inclusive Excellence .....................................................................8

College Outreach and Community Programs ....................................................................9

Stimulating the Economy ...................................................................................................... 12

Faculty and Student Collaboration ..................................................................................... 14

Funding for Research, Scholarship and Teaching ............................................................. 14

Promotions and Retirements ................................................................................................. 15

Partnership for Thriving Communities .................................................................................. 16

COLS Goals for 2013-14 .......................................................................................................... 17

COLS Development ................................................................................................................ 18

COLS Organizational Chart .................................................................................................. 18

COLS Majors, Minors and Facilities ...................................................................................... 19

On the cover (clockwise from the top): Model UN delegation at the Egyptian mission (Social Sciences); DNA research in Biology (Natural Sciences, Mathematics and Computing); Reading literature on the shores of Lake Joanis (The Humanities).

College of Letters and Science 3

LETTER FROM THE DEAN

Letter from the DeanWhat makes us special?

The 2012-13 academic year has been challenging, interesting and downright fun! In all we do, our promotion of a liberal arts and sciences education emphasizes: the liberation of the mind, the opening of the senses, and the expansion of the creative possibilities of the human condition. At UW-Stevens Point, and particularly within the College-at-the-Core, we deliver a well-rounded fundamental education for our next generation of leaders. Also, we will carefully examine our approaches, our technologies, and our very mode of educational delivery, to make our educational value available to a broader array of rapidly changing student needs and demography. This is a challenge we take very seriously at UW-Stevens Point, and the faculty and staff members, and administration of this college work actively in pursuit of this mission. We are opening a deeper discussion of the value of a fundamental liberal arts education with the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) and its Liberal Education and America’s Promise (LEAP) initiative. We have identified the intellectual virtues of humility and courage we want our students to have upon graduation. We are gaining national

attention within this context, and through our newly developed General Education Program, we affirm our role in providing what constitutes an intellectual core in the foundations, investigations and integration of knowledge. We provide every student with cultural, environmental, historical and science awareness culminated by capstone experiences and a commitment to an interdisciplinary perspective. This analysis is helping us close the circle on what makes us special; we are the fundamental core of intellectual pursuits at UW-Stevens Point.

I take great pride in presenting this annual report, and acknowledge the people who run the college day-to-day, week-by-week, and semester-by-semester without missing a beat in excellence, service and efficiency. We are all public employees

in our “day jobs” as one might say. Spending just one or two days shadowing our faculty and staff, seeing what they do for our students to meet their academic, personal, emotional and professional needs, makes me proud to call myself a servant-leader for the College of Letters and Science, and more importantly, for the university. We have made great strides in promoting the public/private partnerships that are being encouraged and scrutinized by our stakeholders and form the foundation for this report. From aquaponics to health care mapping, environmental ethics and history, medical and health pre-professional education, and environmental ethics, our diversity of offerings is our greatest strength. By offering less commonly taught languages through collaborations with other colleges, and in so many cultural and natural science contexts, we are the intellectual and economic hub of the Stevens Point and Central Wisconsin economy. With a new view of distance education and taking a lead role in improving and enhancing our distance courses, we address a new cohort of students who might historically have been overlooked by the traditional four-year residential undergraduate college.

This report is dedicated to the staff, faculty and administrators who run the units of this college. Without them, we could not meet our goals. As usual, I could not do the work required as dean without the valuable time and effort of my staff. Dean’s Assistant Patricia Kleman and LTE Office Assistant Dawn Haynes deserve special thanks for the efficiency and friendliness they bring to the dean’s office. Associate Dean Todd Good, Assistant Dean Dona Warren, and our former Development Director Julie Smith, all bring an expectation of excellence to this office. Computer Support Team Leader Alan Bond, and Technical Support Specialists Robert Fix and Aaron Schaufenbuel ensure our technology is in top shape. And of course Mark Williams, Dean’s Assistant for Advancement and Marketing, for giving us the public face most of our stakeholders remember and for his help in pulling this report together. None of our units in the college could function without our incredible administrative department associates, academic and classified staff, and student advisers. I am grateful for their contribution to our student’s success at UW-Stevens Point and beyond.

Sincerely,

Christopher P. CirmoDean, College of Letters and ScienceUniversity of Wisconsin-Stevens Point

“...we will carefully examine our approaches, our technologies, and our very mode of educational delivery, to make our educational value available to a broader array of the rapidly changing student needs and demography. ”

COLS Dean Chris Cirmo


TEACHING AND MENTORING EXCELLENCE

Department ChairsWe also recognize the leadership

brought to our college by dedicated department chairs who, with little compensation or recognition, run the day-to-day efforts and initiatives that are the lifeblood of the college. Our department chairs include: Christopher Yahnke (Biology), Paul Hladky (Chemistry), Robert Dollinger (Computing and New Media Technologies), Michael Williams (English), Richard Ruppel (Foreign Languages), David Ozsvath (Geography and Geology), Nancy LoPatin-Lummis (History), Cynthia McCabe (Mathematical Sciences), David Chan (Philosophy), Michael Veum (Physics and Astronomy), John Blakeman (Political Science), Craig Wendorf (Psychology) and Robert Enright (Sociology and Social Work).

Unit and Center Directors

In addition to our academic departments, our center directors serve a special function in assisting our academic mission, fostering interdisciplinary interactions, and focusing our outreach activities. Our directors include: Randy Olson (Allen F. Blocher Planetarium and Arthur J. Pejsa Observatory), Andrew Felt (Center for Athletic Scheduling), Edward Miller and Robert Wolensky (Center for the Small City), Keith Rice (GIS Center), Ray Reser (Museum of Natural History), Christopher Hartleb and Matthew Rogge (Northern Aquaculture Demonstration Facility), Dona Warren (Wisconsin Association for Critical Thinking) and Paul Fowler (Wisconsin Institute for Sustainable Technology).

● Elizabeth Graham (Biology)Academic Staff Spirit of Community Service Award

● Patricia Kleman (COLS Dean’s office)Classified Employee Outstanding Work Performance Award

Sabbaticals ● Tobias Barske (Foreign Languages) ● Diane Caporale (Biology) ● Patricia Gott (English) ● Alice Keefe (Philosophy) ● Eric Singsaas (Biology)

Fellowships ● Theresa Kaminski (History) UW System

Institute for Research in the Humanities Fellowship

● Katherine Moran (History) Fulbright Award

The College of Letters and Science continued its long standing tradition of exceptional teaching in 2012-13 with awards, events and initiatives that enhanced our fundamental mission and celebrate faculty recognized for teaching excellence. University Excellence in Teaching Awards were presented to Karin Bodensteiner (Biology), Jason D’Acchioli (Chemistry), Christian Diehm (Philosophy) and Jeana Magyar-Moe (Psychology). These awards were chosen by a jury of faculty peers and represent the highest teaching honor bestowed by UW-Stevens Point. The Eugene Katz Distinguished Faculty Award, offered in honor of distinguished performance in teaching, scholarship and service, was awarded this year to John Blakeman (Political Science). The Justus F. and Barbara J. Paul Award, offered in support of a faculty sabbatical, was awarded this year to Richard Ruppel (Foreign Languages).

Other College/University Awards ● Elia Armacanqui-Tipacti (Foreign

Languages) University Scholar Award ● David Chan (Philosophy) University

Scholar Award ● Beverley David (Foreign Languages)

University Service Award

Teaching and Mentoring Excellence

Doug Moore (university photographer) was recognized with an award from Nikon for his image of a Turritella agate specimen.

