As a first-time homeowner, and hence quite inexperienced snow-shoveler, I have gained even higher regard for the value of a really good Super. (A 13 yo daughter helps, but it is really not the same.)
As part of reaccreditation theme team 3, I have spent the last couple of Saturday mornings engaged in truly exciting conversations regarding how our University can evolve in order to rise to the challenge of shaping the global agenda. The group is an impressive set of thinkers and we are working hard to form ideas about how our institution can become more nimble in our response to the knowledge needs of our planet.
At our annual holiday / mid-year graduation reception I reflected on the many changes that have occurred in the last year. In particular we continue to carry much of the momentum that Frances instilled. I encouraged our graduates to continue to learn and to be open to new frontiers in partnerships - in particular to be open to opportunities in the private sector. Thanks to Sara, Danielle, Alison, Aisha, and Becky! for their work in preparing a lovely event!
I had intended to announce the launch of Sustainability@Wisconsin at our Holiday reception, but I forgot. So I do it now! Please take a look and feed comments back to Tom Sinclair. This will be a living page and input will make it stronger.
Related to this, the Business, Environment and Social Responsibility group met recently. Following on the advice of the BOV in November, a proposal for a certificate is developing as is our thinking related to a degree focused on Socially Conscious Organizations is advancing as well.
I spoke yesterday to a large contingent of Chinese environmental officials who were visiting Wisconsin as part of tour of US institutions. The visit was organized by Jeff Smoller from the DNR and we hope it lead to further exchanges around issues of water management and other conservation issues.
We met with Lt. Gov. Barbara Lawton to begin planning for our Earth Day conference. There is some novel thinking regarding how to approach that event and our engagement with her office is quite positive. More detail is reported in the Outreach Update post below.
I met with Amy Singler recently and she reports that MEG is doing well. In particular the Student Committee of MEG has some new members and this new group is gaining stronger sense of its role and identity. Phil Townsend has taken on the role of chair for this year and Monica Turner is working with him as chair-elect for next year. Amy will be graduating at the end of this academic year and we are beginning to think about the (*great*) challenge of filling in behind her. Our current strategy is to “pass the Notebook” at the end of the semester.
The search for the Director is advancing. Rumor has it that a short list is close. Perhaps we an announcement will be made before Christmas, but I have no concrete information on that front.
I noted ice creeping out from the edge of Mendota as I came down the hill yesterday. It will be warmer for a few days so I suppose we won’t see the lake close this week, but I gather we are more normal this year than last. That said Chancellor Wiley commented at Howard Martin’s retirement reception just before Thanksgiving that this was the first year in his time in Madison that there had not been a significant snow before Thanksgiving. My experience is that we have been making up for that slow start in the last week or so.
Enjoy the Holidays - Travel Safely and Best Wishes to you and your Loved Ones!