PLATTEVILLE, Wis. (July 2, 2020) – The University of Wisconsin-Platteville announced its Chancellor’s List, honoring those with perfect 4.0 grade-point averages for the spring 2020 semester.
A total of 467 students earned the honors at the three campuses: UW-Platteville, UW-Platteville Baraboo Sauk County and UW-Platteville Richland. Those students earned the highest honors while making the quick transition from in-person classes to alternative delivery in March because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
UW-Platteville, founded in 1866, has been named the best public institution in Wisconsin for annual return on investment for the fifth consecutive year by Payscale and the best value in the state.
For more information on the university, located in Southwest Wisconsin, visit uwplatt.edu.
Students from this area who earned the 4.0 grade-point average include:
Whitewater, WI
Emily Heckert, Whitewater High School, Animal Science
(WHITEWATER – Whitewater Arts Alliance Press Release) From July 3-26 the Whitewater Arts Alliance will be hosting the annual Fran Achen Photography Competition and Exhibition both virtually at whitewaterarts.org/fran-achen-2020 and at the Cultural Arts Center on 402 West Main Street. The Cultural Arts Center will be open July 3-26 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.: Fridays (for at risk individuals only – age 65 and over or with immunocompromised health conditions), and Saturdays and Sundays for all others. Visitors will be asked to participate in health and safety measures in light of COVID-19, to include wearing a mask at all times (masks will be provided), entering via the elevator and exiting via the front door (unless they require the elevator), and keeping six feet apart. There will be a ten-person maximum in the building at all times.
Jeff McDonald, Whitewater Arts Alliance Board Member and Fran Achen Chair, said: “The Fran Achen show is truly one of the highlights of the year. Fran Achen was an exceptional photographer and his catalog of images continues to inspire. This show, organized in his honor, is an excellent opportunity to showcase the outstanding work created by both established and aspiring area photographers. Viewing each year’s collection is a real treat. It is fascinating to see the many ways these artists interpret the world through their images. I hope the needed changes in this year’s format will be well-received by everyone.”
Voting for the Viewer’s Choice Award can be done online at whitewaterarts.org/fran-achen-2020-vote throughout the run of the show until Saturday evening, July 25. The winner will be announced on the last day of the show, July 26.
Fran Achen was a longtime Whitewater resident, teacher, and local photographer. He is most remembered for his photographic collection which chronicles the history of Whitewater.
Born in Kenosha in 1916, his interest in photography began after high school. He spent almost two years delivering cars for the Nash automobile factory. “It seemed like such fun to explore America, so that started my interest in photography and geography, which became my major in college,” he said.
In 1938, when Fran enrolled at Whitewater State Teachers College, it was the first year enrollment went over one thousand. Fran remembered being the last one to register, making the enrollment that year 1,008 students. While an undergraduate student at the college, he served as a photographer for the Royal Purple and the former Minneiska yearbook, as well as working as a freelance photographer for the Janesville Gazette, making “a buck a picture” which helped to pay his way through school.
While attending college, Fran met his wife, Lydia. They were married for 55 years and had three children – Chap, Randi, and Jim.
Fran Achen
Jeff McDonald Photography Display
On simultaneous display in the Cultural Arts Center Gallery with the Fran Achen Photography Competition In-Gallery show is a cross-section of photographic work by Jeff McDonald, representing his work in black & white, macro/close-up, pinhole, and creative photography.
McDonald is a Whitewater Arts Alliance board member, chairs its annual Fran Achen Photography Competition, and offers free photography workshops at the Cultural Arts Center. His photography has been recognized with awards at international photography exhibitions in the US, Australia, Canada, Europe, and Asia. His photographic interests include black and white, long exposure, landscape, architecture, street, and still-life photography.
“My objective as a photographer is to produce remarkable images. Motion, unusual visual perspectives, and interesting light intrigue me, as do the found elements of a scene that challenge one to frame them into an interesting composition.”
McDonald’s diverse artistic influences include photographers Michael Kenna, Susan Burnstine, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Sebastiao Salgado, Saul Leiter, Tom Till, Fan Ho, David Brookover, Arthur Meyerson, and Alexey Titarenko, and the painters Wolf Kahn and Albert Bierstadt.
He has been developing a new body of work, creative interpretations and re-interpretations of a selection of his photographs spanning a 15-year period.
The embodiment of this project is the book “Interpretations: Photographs by Jeff McDonald”, which is well-represented in the CAC exhibit and available online at his website, jmacpix.com.
“My goal in developing this collection has been to explore alternative methods of storytelling through photography.”
“It occurs to me, as I make more and more photographs, and as I look seriously at more and more images made by photographers whom I respect, that: Mood, feeling, emotion, warmth, vagueness, and mystery are often not part of the story line in tack-sharp, technically perfect photographs. To be sure, those images are frequently inspiring in other ways. But, at least to me, as you inch away through selective-focus, soft-focus, out-of-focus images, and maybe mix in a little abstraction for good measure, these subjective, interpretive elements sometimes show up. Not for everyone and not for every image, but some images speak in downright visceral ways.”
