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(Young Auditorium submission)

BANNER NOTE: This message was sent out on Tuesday, 9/15. See below for additional messages.
Important message from Whitewater Student Government President Wentworth 

Fellow Warhawks,

This school year is not like anything we’ve experienced before. There is no “college experience” during a pandemic. If there is, it is against safety practices set in place for other’s wellness. If there is, it is from choices that put fun before other’s lives and wellbeing.

As the Chancellor stated, our COVID-19 numbers are rising at an alarming rate. As these cases rise, our chances for a full, in-person semester are rapidly breaking apart. Staying distanced and wearing a mask are not only the things that we must do to protect ourselves from the virus, but they are also something we must do to protect our chances of staying at this campus. This university is my home, just like many of you, and no one wants to have to leave it.

For many of you, the prospect of returning home is not that bad. But, this is simply not the case for all students. For some, Whitewater is their only home. A place with reliable internet, a sense of belonging, a safe place. It is the only place that they feel will give them the resources they need to succeed in the rest of their lives. Returning home is not an option for some students. 

Over the summer many students told me that they would do almost anything to have in person classes and be back on campus. That “anything” is to follow the Warhawk Social Covenant. This is why it is so disheartening to see actions that are opposite to these guidelines. How bad do you want to stay in Whitewater? Mask up and remain six feet apart, or you will have to return home.

Starting now, wear your facial covering everywhere outside of your home. Starting now, turn down events that don’t allow for social distancing. Starting now, fill out the COVID-19 reporting form when places and people don’t follow guidelines. Call out behaviors that are not a part of the Warhawk Way as soon as you see them. These are no longer an option to ignore, our actions are absolutely necessary.

The world is watching. Other UW universities are watching, expecting us to fail and go remote. Prove those in the community, who believe we will fail, wrong. As UW System President Tommy Thompson said last week, Warhawks have a tradition of excellence, this year should not be the exception. Prove those who think it will be wrong.

Sincerely,

Johanna D. Wentworth
Student Body President

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Banner note: This message was sent by Dr. Cook on Monday, 9/14. See below for another message.
Important message from Interim Chancellor Greg Cook

Dear Warhawks,

Today, I come to you with a plea that each of us do our part to help slow the spread of COVID-19. We said before the start of the semester that we only had 79 days until we move to remote classes on Nov. 20. Today, that number is 67.

UW-Madison announced that all of their classes will be remote delivery for two weeks. Two of its largest residence halls have been placed on quarantine. UW-Madison made this move not only to try to rescue the remainder of their in-person semester, but more importantly, for the health of their university and the greater community. UW-La Crosse took similar measures over the weekend.

I know students want to be on campus this fall. I want to see our students on campus. Yet, we’d be fooling ourselves to say that what happened at UW-Madison and UW-La Crosse won’t happen here. If we change our behaviors immediately, we may be able to avoid a similar situation.  

What do you need to do?

• Wear your mask—inside and outdoors, on campus and off campus
• Maintain 6 feet of social distance, no matter the environment, inside and outdoors
• Limit your activities to essential ones only
• Stay home if you are not feeling well
• Wash your hands often, and for a minimum of 20 seconds
• Report to the COVID-19 hotline if you have COVID-19 or if you’ve come in contact with someone who is positive
• Avoid any unnecessary gatherings on or off campus where these simple steps are not being taken.

Understand, this is not just about our students. Everyone – students, faculty and staff – needs to follow these safety measures.

The last point regarding gatherings is critical. The weekend before the start of classes, Whitewater saw a number of large-scale parties. At some parties, those in attendance were not following even the basic safety guidelines. There were very few masks. People were not social distancing. These sorts of events put everyone at risk.  On Friday, Whitewater Student Government released a message asking students to change their behaviors.

In Wisconsin, big parties are just part of the typical college experience. But the Fall of 2020 is not typical. It has been more than 100 years since we’ve seen a pandemic of this nature. We cannot act as if everything is fine and think there will be no consequences. None of us can act as if this is any other start of an academic year.

At a special meeting last Wednesday night, I made an impassioned plea to the Whitewater Common Council regarding an ordinance to limit large scale gatherings. If we don’t change the course of this virus now, we will join other campuses in moving to remote delivery, maybe for two weeks, maybe for the remainder of the semester. This isn’t something any of us wants to do, but it may be required. We’ve said all along your health and safety is our main concern. Nothing has changed in that regard, and we will continue to put your health and safety first.

Therefore, please be aware that the university will invoke state law and UW System policy UWS 17.08(2) which gives the Dean of Students Office the authority to discipline students when their behavior both on and off campus:

• presents or may present a danger or threat to the health or safety of themselves or others, or
• seriously impairs the university’s ability to fulfill its teaching, research, or public service missions.

The COVID-19 virus has the immediate potential to impair our ability to fulfill our normal teaching mission. Failure to follow safety precautions impairs our ability to continue. Failure to wear a mask, observe social distancing, or take other suggested precautions will therefore be investigated aggressively and may lead to disciplinary action up to and including suspension and/or expulsion. This applies to student activity on campus, and it also applies off campus at any location when the student is expected to return to campus or participate in university events of any type. My official notice to you about this policy is attached to this email.