Dean Chris Cirmo presents John Blakeman (Political Science) with the Eugene Katz Distinguished Faculty Award

UWSP First-Year Seminar (FYS)COLS faculty create small 3-credit seminars for first-year students to address their specific needs. Participants in First-Year Seminar sections included: ● Mary Bowman (English)● Cheryl Brickner (English)● Todd Good (American Studies)) ● Edwin Herman (Mathematical Sci)● Thomas Leek (Foreign Languages)● Arnold Lelis (History)● Nancy Lopatin-Lummis (History)● Shanny Luft (Philosophy)● Jeana Magyar-Moe (Psychology)● Camarin Porter (History)● Linda Schubert (History)


CURRICULAR HIGHLIGHTS

work on academic program prioritization, something needed at the college and university levels. Growth areas likely will include: • English as a second language (Foreign

Languages) • Spanish (Foreign Languages) • Human services concentration

(Psychology) • Social work (Sociology and Social

Work) • Biochemistry (Chemistry and Biology) • GIS and cartography (Geography and

Geology) • Mathematics with an actuarial

emphasis (Mathematical Sciences) • Environmental and medical ethics

(Philosophy) • International studies (History) • Biomedical writing minor (English)•

Computer information systems (Computing and New Media Technologies)

In addition, with pre-design and preliminary approval for construction of the new science building, and with an emphasis on the Healthy Communities Initiative, the college plans a major effort to place UW-Stevens Point at the forefront of natural science education within the UW System, the region and the nation. We expect continued growth in these programs, major donor initiatives, and new cooperation on educational programs with major area health care providers. In all cases, work with the new AVC for Enrollment Management and the Office of Admissions is sorely needed, and we look to those offices for assistance in planning for these strategic curricular moves.

collaborative degree program in health information and management technology (HIMT), which will formally accept its first group of students in the fall of 2014. The office of Continuing Education, under COLS liaison Julie Hellweg, assisted in the implementation of the HIMT collaborative degree program, with three other UW System partners. In English, a biomedical writing minor was approved, and the GIS certificate program is being offered as a UW-Stevens Point contribution to the new UW Flexible Option. Two major areas of enrollment growth include psychology and computer information systems, possibly driven by the growth in mental health fields and the renaissance of computing language programs and business needs around the country. The new social work major has also seen very steep growth in enrollments, and along with a new emphasis in community and engagement issues on campus, should prove to strengthen our commitment to that goal in coming years. The social work program passed its third benchmark towards accreditation by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). Continuing Education implemented the first Principles of Aquaponics course in cooperation with Nelson and Pade, Inc., a partner in the private sector. Continuing Education also assisted the college in offering 95 courses with 895 total registrants, and assisted in generating more than $200,000 in revenue to be shared with college departments and units.

All departments prepared status reports for each of their majors, emphasizing that we cannot afford to be “everything to everyone,” particularly in the face of real and substantial state funding reductions. This year we began

All departments reorganized their majors and minors to meet the new General Education Program (GEP) requirements, including redefining the Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees at the department level. Enrollment goals and challenges were addressed with the hiring of the new Associate Vice Chancellor for Enrollment Management James Barrett. A top priority was to define and strategically plan for non-biology major needs in the other sciences and within the human health programs in the College of Professional Studies. The plan calls for right sizing the Department of Biology by adjusting enrollment to offer students more hands-on mentoring. With any planned strategic change in the population of biology majors, we expect to grow other areas in the sciences including biochemistry, computer information systems (CIS), chemistry, and geography and geology. Psychology is approaching a ceiling on its enrollments, and the social work major and all pre-professional medical and health-related preparation programs will receive special scrutiny for growth. The growth in biochemistry is reflective of its value as a pre-medical, pre-dental, pre-pharmacy, pre-veterinary and pre-optometry preparation program. Chemistry and biology have an excellent record of placing students into graduate programs, with the College of Letters and Science consistently ranked as the top doctoral-preparatory institution in the natural sciences in the UW System for students outside of UW-Madison. UW-Stevens Point places the second highest number and the highest percentage of students into doctoral programs in the STEM fields. New curricular programs include a

Curricular Highlights


DEPARTMENT HIGHLIGHTS

The HumanitiesThe Department of English initiated

new minors in creative writing and professional writing, and developed a new biomedical writing minor. The department is also continuing work on the Common Text Project in freshman English, which has proven popular with students and faculty alike. The collaborative language program in the Department of Foreign Languages is thriving with offerings in Chinese, Russian, Japanese and Arabic. The program is bolstered by our retention of Fulbright teaching assistants. In addition, the department is initiating a certificate program of four or five courses to assist students in marketing their skills in less commonly taught, but strategic, languages. The diverse offerings in Foreign Languages enrich our international and global culture while providing sound fundamentals in our regional heritage languages of French and German. The Department of History has designed online courses in History 101 and 102. The philosophy major in the Department of Philosophy has experienced strong enrollment, and the department serves both the health science major in CPS and all CNR students in required offerings in environmental and medical ethics. Other programs contribute to the teaching excellence mission of the college, including the international studies major, the independently planned major (IPM), and the women’s and gender studies minor. International studies has seen explosive growth in the recent past, and the new interdisciplinary requirement in the general education program, we expect to see continued expansion. The Social Sciences

The Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) Commission on Accreditation visited the Department of Sociology and Social Work again and granted the program third-year candidacy, with work continuing on the major’s CSWE benchmark IV documents. This recommendation allows our social work graduates to receive advance standing from UW-Madison for completion of the masters in social work (MSW) in one year rather than two. In addition, the department is working closely with the collaborative degree program (CDP)

Continuing Education, UW-Extension and three other UW System campuses in the development of the new collaborative online curriculum in health information and management technology (HIMT). Articulation agreements with Mid State Technical College in Stevens Point were initiated this year toward bringing more opportunity to a working and non traditional student audience. In the Department of Mathematical Sciences, the new math tutoring laboratory opened in Collins Classroom Center room 302 this fall to enhance student learning. This lab gives the department and college the opportunity to apply for national distinction in the area of remedial math tutoring, encouraging larger external grants to support undergraduate quantitative skills enhancement. The department has been a leader in the development of online options for their students, in both remedial and advanced classes in mathematics. The Department of Biology underwent a number of curricular changes including the establishment of a new course to address communications in the major, and, in concert with the new office of Enrollment Management, is undergoing a review of its major enrollments and its service course offerings to other majors across campus.

The Natural Sciences, Mathematics and Computing

The Department of Chemistry has done excellent work in keeping their curriculum at the cutting edge by cooperating with and maintaining certification with the American Chemical Society (ACS). The department is very active in its outreach and engagement programs with continuing its chemistry demonstrations, an alumni newsletter, a chemistry/biochemistry information night and the chemistry colloquium series. There is interest in developing an astronomy minor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy. This is particularly relevant in light of a $100K donation from Arthur and Jane Pejsa for the continuing updating of the newly named Arthur J. Pejsa Observatory. Within the Department of Geography and Geology, the GIS Center has become a hive of activity for majors across campus, with new initiatives within the UW Flexible Option, a new GIS certificate, and work with local municipalities. Spatial technology will likely be an important area of emphasis for many other majors across campus. The Department of Computing and New Media Technologies has worked with

Department Highlights

Aquaponics partnership with Nelson and Pade, Inc. in Montello, Wis.


DEPARTMENT HIGHLIGHTS

advising concerns and the role of online and distance education in the student’s curricula. This committee is opening channels of communications that did not exist in the past, and is demystifying the role of the dean in student affairs. The Academy of Letters and Science is working with new by-laws, a new membership structure and has developed its first endowment, giving the academy the ability to fund its annual Academy Evening awards ceremony. The academy advises the dean on issues of importance to the community and region, sponsors a series of awards for students and faculty, and hosts the annual Academy Evening, an academic and engagement highlight of the academic year for the college. The leadership of Frederick “Fritz” Wenzel as president for the past two years has brought great rewards, and we owe him a debt of gratitude for his dedication to UW-Stevens Point.

aquaponics. The aquaculture minor is the only undergraduate aquaculture education program in the state and is one of only a select few in the country. Christopher Hartleb collaborated on and again offered a unique online/hybrid aquaponics course at UW-Stevens Point through a public/private partnership with Nelson & Pade, Inc. of Montello, Wisconsin. The college and University Foundation became the home of the International Aquaponics Society this past year, with the first annual International Aquaponics Society Conference held in April, with more than 150 international attendees. This program is poised for growth and the college is working with the Vice-Chancellor for Advancement and the new Economic Development Director to bring aquaponics as a specialty center to the UW-Stevens Point campus. This development is a signature program for the college, and holds great promise for the future in both curricular and public/private partnership models.

