News from the Vice Chancellor
Winter 2010-2011
Inside This Issue:
Teamwork Moves MSC
Moving from a 100,000 square foot home is a complex undertaking, but thanks to
solid teamwork and careful planning, ASLS personnel managed to smoothly vacate the
Memorial Student Center and resume operations in new surroundings.
The group managing the move included Linda Anderson, Building and Grounds
Superintendent; Arlo Frank, Custodial Lead; Dave Karis, Assistant Director of University
Centers; and Darrin Witucki, Interim Director of University Centers. The group
coordinated activities, overcame roadblocks, and kept everything on schedule.
Along with the management group, the contributions of many other ASLS
personnel (view list)--including MSC residents and maintenance personnel--made the
move a success.
For example, George Kleist, Physical Plant and Student Life Services maintenance
team, delayed his retirement to make sure the building was properly cleared. Working
with Jeff Grundeman and Bruce Forrest, George completed 93 work orders in the
weeks before the doors closed.
Meanwhile, steamfitter Wayne Poppe mothballed the boilers, ensuring that the
equipment is ready to run when MSC reopens.
Long before the heat went off, University Centers’ Nick Etten developed an
inventory database that enabled the team to run detailed reports and to label every
item in the building with destination information and more.
With the labels affixed, Arlo Frank’s SLS recycling crew stepped in, putting
their backs into the move. The hard-working crew hauled 25 years of memories--21
truckloads--out of the building and set the stage for the surplus sale.
Thankfully, there wasn’t much left to move after the sale. An effective marketing
campaign lured swarms of buyers, who purchased 2,865 items (96.5% of everything
up for grabs). The crowds were especially thick during the first 2 hours of the public
sale, when the MSC crew and cash registers never stopped.
Like the crew and tills, the MSC services didn’t stop either. The well-organized
team continued every service (with the exception of mail receiving) without a snag.
Credit the smooth move and easy transition to the positive attitudes, collaboration,
and talents of the entire team.
“Despite all the hard work, I never heard the staff complain once.” -- Darrin Witucki
Teamwork Moves MSC............................1
Welcome...................................................2
Classified Employee of the Month.........3
Where in Stout Is Diane?.........................3
Facelift for Dorm Basements..................3
Sustainable Stout....................................4
Good News................................................4
News from the Vice Chancellor is
published quarterly for the ASLS division
employees.
Publisher: Diane Moen
Vice Chancellor of Administrative &
Student Life Services
moend@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
Tell Us! If you
would rather receive
this newsletter
electronically,
contact Tom Dye at
dyet@uwstout.edu.
Welcome
Josh Cody, Purchasing Agent, joins Physical Plant after serving
full-time with the Wisconsin National Guard as a Battalion Logistics noncommissioned officer (NCO). Before that Josh served in Iraq, where he
was a Human Resources NCO responsible for the care and welfare of our
soldiers, dealing with everything from pay issues to education benefits.
Josh, who was born in New Richmond and grew up in Polk County, now
lives between Bloomer and New Auburn, where he and his wife Louise
are transforming a “fixer-upper” into their dream home. When Josh and
his wife aren’t working on their home or chasing their three children-Hazel (7), Evelyn (6), and Oliver (4), they enjoy spending time outdoors.
Jeremy Gragert, Coordinator of Community Outreach, Civic
Engagement, and Service-Learning, joins the office of Involvement and
Leadership after earning an M.S. in Student Affairs Administration in
Higher Education from UW-La Crosse. At La Crosse, he worked as a
graduate advisor to the student government and as an environmental
sustainability graduate assistant for University Centers. Before that,
he earned a B.A. in History from UW-Eau Claire and spent 2 years with
AmeriCorps VISTA at UW-Eau Claire’s Center for Service-Learning. A native
of Stillwater, Jeremy enjoys bicycling, local & organic food, environmental
education, and developing ethical & responsible citizenship.
