News

The following welcome message from Interim Chancellor Henderson was posted on the UW-Whitewater announcement page on July 2.

Dear colleagues,

On Thursday, July 1, we held an in-person and virtual meet-and-greet at the University Center on the Whitewater campus to introduce myself to faculty, staff and students on and off campus and to give colleagues a chance to ask questions. For those unable to attend, that event was recorded and is available for viewing. 

At the meet-and-greet I shared how delighted I am to join the UW-Whitewater community. I’ve dedicated my career to higher education and I have a rock-solid belief in the ability of higher education to be a transformative experience for students. As a first-generation college student who grew up in rural New Mexico, my experience at the University of Texas-Austin as an undergraduate was magical, and I want to help provide that experience for others.

The Ph.D. in math I earned at UW-Madison provided the basis for a terrific career that has been anything but typical, and I’m thankful for that grounding. I’ve had tenure-track or tenured faculty positions at a Research 1 institution (Texas A&M), a national liberal arts college (Colorado College), a regional university (University of Colorado at Colorado Springs), and urban universities (California State University, Los Angeles and UW-Milwaukee).  

My heart has always been in the university that serves students for whom a university education is not a given, but an achievement that alters their lives. I’ve been fortunate to work at several such institutions at senior levels. I served as vice chancellor for student success and enrollment management at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, the dean of natural and social sciences at California State University, Los Angeles, and provost at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.

I know UW-Whitewater from my time as vice president for academic and student affairs for the UW System, and I believe it is just that kind of institution. I’m honored to be asked to be a part of YOUR community. 

As your interim chancellor I will operate based on a fundamental set of beliefs:

• We are here primarily to support teaching, learning and student development
• ALL of us play a crucial role in that mission
• When we admit students to our community, we have an obligation to provide them with the support needed for their success
• Students have an obligation to dedicate themselves to the hard work of learning, broadening their horizons and contributing to our community
• We owe it to each other to operate in an ethical manner that rewards collaboration, transparency and achievement in service to our community

I have 40 years of experience in higher education as a faculty member and administrator, having served in the cabinet of four different presidents or chancellors, so I am familiar with the level of leadership and decision making leading a university demands. Still, I have a lot to learn about UW-Whitewater. I look forward to learning from you all, serving you all and making major contributions to the growth of UW-Whitewater.   

This is a difficult time for all of higher education, and UW-Whitewater has seen its share of challenges. But those challenges pale in comparison to the strengths I see here, and I’m excited to join you as we build on those strengths and move forward together as one community.  

Jim Henderson
Interim chancellor

Congratulations to Liam Egnoski for being Whitewater Unified School District’s Reading All Star this week!! Liam, we are honored to have you as our Reading All Star! Keep up your love of reading!  

By Al Stanek
Whitewater Banner volunteer staff
whitewaterbanner@gmail.com

The Whitewater Common Council met for the third time in the month of June for a special joint meeting with the City Finance Committee to authorize two land transactions on June 29.

The Common Council approved the purchase of a one-acre parcel adjacent to the westside city well on Indian Mound Parkway for development of a proposed new water tower and sold a 1.5-acre site in the Industrial Park to Lavelle Industries. Earlier in June the City also approved the sale of a triangular property adjacent to the roundabout on East Milwaukee Street for development of an unnamed retail business.

The Levelle Industries sale is expected to provide parking for additional employees as the result of a proposed expansion. The Levelle Industries website currently lists 12 vacancies. The company has aggressively recruited UW-Whitewater (UWW) students with a reported nearly 50% Whitewater employee roster of UWW students, graduates or former students.

Levelle Industries has had an operation in the Whitewater Industrial Park since 2000. The designer and manufacturer of custom rubber and plastic moldings is most notable for the development of the “flapper” that is a component in most toilets.

In other City business the City has issued its fourth new home building permit this year for the Loos Homes development off Tratt Street on the City’s northside and is expected to see the arrival of motorized scooters available for rental later this month. The city also received the first installment of roughly $1.5 million of federal pandemic assistance.

Paul Ambrose has been named interim dean of the College of Business and Economics at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.

Ambrose joined the information technology and supply chain management department in 2005. He is a tenured professor and served as department chair for nearly four years. As associate dean of graduate programs since 2015, he has been responsible for the administration and oversight of seven master’s degree programs and one doctorate program. He also worked closely with John Chenoweth, dean of the college, who will serve as the new provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs at UW-Whitewater.