The dean’s office takes the advice of internal and external advisory councils very seriously. Our dean’s faculty advisory council is made up of a faculty representative from each of the college’s thirteen departments and meets once per month with topics of interest in teaching, service and scholarship. The valuable advice from this group includes suggestions on the promotion of grantsmanship for our faculty, and how the college and departments review and encourage service activities. This year, the council completely rewrote the mission statement and charter for the council, with new expectations and charge to the committee. The dean’s student advisory council consists of nominated student representatives from each department, and meets monthly to discuss issues from a student’s perspective. Topics this year included

in offering courses in social work and social policy on selected UW College campuses. The Department of Political Science had another banner year with its Model UN program for its majors, and tenured its first woman faculty member in the 40-year history of the department. The Department of Psychology has seen growth in its major enrollments over the past four years. Laboratory and office space is being renovated to accommodate the new animal room, and the old research laboratories are being updated to accommodate student workers and more comfortable working conditions for new faculty.

Other Units and Centers

Our liaison for Continuing Education, Julie Hellweg, continues to work with departments on offerings for nontraditional students, and to assist us in experimental curricula, outreach and community education. Continuing Education also enhanced opportunities for students through their work with the HIMT collaborative degree, the ESL/Bilingual certificate program, and through sponsorship of our inclusive excellence (IE) initiatives. Overall, Continuing Education allowed more than 1,000 additional student registrations in credit-bearing classes within the college. The Collaborative Degree Program (CDP), coordinated by Todd Good, is a model of cooperation between the UW Colleges and UW-Stevens Point. The CDP contributes to opportunities made available to place- and time-bound students in collaboration with UW-Marathon County (Wausau), UW-Marshfield/Wood County, UW-Fond du Lac, UW-Fox Valley (Menasha), and UW-Marinette. This year, 18 courses were offered in nine disciplines, enrolling 275 students with 12 students completing their bachelor’s degrees in American studies. POLYED Center Director John Droske met with POLYED committees and subcommittees in Philadelphia for a series of meetings to introduce macromolecular science/polymeric materials into foundational courses in organic chemistry.

The Northern Aquaculture Demonstration Facility (NADF) staff has had a banner year, offering the aquaculture minor that is administrated through the Department of Biology, through many grants it has obtained, and in its latest expansion into

Academy of Letters and Science Executive Committee

● Frederick Wenzel (President)● C. Marvin Lang (Vice President)● John Finn (Executive committee)● Steven Nieland (Executive

committee)● David Thiel (Executive committee)● Christopher Cirmo (Dean)● Jennifer Collins (Social Sciences)● Jason D’Acchioli (Natural

Sciences)● Thomas Leek (Humanities)

Academy of Letters and Science President Frederick Wenzel presents Jesha Holcomb-LaMarche with a student award at the Academy Evening.


INTERNATIONALIZATION AND INCLUSIVE EXCELLENCE

hands-on workshops and presentations. College of Letters and Science faculty, UW-Stevens Point students and professional women from around the state share their expertise and love of science during this event, which is highly acclaimed by the schools involved. Faculty members in the natural and social sciences also contributed to sessions for STEM Career Day, which involves middle school boys, with direct assistance and requests made by local and regional schools to include a separate session for boys of middle school age.

The Department of English demonstrates commitment to the promotion of internationalization through continued diversity in its core requirements for the major by offering courses in ethnic literature, American Indian literature, African and black literature, and Chicana/Chicano literature. The department also offers a course in gay and lesbian literature, and periodically, a graduate seminar on literature and diversity of sexual experience. English faculty member Dejan Kuzmanovic has been the UW-Stevens Point representative to the UW System inclusivity initiative for LGBTQ since 2005 and was nominated for the UW System PB Poorman Award for outstanding achievement. Matthew Davis continues to serve as co-editor for an online discussion forum with nearly 1,100 participants from more than 30 different countries, in collaboration with the Center for the Study of Citizenship at Wayne State University. Barbara Dixson of English continues to lead the UWSP Connections Project, now in its sixth year, bringing together students in the UW-Stevens Point English education program and students from Adams Friendship and Green Bay East high schools, The program was expanded this year to include students from Milwaukee Vincent, Hortonville, and Madison LaFollette high schools. The Lincoln Hills Poetry Project expanded its outreach to female inmates at the Lincoln Hills Juvenile Detention Facility, and in tandem with the program for male students, published dual magazines for both student groups. This program was advised by faculty member David Roloff. In preparing our students for a global society, the Department of Foreign Languages is a natural center for global citizenship and internationalization

• Diversity and College Access • Multicultural Events • Multicultural Student Organizations • Non traditional Student Services • University Hosts • University Library Diversity Resources • Women’s and Gender Studies Program • Diversity Readings List

The college makes a point of identifying its URM faculty and staff, giving them the opportunity to meet with the dean and their chair about climate issues, and consulting with the Climate Study and Equity Scorecard Committee to contribute what they can to that discussion. Each of our search committees has an affirmative action representative whose job it is to ensure that during the recruitment and hiring of the candidate, all EAA guidelines are closely followed and documented.

The College of Letters and Science prides itself in its commitment to assisting students in developing broad global and personal views involving social and international issues and engendering sensitivity to different cultural philosophies and lifestyles. We have engaged in activities to enhance Inclusive Excellence (defined as a concerted effort to build diversity, equity, inclusion and excellence) in all of our programs, teaching, research and service. Two very successful annual events include the Women and Science Day and the STEM (Science, Technology,

Engineering and Mathematics) Career Day. Both events are coordinated by our Continuing Education liaison Julie Hellweg with support from the dean’s office. Women and Science Day is designed for seventh and eighth grade girls with more than 400 students from around the state participating in

The college conforms to all practices promoted by the Equity and Affirmative Action office (EAA) to ensure we have made our best efforts in promoting our departments and colleges to underrepresented minorities (URM) as federally defined. As part of the review process, our EAA director meets with each department or position search committee to cover legal questions and suggest ways we can increase our minority pools of candidates and our retention of those candidates once they are at UW-Stevens Point. We use as a guide the Inclusive Excellence Strategic Plan to: a) increase recruitment and retention of diverse faculty/staff, and b) retain our diverse faculty/staff at a higher rate. We make every effort to reach out to our women and minority faculty in the first and second semester they are at our university. The dean meets with each new faculty member to discuss their progress, comfort and ways the dean’s office and their department can assist them in becoming a part of the university community. This is an active process and involves the dean’s assistant in scheduling meetings with all new faculty and staff hired by the college. We also encourage and promote the activities of the following organizations in building a climate of acceptance: • Faculty and Staff Gay-Straight Alliance • Becoming an Outdoors Woman (BOW)

Internationalization and Inclusive Excellence

Students at the Model UN in New York.


COLLEGE OUTREACH AND COMMUNITY PROGRAMS

Work). These seminars introduce our community to the expertise present in their community, and are an outreach and engagement practice. This effort is critical if we are to communicate clearly the value of a liberal arts and science education, as reflected in the expertise of the practitioners of our craft…our faculty! The COLS Faculty Forum, an internal series of lectures on research and educational topics of interest to the university community, featured Kathleen Lamb (Sociology and Social Work), Jonathan Duarte (Mathematical Sciences), Beverley David (Foreign Languages), Michael Zach (Chemistry) and Antonio Valle de Anton, Elia Tipacti-Armacanqui and Vera Klekovkina (Foreign Languages). The college presented a total of 136 outreach programs, participated in 168 community service activities, and presented 74 outreach non credit programs for the public.