Dennis Luedtke, HVAC/Refrigeration Specialist, transfers from
UW-Milwaukee Facilities Maintenance. Prior to that, the Slinger resident
worked in maintenance at UW-River Falls and spent many years on the
road as a truck driver. Dennis and his wife Julie have two sons--Kit, who
is vice principal at River Falls High School, and Andrew, who is facilities
manager at a Colorado microbrewery; they also have three grandchildren.
In his spare time, Dennis is active in the Lions Club, skis (he was a
downhill instructor for 25 years), and restores cars (he’s currently working
on a ‘56 Olds).
Brent Markert, Craftsworker Supervisor, comes to UW-Stout
from Wisconsin Rapids, where he was an electrician for the Wisconsin
Department of Transportation for many years. Before that the
Omro native spent time in the Eau Claire area, serving his electrical
apprenticeship and working as an electrician. Brent and his wife Sarah
have two children, Natalia (10) and Broderick (5), and are in the process
of moving to Chippewa Falls. Brent enjoys camping, canoeing, and fishing.
Deb Wik, Risk Management Specialist in the Safety and Risk
Management Office, is enjoying working “at home” again after spending
6 years travelling throughout the US with State Farm’s Catastrophe Team.
Born and raised in the Menomonie area, Deb has an accounting and
insurance background. She has two sons, Adam, who attends UW-Stout,
and Aaron, who attends UW-Stevens Point, plus a grandson who recently
celebrated his first birthday. Deb enjoys spending time with family &
friends and being outdoors--whether snowmobiling, motorcycling, or
mowing the lawn.
A: Sparkling
Take a guess?
Q: How did construction personnel describe the MSC interior
after ASLS personnel cleared it?
Echoing, Spooky, or Sparkling?
Classified Employee of the Month
Where in Stout Is Diane?
Dale Hintz, Academic Custodian, has been named
Classified Employee of the Month for December.
Since former first-lady Jessica Doyle no longer hosts
a Where in Wisconsin? quiz, Vice Chancellor Diane Moen
agreed to fill the void, hiding out in one of our hallowed
halls until a clever ASLS employee finds her...
Can you? Here are some clues.
One individual
who nominated him
said, “When you ask
Dale if he can help
with something, his
answer is always
‘Sure!’ with a smile.”
- In 1916, Verne Fryklund received the first diploma
awarded in this hall because he was the tallest in his
class.
- The first homecoming in Stout’s history was held in 1917
to dedicate this new building.
- The sound of music was heard here when Maria von
Trapp and family appeared.
- John F. Kennedy awakened a nation here in 1960.
Another said,
“Dale has an
outstanding
positive attitude
towards working
on campus and
treating people
right.”
- Each day, Cal Peters welcomes students to this building.
If you know the building where Diane is hiding, email
Tom Dye, dyet@uwstout.edu, by March 7. The names of all
ASLS employees correctly identifying the building will be
entered in a drawing. Three lucky winners will receive a
$5.00 Dining Services gift certificate.
Facelift for Residence Hall Basements
Engaging students in the campus community is one of
Housing’s goals, and one way they accomplish that goal is by
providing welcoming common spaces that draw students out
of their rooms. To that end, they regularly remodel and update
basement lounges to make them inviting and functional.
One of the most striking remodels took place recently
in the basement of Antrim-Froggatt-McCalmont Hall, where
ASLS personnel, including Senior Facilities Planner Jerry
Duncanson and his assistant Thomas Wegner, transformed
two under-sized and under-utilized rooms into a single space
that gets plenty of use.
and even study. As Hall Director Jen Parker said, “I now see
students there all the time, at any hour of the day.”
Another major transformation (shown below) took place
at Hansen-Keith-Milnes-Chinnock, where a lounge containing
sterile furniture reminiscent of an airport or waiting room was
transformed into an inviting space that meets student needs.
Drop ceiling,
new lights
Before
After
Exposed pipes,
ancient lights
Windows
Wood paneling
Before
AFM Lounge
After
After removing an interior partition to merge the rooms,
Housing replaced a panel-covered wall with a wall of windows
(as shown above) and two wide entrances—providing a more
open feel and connecting the space with the nearby kitchen
and hall.