“Taking inspiration from the subject and composition of photography, the sharpness and precision of illustration, the soft focus of mild abstraction, and the rich textures and washes of color found in painting, in this case mainly watercolor painting, I set off to crystallize a vision, practice techniques to use in realizing that vision, and, ultimately, to create a body of work centered on that vision.”
“The ‘Interpretations’ photographs come from different times and locations and they depict various subjects. What brought them together is how well they lent themselves to this approach.”
As he is the Fran Achen Show’s chair, Jeff McDonald’s photographs are separate from the Fran Achen exhibition and are not in competition in that show.
Big thanks to our sponsor!
The mission of the Whitewater Arts Alliance is to promote the visual and performing arts through an alliance of artists, individuals, educational resources, and organizations to promote creativity and diversity that will serve to educate and enrich the lives of the residents of the Whitewater community and surrounding areas.
MADISON, Wis.—As Tommy Thompson takes office today as President of the University of Wisconsin System, his transition team is announcing creation of the “Listening Post” for Wisconsin residents and UW students, faculty, and staff to ask questions and offer ideas.
The Listening Post, and a message from Thompson, is available on the UW System website president’s page.
“Tommy Thompson will begin his tenure as UW System’s ‘Listener-in-Chief,’” said Tom Loftus, the former Wisconsin Assembly Speaker, Ambassador to Norway, and Board of Regents member who co-chairs the transition team. “He will collect ideas, feedback, and questions from the people the UW System serves.”
Scott Neitzel, former Department of Administration secretary who is the other transition co-chair, said Thompson has already begun preparing for the job.
“Tommy is ready to lead the UW System,” Neitzel said. “He will be collaborative, yet decisive.”
Thompson took over from Ray Cross, who will remain with UW System as an advisor for 90 days.
A native of Elroy, Wis., Thompson earned his bachelor’s and law degrees from UW-Madison. He was elected to the Wisconsin Assembly in 1966 and became minority leader in 1981. He won election as governor in 1986 and won an unprecedented four terms, which makes him the longest-serving governor in Wisconsin history. As governor he remained committed to a strong university system, faculty research, and the Wisconsin Idea. He stepped down during his fourth term to become HHS secretary under President George W. Bush, a role where he oversaw an increase in funding for the National Institutes of Health and enhanced local public health preparedness. He chairs the UW System Business Council and helped lead a public-private campaign to fund UW-Madison’s BioStar Initiative with the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation.
The University of Wisconsin System serves approximately 170,000 students. Awarding nearly 37,000 degrees annually, the UW System is Wisconsin’s talent pipeline, putting graduates in position to increase their earning power, contribute to their communities, and make Wisconsin a better place to live. Nearly 90 percent of in-state UW System graduates stay in Wisconsin five years after earning a degree. The UW System provides a 23:1 return on state investment. UW System universities also contribute to the richness of Wisconsin’s culture and economy with groundbreaking research, new companies and patents, and boundless creative intellectual energy.
MADISON (July 2) — Gov. Tony Evers announced today his appointment of Monica Hall to serve as Jefferson County District Attorney.
Hall is an assistant district attorney in Jefferson County and has been a prosecutor for almost fifteen years. In addition to handling all types of criminal cases, she is involved with the county’s alcohol and drug treatment court. Hall is a dedicated member of the Jefferson County community and is involved in many community organizations.
“Monica Hall is perfect for the job. She is a skilled prosecutor who understands that the people involved in the criminal justice system are also her neighbors. She cares deeply about justice and fairness for the people of Jefferson County. With her well-established roots in the county and her wealth of experience, I am confident she will be an excellent district attorney for the people of Jefferson County,” said Gov. Evers.
Gov. Evers’ appointment of Hall fills a vacancy created by the resignation of Susan Happ and will fill the remainder of the unexpired term that ends January 2021.
By Lisa Dawsey Smith Whitewater Banner staff whitewaterbanner@gmail.com
At a virtual special meeting on June 30 the Common Council granted a 50% reduction in the alcohol license fees for those that are held by establishments that serve beer, wine, and/or liquor by the glass for the 2020-2021 year that begins July 1. In introducing a proposed ordinance that would grant a 25% fee reduction, Council President Lynn Binnie indicated that he felt a one-time concession would be in order due to the fact that during the Safer at Home order taverns were closed and restaurants were not allowed to have sit-down dining. Other council members suggested a higher fee reduction, taking into account that sales may be tenous going forward. Council member Matthew Schulgit, a UW-W senior, expressed reservations about whether the return to campus will be fully successful, potentially resulting in significant loss of tavern patronage. A motion to adopt the 50% reduction was supported on a 6-0 vote, with McKinley Palmer absent. There are 23 establishments with “Class B” licenses for both beer and liquor, which will pay $300 for the year instead of the usual $600.
