News from the Vice Chancellor
Winter 2013
Using MapWorks to help retain students
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Using MapWorks.......... 1
Consultant hired............. 1
Welcome....................... 2
Good news.................... 4
Classified award.............. 4
The transition from high school to college is often challenging, leading many freshmen to drop out or transfer
to other schools looking for a better fit. At UW-Stout,
about one of four first-year students chooses not to
return for a second year. While this rate aligns with the
national average, finding ways to keep more students
in school would help both the students and Stout.
With that in mind, personnel in Student Life Services
and Student Services recently began using the MapWorks retention application, which offers features—like
a survey tool, data analyzer, and reports—that support
student success in the following ways:
MapWorks can help
students reach their goals
Just enough energy......... 5
•They help students assess and address personal factors and behaviors that
contribute to, or hinder, their chances for success.
Construction zone........... 6
•They help staff identify students at risk of leaving school—in time to intervene.
•They help staff identify programmatic changes that could enhance student
success and retention.
(See MapWorks, page 5.)
News from the Vice Chancellor
is published for ASLS division
employees.
Publisher: Phil Lyons
Vice Chancellor Administrative &
Student Life Services
lyons@uwstout.edu
(715) 232-1683
Editor: Tom Dye
Communication Specialist
dyet@uwstout.edu
(715) 232-1681
225 Administration Building
Menomonie, WI 54751
Fax: (715) 232-1527
Consultant hired to study efficiency
UW-Stout is participating in an efficiency
study sponsored by UW System. The goal
is to identify opportunities to improve
services, reduce costs, and maximize
resources in four key areas:
•.Campus space utilization
•.Information technology
• E-textbooks
•.Academic administrative structure
To help guide the study, UW System engaged Huron (See Efficiency, page 6.)
ASLS VICE CHANCELLOR’S OFFICE • 225 Administration, Menomonie, WI 54751 • 715-232-1683
Welcome
Emily Barth, campus card program associate, grew up in small town Wisconsin outside of Fond du Lac. After earning a teaching degree–German–
from UW-Eau Claire, she spent the better part of a year in Austria, teaching English. After returning, she attended UW-Stout, completing a master’s
in school counseling. She and her husband Bradley live in Eau Claire and
are expecting their first child in May. Emily likes to spend her free time
reading, enjoying nature, running, and walking her dog, Sunny.
Wade Butler joins Physical Plant as a custodian. The Chippewa Falls resident was born in Eau Claire and graduated from UW-Stout. He is married
to Ashley and has a daughter Wynell (5) and son Spyridon (Spiro, 3). Wade
has worked as a licensed substitute teacher and an income-tax preparer, as
well as in construction, production, and food service. He also DJs for parties and weddings and has a radio show on FM 96.3 called Orpheus Hours
with DJ Ghost. Wade enjoys league basketball, tennis, golf, disc golf, and
table tennis, as well as biking, camping, canoeing, and wake boarding.
Mark Eickstaedt joins Physical Plant as a building & grounds supervisor
(HVAC), transferring from the Wisconsin Department of Administration in
Madison. Before that, he was a plumbing and mechanical supervisor at
Augustana College in Rock Island, IL. Mark grew up on the Mississippi
River in Le Claire, Iowa, but now lives in Menomonie with his dog Domino.
He has a daughter, Jessica, and three grandchildren, Joey (13), Jacob (9),
and Kayla (7). In his spare time, Mark enjoys camping, hiking, ATV ridding,
bicycling, and sightseeing.
Alexandra Hall, physician at Student Health Services and adjunct faculty
for the Department of Biology, comes to Stout from Cornell University,
where she worked in college health for the past 7 years. Born in Elmira,
NY, she earned her B.S. in Science Education from New York University
and her M.D. from Mount Sinai School of Medicine. She completed her
residency in Family Practice at the University of Vermont. Alexandra enjoys spending time with her family, partner Dr. Erin Hall-Rhoades, and son
Gavin (6), as well as exploring the woods and creek in her backyard, reading, and discovering restaurants in the cities.
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Erin Hall-Rhoades, medical director and physician at Student Health
Services, comes to UW-Stout from Ithaca College, where she worked in the
field of college health for 5 years. Raised in Wausau, WI, she earned her
B.A. from Oberlin College, earned her M.D. from the University of Vermont,
and completed residency training at the Maine-Dartmouth Family Medicine
Residency. She enjoys spending time with her family, her wife Dr. Alexandra Hall, and son Gavin, a first-grader at Wakanda Elementary. An avid
cellist, Erin currently plays in the Chippewa Valley Symphony Orchestra
and continues to take lessons on a regular basis.
NEWS FROM THE VICE CHANCELLOR
Welcome
Rochelle Holmes, Fleming-Hovlid Hall director, was born in Marhsfield
and graduated from Stout with a degree in Family and Consumer Science
Education. After teaching in Minnesota and Wisconsin high schools for a
year, she spent 2 years as a hall director at the U of Minnesota. After that,
she completed a Masters in Student Affairs at Penn State then interned
at Hammad Bin Khalifa University in Doha, Qatar. Since joining Stout, Rochelle has dedicated more time to indoor gardening and reading.
