News & Events

MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers signed Executive Order #214 ordering the flags of the United States and the state of Wisconsin to be flown at half-staff on Sat., Oct. 21, 2023, in honor of U.S. Army Private First Class Charles A. Dickman, who lost his life in the Korean War and whose remains have been identified and returned to Wisconsin for burial. “We are grateful Private First Class Dickman is returning home so he can be laid to rest in peace,” said Gov. Evers. “Private First Class Dickman gave his life fighting for the values and freedoms we hold dear, and today we recognize and honor his courageous service and sacrifice.” Private First Class Dickman was a member of M Company, 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division. He was reported missing in action after his unit engaged in defensive actions near Chochiwon, South Korea, now modern day Jochiwon, on July 12, 1950. After regaining control of Chochiwon in the fall of 1950, the Army began recovering remains from the area, which were temporarily interred at the United Nations Military Cemetery Taejon before being buried at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, Hawaii. On June 20, 2023, Private First Class Dickman’s remains were positively identified by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency’s Korean War Disinterment Project. Private First Class Dickman will be buried with full military honors on Sat., Oct. 21, 2023, in Cashton.

Experience the brilliance of the esteemed Whitewater Symphony Orchestra. 

Immerse yourself in a captivating symphonic journey as the orchestra’s harmonious blend of woodwinds, brass, percussion, and strings come together to bring classical masterworks and modern-day compositions to life. This concert features several of UW-Whitewater’s top-performing groups, faculty artists, and talented guest musicians from local high schools. With their unrivaled talent and dedication to musical excellence, the WSO promises an unforgettable performance that will leave you awe-inspired.

The concert will open with selections from Mozart’s famed Requiem, including the Dies irae and Lacrimosa movements often heard today in video games. Joining the UWW Chamber Orchestra will be the Mukwonago High School Concert Orchestra and choirs from Elkhorn and East Troy high schools, along with the UWW Concert Choir and Chamber Singers. UWW conducting faculty Robert Gehrenbeck and Christopher Ramaekers will share the podium, with a quartet of talented UWW voice majors serving as vocal soloists.

UWW violin and cello faculty, Leanne Kelso and Benjamin Whitcomb, will join the full Whitewater Symphony Orchestra for Brahms’ passionate Double Concerto in A-minor, conducted by Christopher Ramaekers.

An excerpt from Franz Schubert’s “Tragic Symphony” will be heard under the baton of student conductor John Swillinger. Beethoven’s elegant and energetic Symphony No. 2 concludes the program, conducted again by maestro Ramaekers.

Friday, October 20, 7:30 p.m., Young Auditorium. Purchase of online tickets is recommended, as there is a surcharge for tickets purchased at the door. Admission is $7 for adults, $4 for age 65+, and $4 for under age 18.

Editor’s note: The following press release was received from Edgerton Hospital.

FREE, PUBLIC EVENT — Edgerton Hospital employees are set for their annual Trunk or Treat event, and this year, they will have a special guest.  The Oscar Meyer Wienermobile will be onsite, to add some additional fun, excitement and perhaps encouragement for hot dog inspired costumes.

Trunk or Treat will be held, Saturday, October 21^st, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m., in the main Edgerton Hospital parking lot.  The address is 11101 N. Sherman Road.

Area children are invited to come dressed in their Halloween costumes and collect candy from the trunks of vehicles in the parking lot. There will also be prizes, Wiener Whistles, and more for children and families to enjoy!

For more information, visit www.edgertonhospital.com

It’s time once again for #FlashbackFriday with the Whitewater Historical Society.

Continuing the theme of historic houses in Whitewater, this week we present an image of one of the best Queen Anne style houses in the area, the Engebretsen-Dorr House, built in 1895 and lovingly maintained for several decades by Rev. Gerald and Nancy Wendt. The house was built for local merchant and mayor Ed Engebretsen. His daughter, Ruth Engebretsen Dorr and her husband, John, lived in the house for many years in the mid-20th century. Ruth Dorr was an important local historian whose notes and writings are still used today at the historical society museum.

Join us next week for more from the Whitewater Historical Society.

(1966P, Whitewater Historical Society)

Wisconsin Makers in Whitewater is offering a course on Autodesk’s Fusion 360, a software program for 3-D modeling.

The two-hour class will take place on four consecutive Thursdays, starting on Oct. 26, at the makerspace, located at 200 E. Clay St. Hours are 7 to 9 p.m.

