Administrative &
Student Life Services
News from the Vice Chancellor
In
the Shadow of Darrin Witucki
Diane Moen, Vice Chancellor
In this issue:
Employee of the
Month
2
Chat with the
Chancellor update
2
New Employees
3
Committee Spotlight:
Optimal Health
4
News from the Vice Chancellor
is published quarterly for
ASLS Division employees.
Publisher: Diane Moen
Vice Chancellor
moend@uwstout.edu
(715) 232-1683
Editor: Raina Clark
Communications Specialist
clarkra@uwstout.edu
(715) 232-1681
225 Administration Building
Menomonie, WI 54751
Fax: (715) 232-1527
Spring 2006
On first glance, you may think this reserved,
former Air Force ROTC recruit is all
business. But get beyond his no-nonsense
exterior, and you’ll discover that Darrin
Witucki has a quick wit, a passion for
the band KISS, and is looking forward to
getting his pilot’s license one day.
While Darrin was in Minnesota earning
his Criminal Justice and Political Science
degree from Moorhead State University, he
enjoyed working as a Resident Assistant.
He ended up participating in the Oshkosh
Placement Exchange, a regional recruiting
event for midwest university hall
directors.
As a result, he took a job at South
Dakota State and completed a Masters in
Communications from UW-Whitewater.
He also met and married his wife, Jacqueline
Bonneville, in South Dakota.
In 2000 Darrin started at UW-Stout and
has primarily worked in the Involvement
and Leadership unit of the Memorial
Student Center operation. Many of you
may remember Jacqueline, who also came
to work at Stout in the Advising Office and
is currently an advisor at UW-Eau Claire.
Darrin and the students
he supervises coordinate two
to three events each week.
That’s about sixty events
per academic year. Meaning
Darrin works a lot of evenings
to accommodate student
schedules and to see events
off successfully.
He handles major issues
like schedules and facilities,
and also negotiates the
Darrin
finer details like what the
entertainers will eat in the green room and
who the warm-up band will be.
Staying current with student interests
and activities is no small feat, especially
since KISS is no longer an option. But
Darrin knows how to find Stout’s pulse.
He says facebook.com and myspace.com
are popular with Stout students and he uses
these sites to find out what movies, bands,
and music draw a crowd.
Darrin and Jacqueline have two
children, four-year-old Carly and elevenmonth-old Cole. Darrin pops over to the
Child Development Center to see them
during lunch on occasion and loves to read
them bedtime stories. He says Pajama Time,
by Sandra Boyington, is Carly and Cole’s
all time favorite. He read that one every
other night for eighteen months straight.
And about that pilot’s license…Darrin
did his solo and cross country flights in a
single engine plane back in his college
days. At this rate, he says, we’ll have to wait
until his kids are out of college before we
see him buzzing campus. In the mean time,
he’s taken up antique tractor collecting and
restoration and he might show you his 1958
Oliver 550 if you ask nicely.
Witucki poses with his favorite band.
Classified Employees of the Month
Shelly Hendrickson & Gary Borgmeyer
Shelly Hendrickson of the Vice Chancellor’s
Office was February’s Classified Employee of
the Month. Shelly has worked at UW-Stout
since 1987.
Gary Borgmeyer, Academic Custodial, was
March’s Classified Employee of the Month.
Gary is currently working in Bowman Hall
and has been on campus six years.
What nominators said
What nominators said
“Shelly has a very strong
knowledge of all departments...
and her relationships with
others in those departments
make her a strong asset to
whomever she works. She takes
a lot of pride in her position…
and the campus as a whole. She
always goes above and beyond
to get answers for co-workers
and customers. She is always
positive even during long hours
and stressful times.”
“If [Gary] sees someone
struggling with a task he will
always stop and help. Gary is
such a great person to have
around. He makes our days so
much brighter with his quick
wit and daily wisdom. He treats
everyone with respect and never
has a bad thing to say about
anyone. He has a heart of gold
and has one of the best work
ethics I have seen.”
The Classified Staff Advisory Committee collects and reviews nominations for the Classified
Employee of the Month and makes recommendations to the Chancellor. If you have a nomination for
the Classified Employee of the Month go to www.uwstout.edu/hr/hrforms/class_nomination_form.pdf
and turn the completed form in to the Human Resources office.
Chat with the Chancellor sessions well received
Page 2
Last January the Chancellor sat down with Student Life Services employees and again with
Physical Plant employees to talk about the financial condition of the State and the possible
impacts on the university and the progress on the polytechnic initiative, among other things.
Approximately forty-five Student Life Services and thirty Physical Plant employees attended.
Employees brought up many good points including the condition of Stout’s vehicle fleet,
marketing energy conservation, specific computer training, the impact of retirements on the
university, and summer orientation for students.
Welcome!