Penny Johnston, who was born in Durand and grew up in Mondovi, joins
Physical Plant as custodian lead. Penny has two grown sons–Bob Myren,
who runs businesses in Mondovi, and Perry Myren, who teaches in Caddott, plus six grandchildren: Jon (19), Coy (13), Cam (9), Alayna (8), Cole
(6), and Raelyn (2). Besides spending time with her grandkids and in
Bible studies, Penny likes to cook and bake for family and friends.
Jodi Kegan (not pictured), joins Physical Plant as a custodian lead after
serving as head housekeeper for Motel 6. The Boyceville resident was
born in New Richmond and graduated from Glenwood City. Jodi is married
to Lee and has four children: Brandon (23), Kayla (18), Abigail (13), and
Kevin (11). In her spare time, Jodi enjoys ice fishing, bow hunting, going
to her cabin in Herbster, and traveling to Montana and Idaho.
Veronica McNaughton, joins Physical Plant as a custodian. A Menomonie native, she earned an associate’s degree in Landscape, Plant, and Turf Management from CVTC and has farmed with her husband Raymond for 11 years and
helped run a landscaping and lawn care business. She has also worked for
ConAgra Foods, Wal-Mart distribution, and MarketPlace Foods. Veronica and
Raymond live south of Downsville and have three children: Whitney (18), who
attends CVTC and plans to transfer to Stout next fall, Alex (13), who attends
Durand Jr. High, and Logan (11), who attends Arkansas Elementary. Veronica
spends her spare time attending her kids’ sporting events, camping, riding
ATV’s and snowmobiles, fishing, and taking the pontoon out on the lake.
Kelly Rihn, service lead, was raised in Bloomer and still resides there
with her two children Chloe (4) and Silas (2). After Graduating from Le
Cordon Bleu she went on to become pastry chef at Sugarland Bakery in
Chapel Hill, North Carolina. In addition to spending time with her children,
she enjoys cooking, reading, and golfing.
Gretchen Yonko, BFS financial specialist, was born at the U of Minnesota in front of a class full of students and continued her appreciation of
universities by graduating from UW-Stout’s Child and Family Study Center
preschool. Now finally able to return to Stout, Gretchen enjoys her home
in town–a healthy walking distance from campus. In between stints at
Stout, she achieved a few degrees and worked for the Forest Service,
DNR, Outward Bound, Census Bureau, various colleges & school districts,
and a CPA. Gretchen spends her time away from Accounting Services with
her chidren, Olive (5) and Otis (3).
ADMINISTRATIVE AND STUDENT LIFE SERVICES
3
Good news
D arrin Witucki received the Annabelle E. Wolf Outstanding Service Award
from the Wisconsin College Personnel Association for his work on behalf of
students, including his efforts to provide the best student center in the state.
W hen a sprinkler activated at the MSC on January 31, people from across
Classified Employee
Appreciation Award
Diane Oakland, BFS financial specialist, was presented with the new Classified Employee Appreciation
Award in February.
The individuals nominating
Diane had the following to
say about her:
Diane is very loyal and
dedicated to her work and
the Stout campus. She has
taken on several new tasks,
including freshman orientation presentations for the
Student Business Office,
becoming a lead worker on
veterans’ benefits, and setup of the PeopleSoft system
for student fees.
The veterans’ program
has expanded greatly, and
Diane has helped to ensure
that our veteran students
get the benefits they have
earned. Her dedication to
customer service comes out
in her daily work and as a
member of the Customer
Service Ambassador Committee. Diane goes out of
her way to help everyone,
encourages others, and
works hard to make sure
all customers are treated
properly.
the division and community teamed up to mitigate problems and maintain
services. Spotting the water, Justin Krahn immediately notified Campus
Police, fire department, and Physical Plant personnel, who rushed to the
scene and shut down the sprinkler after verifying there was no fire. Custodians from across campus and firefighters then chipped in to clean up the
water, while maintenance staff, risk management, and others identified
issues and developed a recovery plan. To
keep services rolling, Dining staff ramped
up service at other locations, and MSC
reservations staff worked the phones and
EMS software to shift meetings and events
to other spaces. Despite the challenges,
the MSC reopened at 2 p.m., and all evening activities went on as scheduled.
S hoppers at the Surplus store can now test drive computers and use the
http://www.wisconsinsurplus.com online auction site while in the store.
S BS transferred 410 laptops to December eStout graduates and is now
providing information about the laptop transfer program to 800 students
who applied for spring and summer graduation.
T he payment service SBS enlists to support international students is
working well, protecting our banking information, and streamlining the wiretransfer process. The service costs Stout nothing and saves students money.