At the heart of our college outreach activities are its many institutes and centers, which act as interdisciplinary foci for work between the departments, community and other organizations. The UWSP Museum of Natural History contributed to the college’s outreach mission under the guidance of director Ray Reser, who has been tireless in updating the exhibit section in the Learning Resources Center, installing new lighting, posters and display descriptions. Most importantly, he has led the effort in strategic planning and eventual full accreditation by the American Association of Museums (AAM) Museum Assessment Program (MAP). A second visitation by AAM representatives occurred in March, with positive results. The museum is one of the most extensive in the state, and certainly the most extensive on a college campus, with scientific curators in the scientific collection areas of archaeology, herpetology, ornithology, entomology, ichthyology, paleontology, geology, mammalogy, parasitology and botany. The museum held its annual Collection Crawl in March, with hundreds of school children and parents involved in visiting the various curator collections throughout the science buildings on campus. The museum is becoming the centerpiece for community outreach in the sciences, and, in combination with the Allen F. Blocher Planetarium, and the Arthur J. Pejsa Observatory, reach some 13,000 community visitors annually. There are

a practicum/internship with the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chipppewa. ● The new social work curriculum includes a significant component on Native American Social Work, including courses on Native American culture. ● The Northern Aquaculture Demonstration Facility (NADF) is located on land leased from the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa and state financial support is provided through tribal gaming revenue. The NADF frequently hosts visiting aquaculturists from tribal hatchery programs and collaborates with other Native American tribes on applied research and demonstration projects. The chancellor, vice chancellor for business and finance, and the dean met with the Red Cliff Tribal Council in February in Red Cliff to begin discussions on greater collaboration in sharing aquaculture teaching and research.

The College of Letters and Science has a long tradition of community outreach and public relations advancement with the city of Stevens Point, Portage County, the region and the nation. Indeed, it is difficult to think of Stevens Point without UW-Stevens Point coming to mind. It is part of the fabric of our local society and is directly or indirectly involved in many local and regional activities. The COLS Community Lecture Series was popular again this year with presentations from the faculty about their research and other community interests. The series is held monthly in The Pinery Room at the Portage County Public Library. This year we featured faculty members Keith Rice (Geography and Geology), Dennis Riley (Political Science), Neil Prendergast (History), Devinder Sandhu (Biology), Justin Rueb (Psychology), David Snyder (Chemistry) and Amy Boelk (Sociology and Social

activities with its collaborative language program engaging diverse instructors in Chinese, Arabic, Japanese and Russian. The faculty in this department work closely with the International Programs office and in leading study abroad trips to France, Germany, Mexico and Spain. The Department of History reemphasized its mission of housing the International Studies program. Anju Reejhsinghani developed a Cuban winterim program with students traveling to Cuba during the winter of 2013. Several of our faculty have attended workshops and other training in Inclusive Excellence, and both Lisa Theo and Ismaila Odogba (Geography and Geology) have been members of the Equity and Affirmative Action Committee. During this past year, the Department of Geography and Geology student organization (GeoClub) devoted space on their bulletin board to the promotion of the campus chapter of Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and related Sciences (MANRRS). Additional highlights ● Jennifer Collins (Political Science), Elia Tipacti-Armacanqui (Foreign Languages) and Anju Reeshsinghani (History) delivered the second year of the interdisciplinary Latin American/Caribbean Speaker Series with a lecture on human rights in Peru by Jo-Marie Burt of George Mason University, and a presentation performance on reggae music with Larry McDonald. ● Beverley David (Foreign Languages) sponsored the visit of Argentinian scholar Alicia Partnoy of Loyola-Marymount University, who spoke about the “disappeared” in that country to a large audience in April 2013. ● Jeanna Magyar-Moe (Psychology) continued to represent the college on the inclusive excellence leadership team, and gave a keynote address at the Teaching and Learning Conference held at the university in January. ● Valerie Barske has brought a Japanese perspective to the Department of History with her East Asian activities and interests, and acted as assistant coordinator of International Studies. ● The UW-Stevens Point Model UN Club did their annual trip to New York, with the club winning several Model UN Awards. ● Elizabeth Wabindato (Political Science) developed a Native American tribal government course that combined classroom time at UW-Stevens Point with

College Outreach and Community Programs



partner in the construction of a new education/outreach/dormitory facility.

The Center for the Small City with co-directors Edward Miller and Robert Wolensky, organizes conferences, colloquia, seminars and workshops on relevant topics for the university community, local government officials, community leaders and the general public. This year, the center organized its 19th conference on a theme resonating with the Healthy Communities Initiative. The conference titled “Providing Health Care to Small Cities and Rural Communities” was held April 17-18 and

was attended by some 100 small city and rural health care providers and many students from the university. An evening gathering of health care providers and university executives highlighted the conference, with Chancellor Bernie Patterson, Academy of Letters and Science President Frederick “Fritz” Wetzel and Dean Chris Cirmo giving opening remarks. The Wisconsin Institute for Sustainable Technology (WIST) is a joint center under COLS and CNR and run by Institute Director Paul Fowler. WIST provides research, education and

services to improve Wisconsin’s long-term environment and economy through collaboration of educators, students and researchers. Ongoing activities have included biofuels research to culminate in development of a bio-refinery process. WIST also provides laboratory services including a suite of analytical, research and development services to the paper industry. WIST had a number of personnel changes this year, including a new Director of Analytical Services and the retention of a post-doctoral scientist for the biofuels initiative. The college also cooperated with the College of Professional Studies in hosting on campus a variety of presentations for the Northcentral Area Health Education Center (NCAHEC) in its Health Careers Camp in June. Department Outreach Activities

Each department in the College

climate, and develops programming with a network of partners within the North-Central U.S. region through applied research, demonstration, outreach, extension and educational programs. Co-directors Christopher Hartleb and Matthew Rogge, both of Biology, have positioned the facility as a leader in new and exciting fish culture work and demonstration. The NADF sponsored undergraduate student internships at the Red Cliff facility, and at private and state/federal fish hatcheries. It has also sponsored interns from the Red Cliff Nation. The interns have presented

results at university, state, regional and national research conferences, and reports are available to the aquaculture community on the NADF website. NADF Facilities Director Gregory Fischer continued Northern Wisconsin outreach efforts by launching an aquaponics demonstration lab with Bayfield middle school, hosting talks with a UW-Stevens Point Alumni Association event and an Ashland community science group. He also teamed with the Red Cliff volunteers to clean and vacuum seal arctic char donated to non profit food pantries in Red Cliff, Ashland, Washburn and Lac du Flambeau. Our campus leadership met with the Red Cliff tribal council in February to answer questions and discuss issues of how the NADF can become more responsive to tribal needs and opportunities. Additional discussions have ensued on joint signage on the facility and street, and on ways to potentially

plans for a unification of some programs that would ensure that elementary school children can do a one-stop visit of our facilities.

The Geographic Information Systems (GIS) center is an instructional and research facility dedicated to conducting and disseminating cutting edge GIS projects. It offers a variety of learning pathways for UW-Stevens Point traditional students, post-graduates, students pursuing a GIS certificate, and students seeking continuing education credits and is headed by director Keith Rice and education specialist Douglas Miskowiak. The center issued the first certificate in its one-year GIS program with seven professional certificate tracks offered in a variety of disciplines including applications for the forestry industry and municipal governments. Online asynchronous GIS workshops were further developed for non traditional students and current GIS professionals, including a farmland preservation and policy planning workshop. Additionally, a new GIS Center funding proposal was agreed upon and a new revenue self sufficiency model implemented. Most GIS Center outreach initiatives and courses have been redirected to the Collaborative Degree Program (CDP) for students seeking a GIS certificate and/or spatial analysis minor. In addition, work commenced on a new collaborative graduate degree certification program with UW-Madison, and the GIS program is scheduled to be the only UW-Stevens Point program to align a certificate or degree program with the new UW Flexible Option. This new cooperative agreement is scheduled to begin offering the GIS certificate to practicing professionals in the fall of 2014, as cohort two of the unique state-initiated program. In addition, we hope to solidify and strengthen our cooperative programs with the Marshfield Clinic.

The Northern Aquaculture Demonstration Facility (NADF) promotes and advances the development of commercial aquaculture in a northern

GIS students record timber stand characteristics into their mobile GIS field computers.



an effort to introduce local students to a heritage language at an early age. Thomas Leek organized the German Pronunciation Contest for High School Students of German, and Vera Klekovkina presented “Making a Case for French” for high school teachers at a conference at the French House in Madison. She also organized the “Francofoule,” a French coffee clutch to the French speaking public at the Coffee Studio in Stevens Point.