“I’m pleased Dr. Ambrose has agreed to serve as interim dean,” Chenoweth said. “He has overseen the advancement and growth of our graduate programs, which have experienced considerable success during the past six years. He understands the college and is fully prepared to support the overall goals of the university.”

Ambrose assumed the role of interim dean on July 1.

“I plan to carry on the vision and framework of excellence developed by both Dr. Chenoweth and Dr. Christine Clements, former dean,” Ambrose said. “That framework requires adapting and responding to changes in the environment, and we will continue to move forward with innovative new initiatives.”

The College of Business and Economics is the largest AACSB-accredited business school in Wisconsin and is highly regarded for the quality of both its in-person and online degree programs. Ambrose will lead 184 faculty and staff in a college with more than 4,000 students enrolled in bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral programs. Meeting students’ needs and providing exceptional experiences are at the core of the college’s strategic priorities.

Notably, the college set a graduate program enrollment record in fall 2020 under Ambrose’s leadership. Reaching this milestone required monitoring higher education and economic trends, in addition to listening to feedback from students, faculty and employers.

“The college has a rich tradition of excellence as a business school, and we have been a pioneer in online education,” Ambrose said. “We can never rest on our past achievements, however. A large percentage of our graduates are employed in Wisconsin and the surrounding region, and we must remain nimble to meet the evolving needs of the workforce. This requires providing a broader range of learning opportunities for both traditional students and adult learners.”

Ambrose earned a Ph.D. in business administration from Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, an MBA in marketing and information systems from the Bharathidasan Institute of Management, Tiruchirapalli, and a Bachelor of Engineering in mechanical engineering from the Coimbatore Institute of Technology. Ambrose is also a co-founder of Ekantha Global, a U.S.-based social enterprise that seeks to equip and empower the underprivileged — both locally and globally.

A national search for the dean position is planned in 2021-22.

Source: UW-W press release

In the fall of 2019, the Whitewater Urban Forestry Commission (UFC) received a contribution from the late Jerry Schoen, a longtime member of the Commission, to erect its first Purple Martin House overlooking Trippe Lake in Minneiska Park. This house was dedicated this spring to the Jerry and Bunny Schoen Trust. The house was placed along the walking trail at the park and, in its first year, attracted 2 pairs of Purple Martins. These two pairs successfully raised two clutches of baby Martins in 2020, which is unusual for the first year.

This summer, as a result of contributions, a second martin house was erected in the Clay Street Nature Preserve on the city’s east side. It also attracted a nest of Martins its first year, while the first house hosts five nests this year! A total of 25 eggs are now ready to hatch, which triples last year’s brood. Purple Martins love to be around people and eat many insects as they swoop around their homes. The birds have hung a welcome sign at their two sites inviting the public to visit them!

Whitewater is a designated Wisconsin Bird City. The Urban Forestry Commission raised money to erect a Swift Tower in Cravath Lake Park a few years ago that now serves as a nesting site for Chimney Swifts who’ve lost chimneys as building designs have changed over the years. Our focus is to create sustainable habitat for birds that need them and we’d like to erect more Martin houses in the city. The UFC is requesting contributions in order to hopefully expand to six houses throughout the city. If you would like to support this project of the Urban Forestry Commission, you can contribute by sending checks in any amount, made out to the City of Whitewater Martin Project to be delivered or mailed (P.O. Box 178) to the Whitewater City Hall, attention Finance Dept. Put Purple Martin Project in the memo line of your check, and when we have raised enough for another house, we will purchase and erect our third house at Starin Park in the soon to be announced Arboretum At Starin Park!

The Whitewater Arts Alliance is proud to announce this year’s line-up of artists for the 10^th Anniversary of our annual Savory Sounds Concert Series! The concert series spans throughout the month of July, and features four different musical artists that are sure to excite adults and kids alike!

July 8^th, 2021 – CREAM CITY BRASS BAND (11:30-12:45 at the Birge Fountain, outside of the Cultural Arts Center (402 W. Main St. Whitewater, WI 53190). The featured food vendor for this concert will be LaPreferida.

Founded in Milwaukee but born from the tradition of New Orleans jazz and second line parades, the CREAM CITY BRASS BAND exists to honor the heritage of Louisiana brass bands, through their interpretations of jazz standards and current styles of music.  Having performed at venues such as Summerfest & Turner Hall, the Cream City Brass Band holds a high reputation in the Milwaukee music scene.  Members of the group have grown up together as peers and mentors, leaving no wonder as to why you feel the love every time you hear them play.  This modern brass band weaves together diverse genres to create a unique, funky sound that keeps its roots in the legendary Crescent City.