Please help welcome the following new employees to the ASLS Division:
Steve, one of our newest
During Gordon Smith’s
four years in the U. S. Air
Electricians, grew up
Force, he was a carpenter
in Wisconsin Rapids.
in France, England, and
He graduated from
North Africa. Since those
Mid-State Technical
early days, he has served
College in 1991 with an
the UW system.
Gordon Smith Twenty-two years Steve Schermitzler Associates degree in
Electronics. Steve served
ago he started out as an LTE custodian at
his apprenticeship at Consolidated Papers,
Stout. He took a permanent position in
Inc. He became a Journeyman in 1994 and
Madison for a short time, then moved to
then a Master Electrician in 2004. He enjoys
UW-Eau Claire. In January of this year
fly fishing, woodworking, and spending
Gordon transferred back to Stout as our
time with his wife, three-year-old twins, and
lead academic custodian. He says he likes
six-year-old son.
to spend his free time with his wife, son,
daughter and enjoys biking, skiing, fishing,
Dan joined Academic
and hunting.
Custodial last January. He
grew up in Menomonie
Before starting as an
and says he enjoys being
electrician in Physical
with family and friends.
Plant in April, Jason Kent
worked for the State at
His hobbies include,
Stanley Corrections.
woodworking, gardening,
Dan Proudlock outdoor activities,
Jason grew up in Fall
Creek, Wisconsin. He
computers, watching Nascar, and taking
Jason Kent earned an Associates degree care of his pets.
in Electrical Construction and Maintenance
Theresa Eslinger Pries and
from Dunwoody Institute and he became
her family were recently
a Master Electrician in 2001. He enjoys
featured on the local news
hunting, fishing, and spending time with his
as stewards of the historical
wife and two daughters.
Stanley Theater. In January
Last February Karen
Theresa became Stout’s
Pauly transferred to
new Hansen-Keith Hall
Theresa
Pries
the Recreation/Athletic
Director and she still finds
Complex from the
a spare moment to help out with the family
Psychology Department.
theater. Theresa is a Stout graduate and says
Karen and her husband,
she is very excited to be back on campus
working with the students. Theresa earned a
Karen Pauly Scott, a former Stout
employee of fifteen years, Masters in Higher Education AdministrationStudent Development at the University
live just west of Menomonie on a hobby
of South Dakota. At USD she worked as
farm. Karen spends most of her spare time
a Graduate Hall Director and helped the
with her husband and two teenage sons
participating in horse events, school sports, university develop its collaborative First Year
Experience Program.
and Boy Scouts.
Page 3
Diane Moen, Vice Chancellor
225 Administration Building
Menomonie, WI 54751
(715) 232-1683
Fax: (715) 232-1527
moend@uwstout.edu
People working together
for service excellence and
innovation.
Committee Spotlight:
The Optimal Health Committee is one of the
longest
committees in the ASLS
s thatstanding
e
g
,Not only does this committee
n
s
a
e
Division.
h
l
c
y
t
g
rtin
life-s rs. the annual health fair, it’s charged
Suppoo healthier hcoordinate
aviopromoting the Focus on a Tobacco-Free
e with
lead tbits, and b Campus initiative and with offering a variety of
ha
wellness development activities. When you see
announcements for Brown Bag lunches featuring
Yoga, the New Food Pyramid, General Estate
Planning, and the like, you know this committee
is hard at work.
Back Row: (From Left) Raina Clark, Kathy Foster, Shelly
Hendrickson, Dean Sankey, Janice Ramaeker, Mary Kay
Sankey. Front Row: Chris Stainer, Jacob Bloom, Sarah Bay, Krisi
Patterson (Chair), Heidi Gilbertson-Gansberg. Not photographed:
Petre Ghenciu, Aaron Fonder
Bigger and better is a running theme with the
Optimal Health Committee who just pulled off
their 6th annual Health Fair. Each year the
fair has increased in size and this past March
was the first year community members were
invited to attend.
About fifty businesses showcased
what they offer in all areas of health and
wellness. Over 600 visitors enjoyed freebies
like food, massage, health information, and
nutritional and exercise counseling.
The committee rounded up some
amazing prizes for lucky fair goers. Rodney
Mulnix of Academic Custodial won the
bicycle donated by Chancellor Sorensen.
Jerry Otto, an LTE in Grounds Maintenance,
won the $100 Savings Bond donated by
WESTconsin Credit Union. Judy Herr of the
School of Education won LASIK eye surgery
from Eau Claire LASIK and Lisa Maves of
Career Services won a free hypnosis session
at Hypnosis of Eau Claire.
Community members won the
notebook computer donated by WalMart and
the $75 Chamber Bucks donated by Group
Health Cooperative of Eau Claire. Many more
prizes than can be listed were generously
donated by community businesses.