● History – Edgar Francis presented, “Introduction to Islam and the Middle East,” at Saint John the Evangelist Episcopal Church in Wisconsin Rapids, and “Allies, Enemies, or a Little of Each? Pakistan’s Foreign Relations with India, Afghanistan and the U.S.” as part of the LIFE Program. Neil Prendergast presented “Raising the Thanksgiving Turkey: Nature, History, Culture,” at COLS Community Lecture Series and “To die in the Gilded Age” for the LIFE Program. Rob Harper serves on the planning committee for Wisconsin History Symposium and Nancy LoPatin-Lummis served on the Stevens Point Area School District Committee for restructuring the Annual and Daily Schedule.

● Mathematical Sciences – The Central Wisconsin Mathematics League, through the generous corporate sponsorship of Sentry Insurance, Liberty Mutual Middle Market Insurance, and Travel Guard Insurance, continues to be a recruitment activity for UW-Stevens Point and a service to high school students from all over Central Wisconsin. This year, eight members of the department have organized, written and graded

CNMT 480 capstone course where teams of 3-4 students, under the supervision of a faculty mentor, work closely with organizations to analyze technology needs, design code, and implement solutions - all at no cost to the organization. The department is also cooperating with UW-Marathon County and Portage County schools attempting to bring new focus on computer science through involvement of high school computer science teachers’ summer camp hosted at UW-Stevens Point. Wausau and Stevens Point area schools, as well as UW-Marathon County, are continuing these discussions.

● English – The department sponsors a variety of outreach and community projects including; Cornerstone Press, High School Writers’ Workshop and the UWSP Connections Project. Patricia Dyjak has been active in organizing and promoting public poetry readings at a variety of venues for different audiences and Elizabeth Felt organized a youth writing group, Youth Writers’ of Stevens Point. Michael Williams, chair, is a member of the Governor’s Council on Autism, a parent representative on the Portage County Family Services Board, and is a member of the Stevens Point Area School District Autism committee. Barney Street and Rising Voices are two other highly successful outreach programs in the department. Dan Dieterich also led a one-hour session on Writing Effective Resumes for the MANNRS program.

● Foreign Languages – Tobias Barske continues to coordinate work with German majors who serve at Bannach Elementary School in Stevens Point in

of Letters and Science creates unique activities in serving our communities. The following is a short list highlighting some of those activities.

● Biology – The Wisplants website (http://wisplants.uwsp.edu/), hosted by the Department of Biology, is one of the most visited university websites. It allows anyone to search for information on plants and contact our staff if they have further questions. As of October 2012, approximately 10,000 specimens had been data based, resized and posted. Through a special arrangement with the herbarium at UW-Madison, this site is being transferred to the UW-Stevens Point biology website thanks to cooperative efforts with original curator Merel Black, and faculty members Emmett Judziewicz and Virginia Freire, and COLS Senior Technical Support Leader Alan Bond. Sol Sepsenwol is the coordinator of the UWSP Winter (Premedical/PA) Clinic/St Preceptorship at Marshfield Clinic, Aspirus Wausau Hospital, Lakeland Center Marshfield Clinic in Minoqua, and the Prevea. Vincent’s Hospital in Green Bay. Devinder Sandhu continues his soybean research that has economic importance in our state and beyond. Justin Sipiorski, in conjunction with ichthyology students and the Aquarium Science Society of Stevens Point (IASSSP), oversee the maintenance of several public aquaria, most notably those in the Portage County Public Library lobby and the UW-Stevens Point Schmeeckle Reserve Visitors Center.

● Chemistry – The Chemistry Colloquium Series sponsors seminars given by invited speakers on selected Friday afternoons. The department has developed a strong relationship with Orthomolecular Products and James Lawrence continues to collaborate with research scientists at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. The department hosts a career night with panelists speaking to current students about opportunities in the chemical and biochemical sciences. In addition, Robin Tanke organized National Chemistry Week activities for the Boys and Girls Clubs, Jason D’Acchioli presented a seminar for the Science Extravaganza at Stevens Point Area Senior High (SPASH) and James Lawrence presented a hands-on activity for the NCAHEC Health Career Camp.

● Computing and New Media Technologies – The department continues to actively partner with local businesses and non profits in their

Children and community members visit scientifiic collections on campus during the Museum of Natural History Collection Crawl.


STIMULATING THE ECONOMY

at the conference. Marketing efforts included the creation of a television spot highlighting aquaponics at UW-Stevens Point, sponsorship of the weather segment on Channel 7 the week of the conference, and a National Public Radio interview on aquaponics. As work has continued on the development of aquaponics as a new area of collaboration, the COLS dean’s office,

and the office of Continuing Education have been busy with establishing one of the first aquaponcs curricula in the country. The Department of Biology and Nelson and Pade Inc. jointly offered the two credit principles of aquaponics and the three credit Introduction to aquaponics courses, and in May, the dean attended the capstone day of the three-credit course at the Nelson and Pade Inc. facility in Montello,

along with Regent Tim Higgins. The continued partnership of UW-Stevens Point with Nelson and Pade, Inc., and now the International Aquaponics Society, will prove productive and economically viable as our economy moves more toward sustainable agricultural practices. The GIS Center is moving ahead on projects to stimulate economic growth and support fledgling business and government offices in spatial management technologies. Douglas Miskowiak is a certified ESRI (Environmental Systems Research Institute) instructor for teaching introductory workshops in ArcGIS. GIS Center personnel developed a business model for long-term credit and non credit fee structures to now be offered through the Collaborative Degree Program. The center continued work on the WIST grant,

The College of Letters and Science takes pride in its ability to stimulate local and regional economies through research, teaching and service. Our activities, faculty, centers and institutes all play a role in stimulating the economic engine of the region. We consider ourselves a braintrust of the Central Wisconsin region, and work diligently to assist our private and public partners in furthering their economic success. The Northern Aquaculture Demonstration Facility (NADF) attracted some $800K in external grants in the past few years, most of which is used for the enhancement of the state’s growing aquaculture industry. Aquaculture produced $14.1 million in fish and minnow sales in the state of Wisconsin, contributing $21 million in total economic activity. In conjunction with the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade & Consumer Protection, faculty/staff at NADF have developed an online fish-health certificate program for producers. Over the past three years the NADF staff has presented aquaculture lessons to many high schools in northern Wisconsin region and sponsored tribal and non-tribal interns. Based on a grant from the National Sea Grant program, and in collaboration with the UWSP GIS Center, work continues on developing a GIS-based analysis of aquaculture development in Wisconsin. Continuing Education coordinated the International Aquaponics Society Conference on the UW-Stevens Point campus June 19 – 21, 2013. There were 144 participants with representation from nine countries. All participants of the conference became founding members of the International Aquaponics Society which was launched

contest examinations for high school students. Approximately 600 high school students have visited our campus three times during this past year to take the examinations.

● Philosophy – David Chan was interviewed on WPCN radio about his book Beyond Just War, in December. Also, Christian Diehm hosted guest speaker Kekek Jason Stark for a public presentation as part of “Wolf Week” in November. Tori Jennings continued her work on Hmong culture with local Hmong communities in a public presentation and workshop on backyard chickens and urban agriculture at the Local Food Fair held at SPASH in February. She also presented this topic, as part of an ongoing development of a documentary film, for the HASEEAC Conference in February. Shanny Luft was honored in being chosen to present the University Evening in October.

● Physics and Astronomy –The Allen F. Blocher Planetarium and the newly named Arthur J. Pejsa Observatory, presented programs to more than 11,000 visitors, including university classes, school groups, community groups, and public programs.

● Political Science – The department continues to partner with local government agencies through its internship program. They placed interns in the mayors’ offices in Stevens Point and Wisconsin Rapids, the District Attorney’s Office, the Public Defender’s Office, and other agencies. John Blakeman continues to serve on the Board of Directors of Justiceworks, and Brad Mapes-Martins serves on the Portage County Bike Path Commission.