What I am asking you to do is simple and at the same time difficult. I am asking you to forego gathering with groups of people and to stay where you live as much as possible. For our students, I am asking you not to have the typical experience. I am asking you to follow the well-established safety guidelines to keep you and others safe.

Let’s all put we before I. The collective, the we, need to change our behaviors immediately. The impulse to act upon what the “I” wants, can have a ripple effect that changes the course of the semester for everyone.

As Warhawks, we take care of each other. Let’s make the necessary changes, and reach Nov. 20 together.

Sincerely,
Dr. Greg Cook
Interim Chancellor

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Banner note: This Youtube by Dr. Cook and WSG President Wentworth was posted on Mon., 9/14.

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Banner note: This message was sent out by WSG leadership on Friday, 9/11.
Fellow Warhawks,

This afternoon, we spoke to Chancellor Cook about the university’s COVID-19 numbers. As you may have seen, they are sharply on the rise. He is deeply concerned, and we are deeply concerned. UW-Madison has moved all of their classes to a remote format, and UW-La Crosse has been forced to quarantine one of their residence halls. If we do not change the rate in which our cases rise, we will soon join them in measures like these.

As we approach another weekend, we ask that you take time to analyze the places and activities you may partake in. Another weekend that results in rising COVID cases will have serious effects on our university’s ability to function and continue in person classes.

The university has just issued a 10-person limit on gatherings. Please make sure you follow these guidelines. If you choose to socialize this weekend, make sure that you have a face covering on at all times and that the space you’re in allows for six feet of social distance. Stay away from large events such as house parties and bars that inevitably force individuals close together and make it hard to keep a facial covering on. Finally, DO NOT share drinks, vapes or anything else that someone else’s bodily fluids could have touched.

Further announcements will come from the Chancellor’s Office early next week, but one thing is clear: this is a critical moment in determining how the rest of our semester will look. If you want to remain on campus — be smart and be safe.

Johanna D. Wentworth                                               Justin D. Wesolek

Student Body President                                              Director of Academic Affairs

Whitewater Student Government                               Whitewater Student Government

(Whitewater Kiwanis submission) Several members of the Kiwanis Whitewater Breakfast Club spent Sunday morning on September 13 helping to keep the highway clean via the Adopt-A-Highway program.  A team of six picked up ten bags of garbage on Highway 12 in La Grange.  It is a sign of the times that, presumably for the first time ever, a number of masks were collected.  

“Serving our community is a primary purpose of our club.  Cleaning up the highway, which has been our responsibility since 1990, is one of many contributions that our members make,” said Lynn Binnie, coordinator of the Kiwanis Adopt-A-Highway program. 

Kiwanis is a global organization of volunteers dedicated to changing the world one child and one community at a time.

By Lynn Binnie
Whitewater Banner volunteer staff
whitewaterbanner@gmail.com

Per this article on WISN.com, “A new analysis by the New York Times shows seven Wisconsin cities are among the top 20 metro areas across the country where coronavirus cases are rising the fastest. The list includes all seven cities where there are University of Wisconsin campuses. One of them is Whitewater, where the number of cases is soaring.”

The table on the New York Times containing the listing for Whitewater is located at this link.

The Banner is currently not providing up-to-date statistics on the positivity rate or daily case incidence in the city, because there appears to be inconsistency in the number of positive test results vs. total tests administered in last week’s reporting on the website. We are in communication with the Wisconsin Department of Health Services as well as UW-W in an effort to resolve these questions.

(Submitted by Patty Harmon)

Sept. 14 – According to a news release from the UW System, Dr. Katy Heyning, currently Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, State University of New York at Brockport, has been named as one of four finalists for Chancellor of UW-Stevens Point. Heyning served at UW-W for over eighteen years, including nearly nine years as Dean of the College of Education & Professional Studies before taking the position in New York in 2018. The other candidates are listed below.

Deborah Bordelon
Provost and Executive Vice President, Columbus State University
Columbus, GA

Jeanine Gangeness
Associate Vice President, Academic Affairs-Rochester, and Dean, School of Graduate Studies, Winona State University
Winona/Rochester, MN

Thomas Gibson
Vice President for Student Affairs and Vice Provost, Bowling Green State University
Bowling Green, OH

FORT ATKINSON (Fort HealthCare submission) – Women Who CARE is hosting “30 Days of Masking,” a personal face covering decorating event and fundraiser, running now through the end of October. They invite the public to participate by purchasing a pre-made mask decorating kit for $10, use the kit components to decorate the mask that’s included, and then submit a photo of the final product by sharing the image on Women Who CARE’s Facebook page (www.facebook.com/fortwomenwhocare) and/or on your personal social media accounts using the hashtag #forthealthcare. Kits can be purchased online at www.forthealthcare.com/maskevent while supplies last. Proceeds will support the Trauma-Informed Care training project in partnership with Every Child Thrives.

How to order your mask decorating kit(s)

$10 will secure one mask kit, but participants can order more than one kit. Women Who CARE will also gladly accept any donation amount above what is needed for a kit to help enhance the services they can offer the Trauma-Informed Care training project. More detailed instructions for placing an order can be found online at www.forthealthcare.com/maskevent.