Instructing the class will be Nick Stratton, owner of Hotends.com in Whitewater. The company makes innovative J-Head hotends, the portion of the 3-D printer that extrudes the filament. 

Hotends.com customers range from end-users running their own 3-D printers at home to companies like Lockheed Martin and Made In Space, which has the 3-D printer on the International Space Station.

The class is limited to 10 students. Cost is $40, with payment on the first night. To register, contact Al Jewer at (630) 430-9498 or lafcat@lafcat.com.

Fusion 360 is an integrated Cloud computer-aided design (CAD) software that also provides computer-aided manufacturing (CAM), computer-aided engineering (CAE) and printed circuit board (PCB) solutions. It is user-friendly and provides internet training materials for beginners.

Each class participant will need to bring either a Windows or Mac laptop, onto which Fusion 360 will be installed. Free licenses for members and participants will be available.

At the first class Oct. 26, Stratton will assist participants in downloading and installing Fusion 360 and obtaining their licenses. There also will be an introduction to Fusion 360 and its capabilities.

Week 2 will focus on basic 3-D design concepts. Participants will begin designing a simple project with the intent to 3-D print it. This will include an introduction to downloading existing designs to be able to modify them.

In Week 3, students will continue designing their 3-D printable project with an introduction to more advanced techniques. They will be shown how to overcome various issues in 3-D printed models such as supports, overhangs, etc.

Week 4 will focus on finalizing designs for 3-D printing and creating output files to print on Wisconsin Makers’ Taz-6 and Formlabs 3-D printers.

It is anticipated that a future course will be offered to address issues and techniques for creating designs on Wisconsin Makers’ CNC router. 

Wisconsin Makers is a nonprofit regional makerspace (community workshop) offering an affordable, collaborative and educational environment that inspires people of all ages to become innovators by unlocking their skills through continual experimentation and training. Work areas/equipment include: 3-D printing, laser engraving, machining, welding/fabrication, electronics, blacksmithing, woodworking, ceramics/pottery, jewelry making, arts/crafts, quilting/fabric arts, matting/framing and more.

For more information about the makerspace or memberships, visit Wisconsin Makers’ Facebook page at @wisconsinmakers or call President Al Jewer at (630) 430-9498.

Jake Hintz, from Whitewater, WI, who is studying Marketing, has been named a resident assistant (RA) at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater for the 2023-24 academic year.

RAs are part-time student staff members who live in the residence halls with students, serve as a resource and positive role model, and help build a sense of community by hosting floor events.

RAs at UW-Whitewater reinforce the university’s mission to provide a welcoming, safe and inclusive place where students, faculty and staff champion one another.

“Resident Assistants are dynamic individuals selected based on potential as a leader, ability to connect with students and having an attitude that is positive and caring,” said Maria Glorioso, assistant director for student engagement. “RAs plan fun and engaging events, serve as a resource to others and interact intentionally with each student they encounter. They are instrumental in making the halls home for every student.”

Prospective RAs must have experience living on campus for two semesters and have a minimum GPA of 2.25. They go through group interviews with peers and housing staff members, and an individual interview before being offered the position.

A total of 129 RAs serve 14 residence halls on the UW-Whitewater campus.

To learn more about UWW’s Resident Assistant program, visit https://www.uww.edu/housing/staff/resident-assistants.

Editor’s note: On October 17, Universities of Wisconsin President Jay Rothman announced impending changes at three of the “branch campuses” (two-year colleges). The complete text of that announcement is provided under the following statement that was made by UW-Whitewater Chancellor Corey A. King.

Earlier today, Universities of Wisconsin President Jay Rothman announced that two branch campuses — UW-Milwaukee at Washington County and UW Oshkosh, Fond du Lac campus— will end in-person instruction by June 2024. Another campus, UW-Platteville Richland, which had previously suspended in-person classes, will close.

These actions are the result of ongoing enrollment declines at many of the branch campuses in Wisconsin and the changing landscape of higher education. Our thoughts are with our colleagues and students across the state as they navigate the changes to come.

I recognize this news will be met with questions and concerns as it relates to our work and mission at UW-Whitewater, which includes UW-Whitewater at Rock County.

Let me be crystal clear: the Rock County campus will remain open. We are investing in our branch campus. The future of URock is bright. And we are committed to providing transformational educational experiences in the Rock County region.