The new design draws students in, and the comfortable
furnishings and big-screen TV keep them coming to eat, relax,
HKMC Lounge
Before the remodel, the lounge primarily saw use as
a glorified hallway. Now it gathers students who “create
spontaneous events” in a warm, purposeful environment.
The Good News
New equipment will soon enable Student Business Services to scan both sides
of incoming paper checks, store the digital images, and transmit electronic files to
the bank for immediate processing. The equipment, which complements existing
software, will improve efficiency and may reduce the number of stale or NSF checks.
Recreation Goes Green
During the Association of
Outdoor Recreation and Education
Conference in November, Stout
Adventures received the first annual
Green Program Award. The award
was based on past and future steps
to “green” the program through
environmental sustainability
initiatives.
Students Shuttle through Stout
This Winter, Dunn County Transit
began operating regular bus routes in
the city. One of the main routes--the
Stout Shuttle--goes through UW-Stout
and nearby neighborhoods, stopping
at three places on campus every hour.
On cold days, scores of students use
the “free” bus.
Community Celebrates Water
On January 30, UW-Stout
partnered with Sustainable Dunn
to host a “Year of Water Opening
Celebration,” kicking off a year of
events and education related to water
sustainability.
During the celebration, speakers
discussed clean water, healthy
communities, and the Red Cedar
basin. For more information, visit
http://www.sustainabledunn.org/.
Sustainability Coordinator Goes
West
Environmental Sustainability
Coordinator Sarah Rykal is leaving the
UW System to join the University of
Minnesota’s Healthy Foods, Healthy
Lives Institute.
On January 1, University Police--along with the Menomonie Police Department
and Dunn County Sheriff’s Office--began using a new records management system
(RMS) that decreases paper copies while increasing the ability to manage all officer
activities. The RMS enables each agency to search the other agencies’ records, while
maintaining control of their own records. The grant that funded the RMS also funded
vehicle computers that connect to the RMS and to UW-Stout applications.
University Housing’s Dana Fritz, Andrea Fults, Ann Hoffman, Adam Ludwig,
Ben Markl, Jen Parker, and Kelly Podach Frances presented at the Upper Midwest
Region Association of College and University Housing Officers conference last
November in Minneapolis. Andrea Fults earned the “Best First Time Presenter” award.
Personnel from Athletics and University Police,
including Police & Parking Service Director
Lisa Walter, Athletic Director Duey Natz, and
Assistant Baseball Coach Ryan Levandoski,
braved the icy waters of Tainter Lake to raise
money for Special Olympics at the Polar
Plunge. At left, Duey and Ryan take the plunge.
When UW-Stout hosted the regional LEGO
League tournament, Health and Safety’s Jim
Uhlir served as an event director and Shirley
Klebesadel served as an event judge. The
competition was one of the last events held at
the MSC before the doors closed.
On a cold Friday night, Mary Gruenhagen
and Sandra Bachoo-Ramsaroop encountered three international students from
the Twin Cities who had missed their bus. The students, who spoke halting English,
would have been stranded overnight if the two custodial leads hadn’t arranged
alternative transportation for them.
Chancellor Sorensen and an Xcel Energy spokesperson thanked ASLS
employees, including those in Physical Plant and Health & Safety, for their assistance
with the December power outage. The University’s load transfers shortened outages
for many area homes, businesses, and schools.
Assistant Director for University Recreation Tim Mertz was elected president
of the Association of Outdoor Recreation and Education
(AORE). As president, he will help AORE review the
association’s structure, achieve objectives, and establish
a new national headquarters.
The new UW-Stout Blue Devil mascot (at right) has
been approved. Now the Athletic Department, led by
Director Duey Naatz, plans to take it a step farther,
developing a costumed Blue Devil mascot that will appear
at athletic competitions and special events.