● Sociology and Social Work – Amy Boelk serves on the Healthy Communities Advisory Committee and Dorothy De Boer attended the Wisconsin Campus Compact meeting in Madison. Alton “Sonny” Smart serves as a tribal judge and is called upon as an expert witness in child welfare cases. and other tribal issues, and as a sub-committee member on the Wisconsin Tribal Judges Association for state/tribal judges training. Dorothy De Boer edits the annual department newsletter and is a member of the county advisory board of Portage and Wood counties of the National Association for the Mentally Ill Portage /Wood County Advisory Board. Robert Enright serves on the Town of Hull Plan Commission.

Stimulating the Economy

Continuing Education course in aquaponics concludes with participants creating a simulated business


STIMULATING THE ECONOMY

in the county and region, and those faculty in the Mathematical Sciences involved with the actuarial minor are continually contacted by insurance companies and other businesses for student internships and expertise. The college sees this as a potential growth area in the quantitative sciences. As our social work major continues to work toward full accreditation by the Council on Social Work Education, we continue to refine and expand the field education aspect. Our social service professional partners give their time and energy to mentor and guide developing social workers. As their capstone experience, social work students gain valuable knowledge, skill and experience. Students must spend at least 400 hours within an approved organization, and they also complete additional work in the required field seminar. Twenty-three students completed their social work field education in the last year (fall 2012, spring and summer 2013) and collectively provided more than 13,000 hours of service in communities throughout Central and Eastern Wisconsin. The Applied Sociology Field Placement program provides internship experiences in a vast array of organizations in Central Wisconsin and beyond, including the Department of Corrections, CAP Services, the Stevens Point Police Department, and the Aging and Disabilities Resource Center.

with private companies is a model of the kind of entrepreneurship we are encouraging of our faculty and units. He is also developing a special Electroplate and Lift Lithography Nanowire Education Outreach Kit for local schools, which should prove to be a significant technological magnet for potential students interested in UW-Stevens Point for cutting-edge technologies education.

The Department of CNMT cooperates with many partners including the Paper Science Foundation Inc., Portage County Humane Society, Sentry Insurance, Marshfield Clinic, Stevens Point Rotary Club, the Association of Professional Communication Consultants, Northern Wisconsin Veterinary Medical Association, The Noel Group, Engineers & Scientists of Milwaukee, Eastbay, Collaborative Consulting of Wausau, and Ministry Health Care. The CNMT program is undergoing major personnel changes, and the need for students with both a computer coding background, and the ability to understand interfaces and media technologies, is proving to be invaluable to local employers who are seeking continuing education and advancement for their employees. We are initiating a major effort to track students and make computer science courses available to junior high and high schools throughout Central Wisconsin, an effort in cooperation with UW-Marathon County and Mid-State Technical College. The Department of English has established a strong relationship with the professional/science/technical writing unit at the Marshfield Clinic in its establishment of the biomedical writing minor. The Department of Geography and Geology has partnered with the North Central Regional Planning Commission for internship opportunities for their students. Many faculty within our Department of Psychology participate in or practice as clinical psychologist in the area, contributing to the economy and to the brain trust on mental health

“UWSP Student and Employee Sustainable Transportation Costs: Assessment, Awareness, and Decision Support.” A student survey and implementation of Web and app-based carbon-footprint transportation model will begin in the fall semester of 2013. In the Mammogram Pre-Diagnosis Protocol grant project, results and associated poster maps were delivered to Marshfield Clinic. This involved conducting a proximity analysis showing the relationship between patients and health care facilities. A collaboration between our GIS Center and Marshfield Clinic has resulted in a paper published in The American Journal of Roentgenology to further investigate emerging geographic patterns related to human health.

The office of Continuing Education and the college, in collaboration with the Department of Sociology and Social Work, offered two professional development workshops for social work practitioners and students. The fall workshop was “Getting to know the LGBTQ Community,” and the spring 2013 workshop was “Buddhist Perspectives of Care at the End-of-Life.” Both were offered as either a university credit class or a noncredit workshop for continuing education units and drew attention from the community for the college. The “Microbiology for Brewers” Workshop was brought forward by biology faculty Terese Barta, and was developed and offered in September, January and June. Feedback was very positive and has attracted participants from as far away as Chicago. Our Department of Foreign Languages faculty train students in many languages who secure jobs in Wisconsin companies that have global connections. Recently, The Noel Group hired a number of our majors in French, German and Spanish, and Lands’ End is also hiring fluent speakers of Spanish. The English as a Second Language Program (ESL) has grown significantly under Tobias Barske, who now advises some 75 ESL-minors. This program is important to many in-service teachers who need mandated training in ESL. Michael Zach of the Department of Chemistry continues to collaborate with scientists from Argonne National Laboratory, and his joint appointment with Argonne allows him access to their equipment and facilities. Our initiatives in the strategic growth area of nanotechnology are spearheaded by Michael. His work with WiSys in partnering

Chemistry students visit Argonne National Laboratory in Chicago, Illinois with Associate Professor Michael Zach.


FACULTY AND STUDENT COLLABORATION/ FUNDING FOR RESEARCH, SCHOLARSHIP AND TEACHING

Funding for Research, Scholarship and Teaching

be a clear and strong link to involving students in the completion of their work. The faculty in our college received a total of ten honors for their scholarship, a very high number for a college of this size.

The strong link encouraged between students and faculty is most evident during the College of Letters and Science Undergraduate Research Symposium, chaired again this year by Assistant Dean Dona Warren. This year’s event had 36 oral and 65 poster presentations. The excitement generated by this event is profound, as students and faculty actively engage in communicating how a question first arises in their class and is then put into practice in the profession. Special recognition is due to students who attended the annual Posters in the Rotunda held in Madison with three students from our college being honored at this event. At the event, legislators have an opportunity to witness the work created by our students and their faculty mentors by meeting them at their posters. This public engagement is invaluable in fostering public awareness, and in exposing students to the political realities of the educational workplace.

During Fiscal Year 2012-13, faculty, staff and students in the College of Letters and Science applied for many internal, external and UW System grants. Programs like the Student Research Fund, UPDC grants, Wisconsin Teaching Fellows, and Research in the Humanities received requests of $137,852, and were awarded $88,296. Our own internal award programs, including the COLS Enhancement Grants, COLS Faculty Development Fund, COLS mini-grants and

department having as a cornerstone the expectation of such scholarly pursuit. In 2012-13, the scholarship activities of our faculty included some very impressive numbers: • 142 professional publications • 416 conference and seminar

presentations • 176 scholarly writings and unpublished

manuscripts • 13 formal clinics presented • 396 total memberships in professional

societies • 188 professional conferences attended

by faculty and students • 54 professional panels (23 having our

faculty as chair of the panel)

Scholarly activity takes many forms, from the traditional peer-reviewed publication, to presentations at regional and national meetings, to book reviews, to the receipt of competitive grant awards, to book authorship, to chapters in books. To expect scholarship for its own sake is valuable, as we are in fact a community of scholars. But to use it to inform our teaching and mentoring is our greatest calling. In fact, it is an expectation that when our faculty obtain extramural funding for projects, there

The College of Letters and Science promotes and supports an interactive and intellectual atmosphere between faculty and students as our primary objective. The college takes great pride in having a long history of placing its students into graduate school, industry, business and public sector positions. The currency we use to measure our success is the student/faculty relationship. This face-to-face relationship is being challenged by distance and online educational alternatives, but our students continue to testify that “getting to know” a professor makes all the difference. Often this is based on the strong bond developed between student and faculty member during a scholarly project or during an internship with a local business or agency. Our faculty are considered teacher/scholars, in that their role as experts informs their teaching, and in turn makes us the public brain trust we often refer to. Our faculty submit many peer-reviewed research papers, presentations at conferences, and sponsor and mentor our students in public projects and internships. Within the college, the total number of peer-reviewed papers, successful grant proposals, reports and conference presentations is quite large, with each

Faculty and Student Collaboration

Student making an oral presentation to a large audience at the COLS Undergraduate Research Symposium.