In the last year alone, we’ve achieved multiple successes:

• We are invigorated by the positive enrollment trends at our Rock County campus. This fall, enrollment increased nearly 18 percent, the first year-to-year growth since 2018.
• In May, the first graduates of our Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences program crossed the stage at spring commencement. This is a flexible degree completion pathway for people who hold an applied associate degree from a technical college.
• This September, students in the first cohort in our collaborative nursing degree program started their classes. It’s part of our commitment to the region to respond to the critical need for healthcare workers in southern Wisconsin.
• We reaffirmed our collaborative engineering degree, offering multiple emphases for students interested in this in-demand field.
• Students at UW-Whitewater at Rock County are now able to participate in competitive athletics as they move along their educational journey. In February, the National Junior College Athletic Association accepted the campus as its newest member. Rock County intends to field teams starting in the 2024-25 academic year. The women’s volleyball team has launched early and is already competing.

We know that President Rothman has directed those universities with branch campuses that will remain open to engage with stakeholders to drive growth and to evolve. As an institution with “collaboration” as a core value, UW-Whitewater is already immersed in this work. 

Earlier this year, we submitted an analysis of the Rock County campus to the Universities of Wisconsin leadership that outlines a bright future of innovative programs, regional engagement, and workforce development. We’ve met with leaders of the Rock County Administration, the Rock County Board and Janesville School District. Several cabinet members and I have also been on the ground regularly in both Janesville and Beloit, seeing the immense potential for collaboration in this exciting Wisconsin county.

UW-Whitewater at Rock County is, and will continue to be, an integral part of the region, providing flexible pathways to degrees for students at the beginning of their college career as well as working professionals with years of experience. We look forward to seeing this campus continue to grow and strengthen our relationship with Rock County and the region.

Corey A. King, Ed.D
Chancellor

Richland campus to close, two others end in-person instruction, under directive from President Rothman

MADISON, Wis. – Universities of Wisconsin President Jay Rothman announced today his decision to end in-person instruction at two additional branch campuses and to close one branch campus. Rothman also directed chancellors overseeing the remaining two-year campuses to work with local officials to determine the best uses for facilities to meet student and community needs.

The two campuses at which in-person instruction will end are UW-Milwaukee at Washington County and UW Oshkosh, Fond du Lac campus; the goal date is June 2024. UW-Platteville Richland will be closed. The decision follows Rothman’s earlier directive to chancellors to explore the long-term viability of the branch campuses.

“It’s time for us to realign our branch campuses to current market realities and prepare for the future. The status quo is not sustainable,” Rothman said. “This decision is a response to an evolving student marketplace. Offering students an educational experience they deserve while working with local leaders to ensure it meets their expectations is key to our long-term success.”

Rothman recently informed chancellors of his decision.

The actions would leave 10 remaining branch campuses located in Barron County, Baraboo, Manitowoc, Marinette, Marshfield, Menasha (Fox Cities), Rock County, Sheboygan, Waukesha, and Wausau.

Rothman charged the chancellors overseeing the 10 campuses to discuss future options with local county governments that own the buildings in which classes are offered.

“We want to work with the counties to determine the best way for our universities to serve their communities,” Rothman said. “This reassessment is designed to ensure facilities are used in ways that meet community needs and provide long-term stability.”

He said those conversations will involve utilizing the existing campuses or other possible locations in a range of ways, including offering four-year and graduate degree options, upskilling and reskilling opportunities for the existing workforce, expanding dual enrollment, or opening ‘navigation centers’ for high school and nontraditional students seeking guidance on their university journey. Rothman said retaining the remaining branch campuses is an option that will be determined by community needs and the ability of the Universities of Wisconsin to meet those needs.

Choices made by the vast majority of traditional and nontraditional students are driving the decision, Rothman said, not cost savings.

“We are seeing freshman enrollment rising at most of our four-year campuses while enrollment at the two-year campuses has been falling at a rapid rate for years,” Rothman said. “Moreover, online enrollment has been trending up as well. The market is telling us that increasingly students are pursuing a degree at our four-year campuses or online.”

Rothman added that the student experience is waning on some branch campuses because of the decline in enrollment. Existing students attending the campuses where in-person learning will be no longer available will be offered enrollment options at other universities.

Rothman told chancellors to embark on the negotiations promptly with the goal of cementing a clear pathway by early spring 2024.