Spring 2008
News from the Vice
Chancellor
Administrative & Student Life
Services
Environmental Sustainability
Coordinator Raina Clark and the
ZENN car at the Optimal Health
Fair. For more information, visit
the Sustainability website at:
www.uwstout.edu/sustainability
Inside This Issue
Shadowing Raina Clark ........................ 1
Happenings in the ASLS Division......... 2
Welcome ............................................... 3
Employee of the Month ........................ 4
The Good News ..................................... 4
News from the Vice Chancellor is published quarterly for ASLS division employees.
Shadowing Raina Clark
Green! It’s a word that I see and hear all over the place and I don’t just
mean spring! It seems that green initiatives are in everybody’s thoughts –
everything from more efficient light bulbs to how and where we buy our
food. This past year the Chancellor funded a half-time Sustainability
Coordinator position to develop an action plan for our campus. Raina Clark
is this person and I shadowed her during a recent meeting of the
Environmental Sustainability Steering Committee. Raina networks across
departments, with the city and county, and interested citizens to bring them
together to accomplish meaningful initiatives. At the meeting, the
committee talked about their efforts to find a composting partner for the
food waste from the university. This has resulted in the group visiting the
Methane Digester at the Five Star Dairy in Elk Mound. The group is also
working on a different type of move-out day for the students. Students both on campus and within the Menomonie community - have been invited
to drop off useable furniture as well as unopened food and other
household items. Instead of going to the landfill, these items will be
recycled to the Hope Gospel. This effort was coordinated by many people
within the Menomonie Community and is just one example of the exciting
work going on. It’s pretty apparent that Raina needs to be a generalist
about many different things – funding, organization, communicating,
marketing, presenting, and politics in order to be successful in this
position. Raina lives in Menomonie with her 5-year old son Cole and her
dog, Moogie.
Publisher: Diane Moen
Vice Chancellor
moend@uwstout.edu
(715) 232-1683
Editor: Heidi Hooten
Communications Specialist
hootenh@uwstout.edu
(715) 232-1681
110 Price Commons
Menomonie, WI 54751
Fax: (715) 232-1421
Thanks, From Me to
You
UW-Stout student and Legacy
Intern Megan Schwandt has
started a letter-writing
campaign to support the U.S.
troops. The goal of the letters
is to write about positive and
uplifting events to help lift the
spirits of soldiers fighting on
behalf of our country. Writers
are encouraged to end letters
with a note of appreciation.
Staff and students may drop off
letters at any time at the SOC
desk in the Memorial Student
Center. Megan has contracted
with the group “Soldier’s
Angels” to get the letters where
they need to go. For further
information, contact Megan at:
schwandtm@uwstout.edu.
Give Kids the World
Curran-Kranzusch Hall Director
Michelle Hargrave and 10
students have just returned
from Kissimee, Florida where
they did social outreach at
“Give Kids the World,” a
70-acre resort which provides a
respite for families with
children with life-threatening
illnesses. While there, the
group helped with renovation
projects, assisted with a
“Pirates and Princess” Party,
and worked with children while
playing the World’s Largest
Candy Land game.
Happenings In the ASLS Division
Budget
Despite uncertainty with the state budget, important budget decisions were made
for our division in preparation for the upcoming fiscal year. Below are some of the
items the Division or the University have base funded (provided permanent
additional funds for) in 2008-2009.
Business and Financial Services
Funding was provided to convert a half-time LTE position to a permanent position
and increase it to 100%.
Budget, Planning & Analysis
A commitment was received to fully fund the costs of university-wide surveys.
Health and Safety
In recognition of the enhanced interest in campus security, Police Services was
provided funds for additional LTE support to assure 24/7 campus coverage as
well as additional service and supply support for vehicle leases and ammunition.
Human Resources
Funding was provided for enhanced direction of university training and
development activities.
Physical Plant
Custodial received funding and an FTE to convert an LTE position to permanent.
Also received was additional custodial support for the Sports & Fitness Center
along with services and supplies to support the positions. In addition, funding
was provided to cover the increase in the new solid waste contract.
Student Life Services
The Athletics unit was brought into the Student Life Services as of July 1st of this
year. As a result, allocations were made to make the Athletic Director’s position
full-time as well as provide funding for a Golf coach and Gymnastics coach on
102 (GPR) funding, and provide funding for the newly implemented NCAA Drug
Testing Program. The Inter-Residence Hall Council received an increase for hall
council activities.
In addition, throughout the fiscal year one-time funds are allocated for tuition
reimbursement, large equipment purchases, professional development and other
significant expenditures that units are not able to fund internally. The source of
these funds is primarily salary turnover.
University Bookstore Contracts With Validis Resources
The University Bookstore is entering into a management partnership with Validis
Resources effective May 22, 2008. Validis Resources is the contract
management division of the Nebraska Book Company.
Contracting with Validis Resources allows the University Bookstore to maintain its
autonomy and local decision-making while utilizing the 90 years of bookstore
management expertise Validis brings to the table.
For questions about Validis Resources, contact David Karis at
karisd@uwstout.edu or contact Validis Resources directly at
www.validisresources.com.
Welcome
Joanie Dulin, Office Operations Associate in Dining Services, and her husband, Ross
Dulin, Custodian, have four children: Brittney, Brady, Mitchell and Christopher.