Lynn Binnie commented to the Banner that he felt the reduction was an appropriate gesture of support for small businesses in this unprecedented time. “By the way,” Lynn continued, “it’s always something of a relief when having a six-member meeting doesn’t result in a tie vote. The vast majority of our votes are unanimous, but there’s something about being down a member that often results in mixed opinions leading to a tie.”
Prior to the meeting, Council members had received emails from two licensees, advocating consideration of a fee reduction. The Banner reached out after the meeting to one of those individuals, John Cordio owner of Beer Here, who offered the following comment: “I would like to thank the city council for action they took in reducing the license fee for the period 2020-2021 year. Their actions show me and other bar and restaurant owners that the common good of our industry was taken to heart during these uncertain times.”
In this episode, we get to know Quinn Meinerz. Together we discuss what goes into UW Whitewater and their dominance, his Canadian off-season and the best restaurant near campus. Click here to hear the podcast.
Whether she is working in Whitewater or Seattle, Kristine Zaballos is a WUL Hometown Hero. She was nominated “For her leadership, dedication, creativity, and generosity in spearheading and leading The Community Space and the Whitewater City Market. Kristine has spent countless hours working to make Whitewater a stronger, more caring community, from picking up trash to giving community members a safe, caring place to congregate, recycle and gather donations of food, clothing and more.”
Kristine Zaballos with her award – she is also holding the bag of garbage she picked up in Whitewater that morning
Kristine said, “During the early days of the pandemic it was hard to be so far away in Seattle, but now more than ever I have focused on what I could do, not what I couldn’t. I could pick up trash in Seattle. I could help the Community Space and Whitewater City Market pivot their operations to meet the challenges of staying open, because they’ve never been more relevant. Pretty much every day I ask myself, ‘What can I do?’ And I am really proud and grateful to be part of the Whitewater community, where so many others ask themselves the same thing.”
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
MADISON, Wis.—(University of Wisconsin System Press Release) A University of Wisconsin System investment in the student advising software Navigate has proved fortuitous as campuses turned to remote instruction and advising in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Within the first weeks of campuses moving to remote instruction, UW universities immediately identified ways to expand their use of the Navigate software to engage with students located off-campus.
“I’m very pleased to see how UW institutions are using Navigate to provide holistic support for our students,” said UW System President Ray Cross. “The software has proven to be remarkably flexible, helping ease the transition to remote learning and will continue to be an important tool as we connect with and advise students for the fall. This is another way we can help ensure student success.”
In December 2018, the UW System Board of Regents entered a contract to use the Education Advisory Board’s (EAB) Navigate Student Success Collaborative software aimed at improving undergraduate retention and guiding students on a path toward graduation.
In mid-March, as UW universities pivoted to remote instruction and advising, many of them expanded their use of the Navigate student success platform to help assess student preparedness for virtual instruction, collect early feedback for potential interventions with faculty, support fall registration/orientation, and mitigate “summer melt.” Many of the uses were not initially planned during the first phase of Navigate implementation.
UW-Parkside, for example, used Navigate to quickly identify students who needed a loaned laptop or hotspot before they could participate remotely. The university scheduled more than 1,100 counseling appointments in the first weeks after moving to remote instruction. UW-Parkside, UW-Superior, and UW-Whitewater used Navigate to help identify students who could benefit from assistance programs, including the newly created federal Emergency Grants program. Faculty have used the software to identify students who were missing early activity in their online courses or had yet to log in to courses.
“Students have responded incredibly well to the campaigns that we created using Navigate this spring,” said Mickey Fitch-Collins, UW-Superior Executive Director of Student Services. “Students were able to seamlessly schedule appointments with key staff on campus to help realize their goals academically, socially, and personally. It has been a real difference maker for us.”
“Going remote disrupted students’ communication with faculty and their advisors, so we used Navigate to fill some of that gap,” said Greg Cook, UW-Whitewater Interim Provost. “It was indispensable for reaching out to individual students to meet their particular needs.”
UW universities are now looking at how they can use Navigate to help prepare for the fall. UW-La Crosse, for example, uses the text messaging feature to send reminders to students who still need to register for classes.
“Any student who doesn’t register within 24 hours of their registration time receives a text reminding them to register and asking if we can help,” says Jo Arney, UW-La Crosse Director of Student Success. “Navigate is a great tool that also helps us with student advising, communication campaigns, and scheduling appointments.”
Rob Ducoffe, UW-Parkside Provost and Vice Chancellor of Academic and Student Affairs, recognizes the positive impact Navigate has already had and could continue to have going forward. At UW-Parkside, overall enrollment fell by less than 0.5 percent during the spring semester and summer enrollment increased by about 8 percent.
“EAB Navigate facilitated our efforts to stay connected with students, especially at-risk populations, throughout the spring 2020 semester,” he said. “We look forward to using it again this fall.”
