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10/11/2023

Budget Update from Interim Chancellor Scott Menke

Dear Campus Community:

I would like to provide you with a financial update regarding UW-Parkside’s budget realignment. I know that this has been a difficult start to the academic year and wish it could have been otherwise.

Background

Some of you noted that decisions on our budget situation could have been communicated in a timelier manner. Here is a quick summary of what transpired:

• A detailed overview of our financial situation shared with campus near the end of the Spring ’23 semester was largely accurate and signaled that further actions would be necessary.
• There was some expectation the state budget approved this summer would turn out more favorably than it has, but in late August an additional $32 million cut connected with DEI programming for the University System was approved by the State Legislature.
• In hindsight, we could have acted sooner despite multiple factors playing a role in our efforts to address the budget situation, including UW System’s timeline for making decisions due to the release of information on system-wide structural budget deficits at the special Board of Regent meeting August 22.

Prior to our current budget situation, UW-Parkside was in sound financial condition; however, a perfect storm of factors converged, namely:

• COVID-induced enrollment declines that disproportionately affected the populations we serve;
• declining higher education participation rates in Wisconsin and particularly in Southeastern Wisconsin;
• declining state support placing the UW System and our campuses as the 8^th most poorly funded publicly-funded university system in the country;
• increasing reliance on tuition revenue, exacerbated by a decade-long tuition freeze, which caused us to consume our financial reserves; and
• sharply increased costs in the post-pandemic, inflationary world.

Due to all these factors, we face a structural deficit and estimate we need to reduce current-year spending by $5 million. To date, we have reduced the deficit by approximately $4.4 million with the implementation of furloughs, reducing PR balances, reducing open positions, and additional reduced spending of supplies and expenses. The remaining approximately $600,000 will come from our Reserve Funds.

A Path Forward

The above steps are necessary short-term adjustments to obtain immediate savings in the current fiscal year. However, even with significant increases in new student enrollments and the small increase in overall fall enrollments, we anticipate our tuition collections may only be marginally greater next year.

We must therefore refocus on a path forward that will put us in a sustainable financial position by Fiscal Year 2028, by which time and according to the UW Strategic Plan, all campuses must eliminate their structural deficits. This path includes: 

• Short- and long-term fiscal recovery plans. With support from the UW System, engagements with two consultants to assist us in these efforts; Huron Consulting Group and Deloitte Education Consulting.
• Later this month, Huron will work with us on developing a short-term fiscal recovery plan. They’ll be with us for two to four weeks and will meet with governance leaders, faculty, staff, students, deans, and administrators in workshop formats to help us develop plans based on our mission, goals, and fiscal realities.
• Deloitte’s engagement with all UW campuses is underway and will begin in late November for UW-Parkside and will focus on evaluating our longer-term financial health and viability, processes, and data to support decision-making, and opportunities to improve our performance.  Deloitte will convene a local leadership team on campus, as well as conduct interviews and focus groups including students and a variety of stakeholders from all employment types. This project will take seven weeks and we will receive their recommendations in early 2024.
• Better Communication. To keep our campus community better informed, I will continue to provide updates as we move through the process, and we will create a website with all relevant planning and process information, as well as a schedule of meetings and campus briefings.
• Employee Support. I know these are stressful times for our campus community. As a reminder, the Employee Assistance Program, Kepro, is available to support employees, including those who may need financial advice. They can be reached at 833-539-7285 or via their website: Kepro (passcode: SOWI).

Thank you for your commitment to the University of Wisconsin-Parkside, especially during this challenging time. I believe these steps need to be taken to help support staff and create a better financial outlook, as well as ensure we preserve our mission of academic excellence and student success for the future.

Scott Menke

UW-Parkside Interim Chancellor

UW-Parkside Hosts One-Man Play: Carpa Revolution

The University of Wisconsin-Parkside sponsored the creation of a one-man play by Fred Blanco, titled Carpa Revolution. The play depicts the struggles of the Mexican Revolution and relating the Mexican experience to the struggles of today. Last year the campus hosted a prelude of the performance.

The production will be making its debut with a showing on Thursday Nov. 2 at 7 p.m. in the Black Box Theatre at UW-Parkside. The second performance will be on Friday Nov. 3 at 7 p.m. at the Kenosha Creative Space. Both performances are free and open to the public.



The play is made possible by a grant from the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning and Excelencia in Education. The one-man theatrical presentation ‘Carpa Revolution’ chronicles the Mexican Revolution of 1910. The story is told through the eyes of a Mexican vaudevillian, Mario, during the backdrop of the revolution and the traveling tent shows of Mexico, known as Las Carpas De Mexico.