FUNDING FOR RESEARCH, SCHOLARSHIP AND TEACHING / PROMOTIONS AND RETIREMENTS

● Andrea Knapp (Mathematics) ● Tim Krause (CNMT) ● Angela Lowery (Psychology) ● David Roloff (English) ● Michael Simmers (Mathematics) ● Qiang Sun (Biology) ● Christopher Verzani (Physics) ● Lee Willis (History)

Promotion from Associate Professor to Full Professor ● Elia Armacanqui-Tipacti (Foreign

Languages) ● Karl Ryavec (Geography and

Geology) ● Chris Yahnke (Biology)

Academic Staff promotions ● Gayle Huglen (CDP) ● Jo Immel (Mathematics) ● Ann Kiefer (Mathematics) ● Pat Zellmer (Biology)

Retirements ● James Brummer (Chemistry) ● Richard Crowther (Biology) ● Mark Treuden (Mathematics) ● Michael Treuden (Mathematics) ● Jianwei Wang (Political Science)

● Gregory Fischer (NADF) UW-Milwaukee, $15,000

● Brian Hale (History) Research in the Humanities, $10,000

● Christopher Hartleb (Biology) Michigan State University, $26,676

● William Lawlor (English) Research in the Humanities, $10,000

● Wade Mahon (English) Wisconsin Teaching Scholars, $4,954

● Ismaila Odogba (Geography and Geology) Wisconsin Teaching Fellows, $5,236

● Eric Singsaas (Biology) C5-6 Technologies, $111,589

● Michael Zach (Chemistry) WiSys Technology Foundation and ARG/WiTAG, $24,218

Promotion from Assistant Professor to Associate Professor ● Karin Bodensteiner (Biology) ● Jennifer Collins (Political Science) ● Edgar Francis (History)

the Undergraduate Education Initiative (UEI) grants awarded $96,559.04 to faculty in the college to assist them in student centered activities. In addition, our faculty submitted proposals to many different local, regional and national funding agencies including the National Science Foundation, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Sea Grant Institute, and the Air Force Office of Scientific Research.

Centers, departments and individual faculty members within COLS submitted a total of 143 internal, external and UW System grant proposals, with a total monetary request of $2,256,544. Of those, a total of 94 were accepted for a total of $684,799 in awards.

Grants awarded in 2012-13 have given our faculty, staff and students the opportunity to explore many novel and interesting topics with notable resources obtained to study advanced materials of fuel cells (Michael Zach / Chemistry), smart patient mobile monitoring and care systems (Anthony Ellertson and Trudi Miller / CNMT), fish transport stress (Christopher Hartleb / Biology), fermentation systems for isoprene production (Eric Singsaas / Biology), and the development of alternative synthetic routes to complex structures (Nathan Bowling / Chemistry).

Examples of notable extramural grant awards obtained by our faculty this year are shown in the following list. The list is not exhaustive but highlights a variety of grants awarded this year: ● Brian Barringer (Biology)

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, $3,400

● Valerie Barske (History) Research in the Humanities, $10,000

● Karin Bodensteiner (Biology) Wisconsin Teaching Scholars, $5,079

● Nathan Bowling (Chemistry) National Science Foundation, $248,228

● Matthew Davis (English) Research in the Humanities, $10,000

● Anthony Ellertson and Trudi Miller (CNMT) WiSys Technology Foundation and ARG/WiTAG, $53,927

Students present their posters at the COLS Undergraduate Research Symposium.

Promotions and Retirements


PARTNERSHIP FOR THRIVING COMMUNITIES

Partnership for Thriving Communities Initiative

With last year’s successful introduction of the University Strategic Plan, and the development of related goals, the departments and centers within the College of Letters and Science have embarked on the mission of defining the tactical initiatives each unit accomplishes to fulfill the goals of the plan. A retreat in the fall of 2011 was devoted to the development of these initiatives, with each unit working to finalize their specific contributions to be displayed as part of the unit’s strategic plan. These tactical initiatives are critical in that they are the actual on-the-ground ways each unit within the college fulfills the mission of the university. As part of the university’s strategic planning exercise, Chancellor Bernie Patterson charged the Deans and VCs with defining our “rally flag” for the university, or a set of initiatives which would define our place in the community and region, and give us goals to fulfill the mission of the strategic plan. With laudable work by Provost Greg Summers, his staff and the deans, we defined a rally flag as a Partnership for Thriving Communities

Partnership for Thriving Communities Initiative

local Hmong population. The college will play a critical role, as it offers most of the majors needed for pre-health care educational preparation. In combination with the plans being finalized for the new science building, and in establishing working relationships with medical and health care education institutions (such as the Marshfield Clinic and the Medical College of Wisconsin), we look forward to enhanced visibility for UW-Stevens Point.

Plans for the new science building are moving forward with approval and enumeration by the Division of State Facilities (DSF) putting the new science

building at UW-Stevens Point as the #1 priority of the UW System. Our university participated in state building commission hearings to marshal the project forward as a priority within the state budget. UW-Stevens Point will soon have the most admired and modern science facility in the UW System. With plans for a four story state-of-the-art structure to be designed around LEED Gold standards, and to have a significant science-on-display aspect, our college is excited about these prospects. This facility will put UW-Stevens Point at the forefront of education in the natural sciences and in health care education in the region and the state. We thank Carl Rasmussen (Director of Facilities Planning) for his leadership in this project, and Chancellor Bernie Patterson and Vice Chancellor Greg Diemer for attending the state meetings with the dean. In addition, we have positioned ourselves well in the initiative by holding a special conference on health care delivery to small cities and rural communities, in April 2013. This was sponsored by the Center for the Small City with funding from Delta Dental and Ministry Medical.

the Partnership for Thriving Communities under which we defined four pillars or action items.

Our initial push to fulfill this partnership began with the Healthy Communities Initiative, under which the College of Letters and Science and the COLS dean’s office are playing a major role. From initial discussions with the Marshfield Clinic, to meetings with the business community, health care providers and community leaders, the plan is to position UW-Stevens Point as a leading educator and facilitator in the delivery of health care to high needs areas like rural communities, Native American tribes and the large

With last year’s successful introduction of the University Strategic Plan, and the development of related goals, the departments and centers within the College of Letters and Science have embarked on the mission of defining the tactical initiatives each unit accomplishes to fulfill the goals of the plan. As part of the university’s strategic planning exercise, Chancellor Bernie Patterson charged the deans and vice chancellors with determining a set of initiatives which, would define our place in the community and region, and give us goals to fulfill the mission of the strategic plan. Provost Greg Summers was instrumental in developing

Partnership for Thriving Communities


COLS GOALS FOR 2013-14

With the completion of a very successful year in most aspects of our mission, the college embarks on a new year with a range of ideas to promote and further build excellence into all of our programs. We plan to focus our energies on the following areas: ● Work with the Associate Vice

Chancellor for Enrollment Management to create a strategic operational plan in admissions, department student demography, and curricula in prioritizing our academic programs. This effort will be initially focused on the natural sciences, especially the biology program, which offers a majority of the service courses needed by other natural sciences, health care curricula, and natural resources. We focused our efforts this year on challenges with biology enrollment in service courses. Next year we will focus on right sizing this stellar program and on new growth areas identified within the college (See College Curricular Highlights).

● Lead the university in the implementation of the new General Education Plan through the full implementation of the program in the fall of 2013. We will work with the Associate Vice Chancellor and the Director of General Education in these initiatives. We need to foster more buy-in from faculty and encourage additional sections of the First-Year Seminar.

● Work with the Office of Academic Affairs to clarify the role of the College of Letters and Science in implementing the strategic plan, and to support additional positions and initiatives within the Healthy Communities Initiative.

Specifically, we wish to create a set of academic prioritizations within our college, to assist us in the best allocation of our resources.

● Work with DSF to move forward on architectural planning for the new Science Building. With pre-design and enumeration completed, we will move forward with selection of a design-firm toward program and site development.