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July 15^th, 2021 – COLE AND COMPANY JAZZ TRIO (11:30-12:45 at the Birge Fountain, outside of the Cultural Arts Center (402 W. Main St. Whitewater, WI 53190). The featured food vendor for this concert will be Subway.

COLE & COMPANY is a family music group consisting of Professor Carl A. Cole, B.A., M.A. (Piano/Vocals), his wife, Dianna (Vocals) and son, Andrew (Bass/Drums), all professional musicians. Prof. Cole, affectionately called “Mr. C” by children and community, is the founder & CEO of “Sounds Of Good News” (SOGN) Productions, based in Rockford, IL. The trio shares top-quality music performances and productions, including genres of Spirituals, Gospel, Blues, Jazz, R&B/Soul and Pop.

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July 22^nd, 2021 – TAPESTRY: ACOUSTIC FOLK QUINTINET (11:30-12:45 at the Birge Fountain, outside of the Cultural Arts Center (402 W. Main St. Whitewater, WI 53190). The featured food vendor for this concert will be The Sweet Spot.

TAPESTRY is collective group of five local musicians woven together in a multi-faceted collection of musical styles and flavors. The musically diverse backgrounds of each player combine to form a traditional but unique acoustic sound: on any given performance you can hear music from the ‘20’s all the way through traditional and current folk music. Mix in the utilization of many string instruments you have seen and heard, to ones you haven’t, along with up to five part vocal harmony and a wonderful experience is guaranteed every time they appear.

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July 29^th, 2021 – KEN LONNQUIST AND FRIENDS FAMILY CONCERT (11:30-12:45 at the Birge Fountain, outside of the Cultural Arts Center (402 W. Main St. Whitewater, WI 53190). The featured food vendor for this concert will be Grunzolio Pizzeria.

KEN LONNQUIST brings laughter and song to audiences of all ages, exploring themes of nature, relationships and current events. His kid’s songs are terrific – the soundtrack of childhood for many happy Wisconsin families!  Based in Madison, his talented bandmates add fiddle, banjo, bass, accordion and more to his delightfully energetic concerts! Ken’s series of recordings for adults and children have received recognition from Audubon, Parents Choice, American Library Association, Booklist, Children’s Music Web, Parents’ Guide To Children’s Media and others, solidifying his reputation as a children’s entertainer.  Ken’s love for musical theater found an outlet as composer for Children’s Theater of Madison, where 15 productions of his full-scale musicals were presented.

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*In case of rain, concerts will be broadcast on Local Access 990.

All concerts are free, and we welcome all to attend!

This year’s Savory Sounds Concert Series is made possible by the following sponsors:
Fort Community Credit Union
Fairhaven Senior Services
First Citizens State Bank
Premier Bank
Olm and Associates

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.

Article Submitted by Christine Hayes

Happy Fourth of July weekend and #FlashbackFriday from the Whitewater Historical Society!

In 1907, city and college officials planned a “Home Coming” celebration on July 4-7 in an effort to spur economic interest and rekindle a sense of community spirit. Invitations were sent out throughout the country to anyone who had previously lived or worked in Whitewater. Over 2000 former residents attended the festivities. This image of the Home Coming parade shows the north side of Main Street looking eastwards.

Join us next week for more from the Whitewater Historical Society collections!

(3151P, Whitewater Historical Society)​

The Whitewater Historical Society collects, preserves, and interprets the history of Whitewater and the surrounding area. Be sure to join us next week for more from the Society’s collections. Please “like” us on Facebook, and check out our website at whitewaterhistoricalsociety.org!​ 

(Whitewater Public Library submission) The Irvin L. Young Memorial Library and New Beginnings will present: Domestic Violence Information and Resources on Thursday, July 8 at 3:30 p.m. via Zoom. Individuals can register for this Zoom program at whitewaterlibrary.org.

New Beginnings APFV is a non-profit agency that provides services to survivors of domestic and sexual abuse. New Beginnings has two office locations–in Elkhorn and Whitewater– serving the Walworth and Jefferson Counties. Please (virtually) join the advocates from the New Beginnings Whitewater office and learn more about what they do and how New Beginnings serves our community!