UW-Parkside Wind Ensemble and Community Band to Perform Oct. 12

The University of Wisconsin-Parkside Wind Ensemble & Community Band, led by Dr. Laura Rexroth, will perform on Thursday, Oct. 12 at 7 p.m. in Bedford Concert Hall in the Rita Tallent Picken Center for Arts & Humanities.

The Wind Ensemble performs outstanding literature for woodwinds, brass, and percussion. Consisting of non-majors and majors, this ensemble performs two to three concerts a semester and rehearses twice a week.

The Wind Ensemble plays music from all centuries. Repertoire consists mostly of original works for winds, with some transcriptions and popular music. The Wind Ensemble is also dedicated to new music and has premiered works by Tim Mahr, Ryan George, Julie Giroux, and Jodie Blackshaw.

 

The UW-Parkside Community Band is a 65-member adult ensemble that performs four concerts each academic season. The ensemble performs original works for band, orchestral transcriptions, contemporary compositions, and popular selections.

Rothman unveils new Universities of Wisconsin identity to represent 13 universities

President Jay Rothman today unveiled the Universities of Wisconsin, a new name and identity that emphasizes the constellation of Wisconsin’s 13 public universities.

The Universities of Wisconsin will replace the University of Wisconsin System as the preferred way to describe the universities. The new name will be accompanied by new brand graphics, including a logo, mark, and map.

“The Universities of Wisconsin is the best way to describe our thirteen excellent universities,” Rothman said. “This new name rightfully shifts the focus from the System to the Universities that are providing opportunities to the students and families we serve.”

“We have thirteen universities with one mission – to make Wisconsin Future Ready. For All,” added Karen Walsh, Board of Regents President. “I am proud to represent the Universities of Wisconsin, and everyone in our state can take pride in all the universities do to improve lives and communities.”



Gov. Tony Evers issued a proclamation to mark the occasion as “Universities of Wisconsin Week.”

Dr. Lynn D. Akey Named New Chancellor of UW-Parkside

Dr. Lynn D. Akey, Vice President for Student Success, Analytics and Integrated Planning at Minnesota State University, Mankato, has been named the 7th Chancellor of the University of Wisconsin–Parkside. 

The University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents unanimously approved Akey’s appointment, following a recommendation made by a selection committee. Akey will assume the leadership post January 2, 2024.

Akey has served in her current position since 2019 and established a new student success approach that led to increased re-enrollment, retention, and graduation rates. She also has overseen strategic planning at the Mankato campus for the past 10 years.

Pay Plan Discussion Update

Recent media reports have raised questions about final legislative approval of the pay plan for UW System employees. President Jay Rothman is working on this issue and provided the following statement to the media:



“We remain hopeful that UW employees throughout Wisconsin will receive the pay plan adjustment as funded by the legislature. We continue to have discussions with the Speaker and appreciate that there are differing views on ED&I. We believe we can work through these issues without adversely affecting employees and their families. I am proud of our employees who have demonstrated their commitment to our students and our state.”

EV Charging is Coming to UW-Parkside!

Why is UW-Parkside installing electric vehicle charging stations?

UW-Parkside is committed to being a leader in the community by showcasing emerging technologies. The number of electric vehicles present on campus has increased each year for both commuter and residential students. There are currently no on-campus options for residential students to charge their vehicles. For off-campus students and staff who rent, charging access can present a barrier to entry if the property manager does not install on-property charging options. Providing this convenient amenity will help meet the needs of students, staff, and guests to our campus and improve their experience. Station usage data can also be worked into curriculum, providing students with real-world understanding of how these technologies work.

When will the stations be up and operating?

The stations are planned to be operational in fall of 2023. Stay tuned - we will host an opening event to allow staff and students to check out the new installation and practice using the chargers!

Campus Procedure on Posting Promotional Materials

Any information or promotional materials to be displayed on campus must follow the guidelines, which are outlined in the link below. These guidelines have been developed to help students navigate the myriad of opportunities on campus as well as to protect our brand. Note, print materials are not the only way to promote an event -- take advantage of digital options. 

Digital Mental Health Training Events for Faculty and Staff

The University of Wisconsin's faculty and staff play an important role in supporting student's overall wellness. We’re thrilled to partner with Mantra Health to provide faculty and staff free webinar sessions on important on the services available to students and how to promote suicide prevention.

We aim to equip you with the tools and information needed to advise students about the free mental health resources available. We appreciate all you do and hope you can take time out of your busy schedule to join us.

Sessions:

Program Awareness for Faculty & Staff

This webinar provides an overview of the University of Wisconsin System supplemental mental health program. This webinar is geared towards faculty and staff on-campus who would like to learn more! Representatives from Mantra Health, YOU at College, and Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services will be present to explain the program in-depth, and to answer any questions you may have.