Kits will be available starting the week of September 21^st. When a kit order is received, a Women Who CARE member will contact you to arrange delivery or pickup of your kit(s).

Pickup locations will be available in Fort Atkinson, Lake Mills, and Whitewater, or by other special arrangement if necessary.

Dwight Heaney, Fort HealthCare Foundation Executive Director, states, “You can submit photo(s) of your mask creation as soon as your design is completed, up until October 21st.”

Women Who CARE and Fort HealthCare will be sharing the images on their respective social media accounts to increase awareness about their cause and to encourage others to participate in the event as well. Interested individuals can also follow posts about this event on the Women Who CARE’s Facebook page.

Heaney adds, “We encourage the community to join us as an individual, as a whole family, or even for a small group project or team building event. It can also be a fun thing to do with neighbors or coworkers – while following proper social distancing guidelines, of course! No artistic ability is required. Just have some fun with it!”

Trauma-Informed Care

Childhood trauma can have a lifelong impact on an individual’s health and well-being. When medical providers are aware of such history, it can be helpful to treat recurring health issues. Trauma-Informed Care is a clinical method for understanding the impact of adverse childhood experiences on your health. Proceeds from Women Who CARE’s “30 Days of Masking” event supports training about Trauma-Informed Care for Fort HealthCare’s clinical teams.

About Women Who CARE

Women Who CARE has its roots in the Women’s Giving Circle established by the Fort Memorial Hospital Foundation in 2004. A group of area women gathered for lunch once a quarter for information and inspiration about their health and well-being. Member contributions were gathered to fund various services at Fort HealthCare. A wide variety of projects were included over the years including hospital equipment, new health and wellness services, and scholarships.

In 2014, a group of members had an idea to expand the way the group functioned. Their idea was to engage the membership to determine ways in which the group could make a measurable impact on the health and well-being of people in our area. From that beginning, a Leadership Committee was formed, and the group set out to identify opportunities for service. For more information about Women Who CARE, visit www.forthealthcare.com/wwc.

(Whitewater Unites Lives Submission) Scott Brautigam is at WUL Hometown Hero.  He was nominated “For going above and beyond his role as the Assistant EMS Chief to keep the community and the EMTs safe during this difficult, ever-changing, worldwide pandemic; for his loyalty and dedication to the Whitewater Fire Department, and for the countless hours he spends helping others.”

His nomination includes, “He has a heart of gold. He worries for his EMTs and their families to make sure they are safe and healthy. He is loyal and dedicated to the Whitewater Fire Department.  The countless hours he spends and the other EMTs spend on helping people are tremendous.  I am thankful for them all.”

Scott said, “I am honored to be able to be a part of the Whitewater Fire Department and to be able to serve the community that my family and I live in.  It’s a team effort that requires all the EMT’s.  We are a great team that is always here and ready to help the community when needed.”

WUL (Whitewater Unites Lives) is a locally-focused civil and human rights group that works to connect the people in our community and to create opportunities for all people to learn and support each other in our common humanity.   

 Anyone who would like to nominate a local hero of any age should send their nomination, with a short description, to whitewaterunites@gmail.com 

(League of Women Voters submission) The League of Women Voters-Whitewater Area and the League of Women Voters of Janesville, with the support of the League of Women Voters of Wisconsin, will be co-sponsoring a virtual candidate forum on September 26, 2020, 10-11 a.m., for the State Assembly District 43 race. Candidates for AD43, Don Vruwink (Democratic incumbent) and Beth Drew (Republican challenger), have confirmed their participation in the live, online forum.

In-person candidate forums rely on questions presented to the candidates in real time by voters in attendance, Because this forum will be virtual out of concern for the health and safety of all involved, we are soliciting candidate questions from voters in Assembly District 43 in advance of the forum date. If you live in AD43 and have questions for the candidates, please submit them electronically via our Google Form at http://bit.ly/lwv-ww-candidatefallforum no later than Thursday, September 24.  Or mail your questions to LWV Whitewater Area, 417 N Fremont St, Whitewater, WI 53190

In addition to questions received in advance, there will also be an opportunity to submit questions during the one-hour virtual forum. Candidate questions prepared jointly by the LWV-Whitewater Area and LWV Janesville will be used only if there are not enough questions provided by the public. The League does not accept questions targeted to specific candidates. 

To attend the virtual forum live, please join the webinar by using the URL:  https://zoom.us/j/92415906847?pwd=VXhvZTM0cURJc05LcnY1YXBVUUpXQT09 Passcode: 140443. Or join us by telephone: Dial (646) 558-8656, Webinar ID: 924 1590 6847, Passcode: 140443. This forum will be recorded and made available to the public once the event is over.

The League is a nonpartisan political organization that encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues and influences public policy through education and advocacy. Visit our websites LWV-Whitewater Area (https://lwvwhitewater.org), LWV of Janesville (https://www.lwvjvl.org/) and LWVWI (https://my.lwv.org/wisconsin). Like us on Facebook!