Joanie previously worked for 10 years at Century 21 Premier Group. She is a
lifelong Menomonie resident and enjoys reading and cheering on her kids at their
various sporting events. Ross enjoys working out at the gym, hockey, and home
remodeling.
Debra Gherke, HR Manager, has spent over 10 years in human resources with time
spent at fortune 500 companies like Mattel and United Health Group. She feels
fortunate to have spent the last few years raising her three beautiful daughters with
her wonderful husband in Elk Mound. She grew up in this area and is a proud Stout
graduate and now feels as if she has “come home.” Debra looks forward to
meeting everyone and becoming a valued part of the team at UW-Stout.
Ralph Knutson, Custodian, worked the last two years at UW-Stout as an LTE. He
has two children, Ann and Angela, and enjoys fishing, hunting, woodworking, and
camping.
Kirk Miller, Carpenter, enjoys outdoor activities such as hunting, fishing, boating
and motorcycling. He also plays in dart and pool leagues, and occasionally plays
bass guitar in a rock band. Kirk also enjoys trap shooting, which is one of the three
major competitive forms of clay pigeon shooting.
Edward Nieskes, Director of Business & Financial Services, has lived in Wisconsin
his entire life. He’s a self-professed sports fan of all the different sports: collegiate,
professional and high school. He’s very involved in his kids’ activities, which takes
up the majority of his weekends. Ed also loves to read, make beer, and relax with
his family.
Besides working at UW-Stout, Financial Specialist in Business & Financial Services
Arlene Schuler sews for a company called Weighted Wearables. This company
makes products with weights in them for children and adults with disabilities. The
weights help to increase focus and body awareness, improve balance and
coordination and maximizes benefits of physical therapy sessions. Arlene and her
husband Jon have two daughters: Amy is a sophomore at UW-Eau Claire and Jenny
is a senior at Colfax High School and will be attending Winonia University in the fall.
Arlene likes fishing and camping. She has a miniature dachshund whom she dearly
loves and who tends to rule the household. She and Jon are looking to pursue more
hobbies next year when they become “empty-nesters.”
Todd Utpadel, Cook in Dining Services at Price Commons, is a lifelong Menomonie
resident following in his Mother’s footsteps: she, too, worked at Stout for many
years as a cook. Todd likes to hunt and fish in his spare time.
Monica Winter, Payroll & Benefits Specialist, works in Human Resources with
Student Payroll and Worker’s Compensation. She has two children, Hunter (5) and
Autumn (1). She and her husband Elmer enjoy playing with their children, hunting,
fishing, and gardening. She also bowls once a week on a women’s league in
Durand and loves to cook, scrapbook, and play cards when she has spare time.
Employee of the Month
Diane Moen, Vice Chancellor
110 Price Commons
Menomonie, WI 54751
(715) 232-1683
Fax: (715) 232-1421
moend@uwstout.edu
Mary Kay Sankey was named Employee of the Month for March. Donna Otto
and Wayne Argo had this to say about her: “Mary Kay has been the
university’s benefit manager for many years. During this time she has
demonstrated an unfailing commitment to service excellence to the
employees of the university. It makes no difference what the problem is or
what type of employment the individual has. She continually goes above and
beyond the amount of help she is required to perform for the individuals and
families and at times for employees from other agencies. She has resolved
issues and problems with health care providers and helped in obtaining
needed results for customers even when she could say, ‘No, it is their
responsibility.’ If needed, she will spend hours on a difficult issue to resolve it
for the employee, always keeping the best interests of the employee in
mind.” Sankey has been employed at Stout for 22 years.
People working together
for service excellence and
innovation.
Mary Kay Sankey…
“continually goes above and
beyond the amount of help she
is required to perform for ...
individuals and families and at
times for employees from other
agencies.”
(Left to Right) Donna Otto, Mary Kay Sankey, Wayne Argo
The Good News
•
Michelle Klass, Purchasing Agent, made the Dean’s List during Fall Semester
2007 at Anoka-Ramsey Community College in Cambridge, MN.
•
Diane Moen, Vice Chancellor for Administrative and Student Life Services, was
invited to serve as an evaluator for the 2008 Central Association of College and
University Business Officers Best Practices Program. The program is intended to
showcase the best of college and university business officers’ efforts in creating
better, more efficient, and customer-friendly business practices.
•
The Budget, Planning & Analysis department is actively involved in helping with
a study by the U.S. Education Department’s Fund for the Improvement of
Postsecondary Education by assisting in determining which of three tests
universities nationwide should utilize in measuring student performance.
•
Bob Dodge won 3rd place in CACUBO’s 2008 “Best Practices” award
competition for his proposal titled “Enhanced Safety Awareness Program.” The
official announcement will occur in October at CACUBO’s Annual Meeting in
Ft. Lauderdale. His award consists of a plaque and $500.
•
Rick Olson, Interim Bursar, graduates in May with a B.S. degree in Business
Administration from UW-Stout.
•
Michelle Hargrave, Curran-Kranzusch Hall Director, graduates in May with an
M.S. in Human Development from Greater Plains Interactive Distance
Education Alliance out of South Dakota State University.