For more information about the UW-Stevens Point College of Letters and Science visit: www.uwsp.edu/cols

COLS Goals for 2013-14

• Create a culture of student success

• Increase opportunities for learning

• Cultivate an inclusive and ecologically responsible world view among all constituents

• Create and enhance an environment for all that is conducive to learning and individual development

• Provide a campus culture that encourages engagement, responsibility, respect and inclusivity

• Develop sustainable relationships between the university and its partners–local, state, regional, national and global

• Engage and expand our community through outreach and collaboration

• Honor and perpetuate our institutional story

• Facilitate and encourage access to university resources through development of long-term partnerships

• Make the most effective use of human and physical resources

• Evaluate university operations, policies and culture to encourage and support collaboration, innovation and entrepreneurship

Advance Learning

Enhance Living

Respect and

Advance Our Legacy

Develop and Leverage Resources

MissionThrough the discovery, dissemination and application of knowledge, UW-Stevens Point stimulates intellectual growth, provides a liberal education, and prepares students for a diverse and sustainable world.

Value- Student-centered environment - Critical thinking, creativity and

lifelong learning - Professional preparation - Community involvement and

outreach - Ecological stewardship

VisionUW-Stevens Point will be recognized for its preparation of students and development of citizens who will affect local, regional and global affairs, and engage with the concerns of the world.

UW-Stevens Point Strategic Planwww.uwsp.edu/strategicplan

Strategic Themes and Goals

University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Strategic PlanA Plan to Organize Our Work

Chancellor Bernie Patterson


COLS DEVELOPMENT / ORGANIZATIONAL CHART

COLS Organizational Chart

WWII and survived thirty combat missions over Japan.

After the war, he returned to finish his degree and remarkably taught two courses in mathematics as an undergraduate student. He graduated at the top of the Class of 1947, with a degree

in mathematics with minors in physics and history. Pejsa’s storied career as a pioneering aerospace physicist included work on the Apollo and Space Shuttle missions while working at Honeywell. Prior to his work at Honeywell, he taught both mathematics and physics at the U.S. Naval Academy.

He is considered one of the foremost ballistics experts in the country and is an accomplished author. The Arthur J. Pejsa Observatory is located on the roof of the Science Building and is open to the public for viewing during the school year.

Arthur Pejsa and his wife Jane Pejsa were joined by family, friends, faculty, staff, and community leaders this past spring to celebrate the dedication of the Arthur J. Pejsa Observatory. Pejsa grew up in Custer, Wis. and began his collegiate career in Stevens Point in 1940. He left college to serve as a B-29 pilot in

College of Letters and Science scholarship and program funds with the UW-Stevens Point Foundation grew this fiscal year compared to last fiscal year. For 2012-13 the total of these funds was $2,766,579.93 compared to $2,674,007.50 for 2011-12. Thanks to our generous donors, the College of Letters and Science was able to award nearly 150 scholarships totaling over $60,000.

There have been many generous gifts made to the College of Letters and Science over the past year. Some of the highlights include: • A new fund was establishing in Biology called the International Aquaponics Society Fund. • A $75,000 gift was made to support the William C. and Esther Hansen Memorial Scholarship (Chemistry / Physics and Astronomy). • A $100,000 gift was made by Arthur and Jane Pejsa to support the newly named Arthur J. Pejsa Observatory. On Oct. 29, 2012,

COLS Development

Arthur Pejsa is flanked by a display of his historic calculations while receiving a plaque at the dedication

College of Letters and Science (COLS)Organizational Chart – Summer 2013

COLS Continuing Ed Program Mgr

DeanCollege of

Letters and Science

Dean's Assistant

University Services Associate (LTE)

Dean's Assistant for Advancement

& Marketing

Assistant DeanCurriculum and Student Affairs

Associate Dean College Support Team Leader

Senior Tech Support Specialist

Senior Tech Support Specialist

Center & Institute Directors

Department Chairs

Collaborative Degree Program

Coordinator

Collaborative Degree Program

Advisor

COLS Director of Development

Vice-Chancellorfor Advacement

Director of Continuing Ed


COLS MAJORS, MINORS AND FACILITIES

COLS Majors, Minors and FacilitiesPre-Professional Studies○ Pre-Chiropractic○ Pre-Dental○ Pre-Engineering○ Pre-Law○ Pre-Medical○ Pre-Mortuary○ Pre-Optometry○ Pre-Pharmacy○ Pre-Veterinary○ Pre-Physician’s Assistant

Outreach Centers and Facilities○ Allen F. Blocher Planetarium○ Arthur J. Pejsa Observatory○ Center for Athletic Scheduling○ Center for the Small City○ Collaborative Degree Program○ Community Research Center○ Geographic Information System

(GIS) Center○ Museum of Natural History○ National Information Center for

Polymer Education (POLYED)○ Northern Aquaculture

Demonstration Facility (NADF)○ Wisconsin Association for Critical

Thinking (WACT)○ Wisconsin Institute for Sustainable

Technology (WIST)

ADA = Academic Department Associate

■ = Major● = Minor

Interdisciplinary Programs■ ● American Studies■ Biochemistry ● Comparative Literature ● Earth Science ● Environmental Studies ● Ethnobotany■ Individually Planned Major■ ● International Studies ● Native American Studies■ Natural Science ● Natural Science Broad-field ● Natural Science Broad-field (Edu.) ● Peace Studies ● Small City Analysis■ ● Social Science■ ● Social Science Broad-field ● Women’s and Gender Studies

PhilosophyChair – David ChanADA – Sue Wojciechowski■ ● Philosophy ● Anthropology ● Religious Studies

Physics and AstronomyChair – Mick VeumADA – Nancy Stokosa■ ● Physics

Political ScienceChair – John BlakemanADA – Catherine Ligman■ ● Political Science■ ● Public Administration and Policy

Analysis

PsychologyChair – Craig WendorfADA – Kay Hackett■ ● Psychology

Sociology and Social WorkChair – Robert EnrightADA – Pam Olson■ ● Sociology■ Social Work ● Gerontology

Biology Chair – Christopher YahnkeADA – Jackie Engum■ ● Biology ● Aquaculture/Fish Culture ● Museum Techniques

ChemistryChair – Paul HladkyADA – Cristina Altobelli■ ● Chemistry■ Chemistry, ACS certified

Computing and New Media Technologies

Chair – Robert DollingerADA – Jenny Wierzba■ ● Computer Information Systems■ ● Web and Digital Media Development

EnglishChair – Michael WilliamsADA – Kim Siclovan■ ● English ● Biomedical Writing ● Creative Writing ● Professional Writing

Foreign LanguagesChair – Richard RuppelADA – Donna Gear■ ● French■ ● German■ ● Spanish ● English as a Second Language

Geography and GeologyChair – David OzsvathADA – Mary Clare Sorenson■ ● Geography■ Geoscience ● Environmental Geography ● Geographic Information Systems and

Spatial Analysis ● Geology

HistoryChair – Nancy LoPatin-LummisADA – Janis Swinford■ ● History

Mathematical SciencesChair – Cindy McCabeADA – Jenny Wierzba■ ● Mathematics ● Mathematics, Applied

Master of Science in Teaching○ Biology○ English○ English (reading certification)○ History○ Mathematics

2012-13 ANNUAL REPORT

College of Letters and Science130 Collins Classroom Center

Stevens Point, W. 54481715-346-4224 phone

715-346-4213 [email protected]

www.uwsp.edu/cols

The University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Institution

Collaborative research between students and faculty members at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point was presented at the 14th annual College of Letters and Science Undergraduate Research Symposium on April 26, 2013. More than 100 research posters and presentations from students representing ten departments within the college were featured. Research subjects included measuring forces in the natural sciences, the psychology of dance in social sciences and how worldviews are formed in the humanities.

Wagering Ethically?: The Proper Foundation to Build On (Philosophy)

Understanding Core Emotions in Abstract Dance: A Pilot Study (Psychology)

Characterizing the Dynamics of a Microscopic Mechanical Oscillator in an Ultra-high Vaccum Environment(Physics and Astronomy)

Student researchshowcasedat Symposium

Documents

College of Annual Report 2012-13… · College of Letters and Science Annual Report ... Fix and Aaron Schaufenbuel ensure our technology is in top shape. ... Chan (Philosophy), Michael