T he new Classified Advisory Development Council (CADC) serves to sup-
port UW-Stout’s classified staff. The CADC will promote professional development and recognition, provide input on issues that affect classified staff,
and facilitate communication among classified staff and administrators.
M ore than 60 UW-Stout student-athletes from most sports, along with sev-
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NEWS FROM THE VICE CHANCELLOR
eral Athletics staffers, braved
the icy waters of Tainter Lake,
taking the Polar Plunge to raise
over $3,000 for Special Olympics. Athletics’ participation is
part of a conference effort and
partnership between NCAA Division III and Special Olympics to
foster mutual learning experiences for all.
MapWorks (continued from page 1)
Staff have already used MapWorks to launch three of four surveys planned for
this academic year. “The surveys are sort of like pre-tests/post-tests for each
semester—with enough time to know where concerns lie so we can intervene
before mid-terms and finals,” said Amy McGovern, assistant director of University Housing, who is coordinating the campus implementation.
“The four surveys ask similar questions about transitional issues known to
factor into students ceasing their academic progress. The answers help gauge
where the students are at and where they are headed,” Amy said. Faculty and
staff can access responses and create coordinated outreach efforts that give
students the support they need to succeed.
Like Amy, First Year Advisor Denise Goers uses the application to help identify students having difficulty with academics or social issues and draw those
students into meaningful conversations. “The MapWorks reports provide talking points we use to review strengths, weaknesses, and areas of concern with
students,” Denise said. “The reports can identify issues that students may not
bring up on their own and help us to provide more specific recommendations,”
Of course the surveys don’t just help staff identify, and communicate with, atrisk students, they also help students self-assess and make adjustments. “After
students complete the survey,” Amy said, “they see their results immediately, as
well as information regarding how to improve their skills or connections.”
Just Enough Energy
The Campus-Wide Energy
Committee created the Just
Enough Energy campaign to
encourage efficient energy
use across campus. The
campaign focuses on six areas of energy conservation:
•Effort – making the effort
to reduce your overall
energy use
•Warmth – reducing use of
personal appliances
•Wattage – utilizing LED
and CFL lighting
•Convenience – incorporating community appliances
and equipment into your
office/department
•Power – pulling the plug
on phantom power
One section of a personalized MapWorks report
In addition to helping students help themselves and enabling staff to attempt
timely and meaningful interventions, Amy also hopes to use MapWorks to
capture information regarding the nature of Stout’s student population and
services in comparison to other institutions.
“For example, Stout did well with new Fall 2012 students’ perceptions of
connecting with peers–the second-best predictor of retention, according to
MapWorks,” Amy said. “Continuing to focus resources in this area is wise,
especially when we consider that Stout students perceived their level of homesickness as higher than comparison schools.”
Using the information captured by MapWorks, Amy and others can help the
university address concerns, maximize strengths, and enhance retention,
while helping our students reach their potential and achieve their dreams.
ADMINISTRATIVE AND STUDENT LIFE SERVICES
•Efficiency – consolidating
classes into fewer buildings during weekends,
summer break, and winter
break
Campaign posters have
been mailed to various
offices and departments
across campus. If you’d
like posters for your office,
contact Sarah Rykal.
5
ADMINISTRATIVE AND STUDENT LIFE SERVICES
People working together for service excellence and innovation.
Efficiency (continued from page 1)
Snapshots
Consulting Group at no cost to Stout. Representatives of the education-management consulting firm will be on campus in February, collecting data and interviewing faculty & staff throughout the university.
The process will engage the campus in qualitative and quantitative measures
and borrow from studies completed at other UW campuses, such as UW-Stevens
Point and UW-Platteville.
With Huron’s help, the university hopes to make the most of campus assets and
enhance organizational structures, processes, and competencies to foster efficiency. Such enhancements should prove especially beneficial when the university’s primary classroom facility, Harvey Hall, is remodeled.
Kristie Olson shows Blaze
a new move
“Our space needs for the coming year—with Harvey Hall going down—really drove
our desire to have Huron on campus sooner rather than later,” Vice Chancellor
Phil Lyons said.
Huron is expected to present a final report in April. After reviewing findings, the
university steering committee working with Huron will recommend enhancements
to the chancellor.
For more information about this initiative, go to http://www.uwstout.edu/admin/
asls/Efficiency-Study.cfm.
‘Tis the season to take the bus
Construction Zone
6
13th Avenue Closure
The design process is now in full
swing, with UW-Stout representatives meeting with architects
twice a month.
This summer, 13th Avenue–east
of Broadway–will be closed for a
city street project from June 3 to
August 16.
While classrooms will remain in
use throughout the fall, faculty
and staff will begin vacating
offices this summer.
Tentative schedule:
Office moves begin
Construction begins
Occupation begins
ASLS VICE CHANCELLOR’S OFFICE •
6/13
3/14
7/15
225 Administration Building
13th Avenue
Broadway
Recognizing classified employees
Harvey Hall Renovation
• (715) 232-1681