Sign up for one of the sessions:

10/23/23 2 pm CT

11/27/23 3 pm CT

Suicide Prevention Training for Faculty & Staff

Didi Hirsch provides an overview of suicide prevention that will help you take proactive steps to connect at-risk students with appropriate resources and create a more supportive classroom environment. Participants learn about the nature of suicide, suicide related statistics, and suicide risk factors. Resources for each campus will be provided.

Sign up: 10/18/23 2 pm CT

Attention Faculty and Lecturers: Undergraduate Progress Report Campaigns have started 

Starting this fall, we have expanded the use EAB Navigate progress reports to all new freshman and transfer, some continuing freshman and student athletes in an effort to improve first to second year retention.    

The timing for each progress report request is as follows: 

You can either file progress reports through the link provided in the email or through your professor home page in Navigate. After entering information on students with concerns, click the button on the bottom of the form that says, "Submit unmarked students as 'No Feedback' (I'm all done)."   You will have about 5 work days to respond to each report before the campaign closes. 

If you need a quick reminder on “how to file”, please check out our knowledge base documents. 

1. File a Progress Report from Professor Home - https://kb.uwp.edu/104887  
2. File a Progress Report from Email - https://kb.uwp.edu/104891  

Watch your email for a note from Marissa Delwiche, Executive Director, Advising and Academic Support.   

SOLAR Changes!

UW-Parkside is committed to being student focused and striving to provide the appropriate software and tools for student success.

Starting July 30, 2023, the UWP SOLAR Student Center will be updated with a new Look. This update will enhance your experience in SOLAR

Please watch your email for additional information.

 New Faculty Module in Accommodate

We’ve upgraded our Accommodate software to include a “Faculty Module”. (Accommodate is the platform students use to request accommodations, schedule exams, submit semester requests for updated letters, and more.)

To streamline the process and better protect the integrity of your exams we’re excited to introduce the Faculty Module to you.

Changes to the SAS process

• Our Program Associate will no longer send out reminder emails two days prior to the scheduled exam to request the exam and cover sheet.
• Instead of emailing the exam, cover sheet and adjunctive forms to the SAS email account, you will upload them to Accommodate. SAS will print exams/forms directly from the module.

Key points of the Faculty Module

• You’ll receive an automated email when one of our students schedules your exam(s).
• You’ll log into the module to upload your exams for students who are using our proctoring services.
• You can log in at any time to see which students scheduled an exam.

Some features of the module:

• A home page to access a Faculty Resource Library.
• Instructors can upload exams even if the student hasn’t scheduled yet. The system will automatically link it once they do.
• If you’ve already uploaded the exam, you won’t receive an email reminder.
• The cover sheet is integrated into the Exam Upload process, eliminating the need for a separate attachment.
• You can revise exams you’ve uploaded.

On line exams

• If your exam is on line, we request that you use the module to answer the standard cover sheet questions, so that our proctors can ensure your special instructions are being followed, and can show the students what you stipulated, should they question what is allowed for the exam.
• There is a field to enter a passcode if applicable.

Note: Students do not have access to the exam in this module.

Beginning with the Fall 2023 semester, you will need to upload your exams into the Faculty Module. Detailed instructions are attached.

Let us know: Communications Needs

Effective immediately, please submit any requests or inquiries about stories, press releases, social media posts, or other communication needs through the Let Us Know form and we will respond as soon as possible. Thank you for understanding!

University Relations: marketing and design project forms

Have a program, initiative, event, or course you want to promote? Need some web work done? Please use our Marketing and Design Project Request Forms and build a two week turnaround into your planning. There are four forms to provide a streamlined completion process. Just pick the one that seems closest to your needs.

If you have any questions, send us an email.

Improve Your "AIM"

AIM is the system that faculty and instructional academic staff use to track and record their teaching, research/scholarship/creative work and service activities, and to prepare their Annual Activity Reports. The information you provide in AIM is used to generate your profile on the UW-Parkside website. Your Dean may also use AIM data for reporting and recognition within the college.

From March 24, 2020 to March 24, 2021, there were more than 97,000 unique page visits to AIM profiles!



Ranger Wellness and Fitness!

The Ranger Wellness and Fitness committee would like to invite you to join us for planned wellness activities on campus. Check out the activities and more using the link below.

Administrative Transformation Program (ATP) Updates

Workday Go-Live Revised to 2025 

On October 6, 2023, the University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents approved a revised timeline for the Administrative Transformation Program Workday implementation. Go-live is now scheduled for July 2025, revised from July 2024. End-user training will begin in March 2025.

The revision will provide adequate time to prepare for a successful implementation. We will continue to partner with ATP as we get ready for the transition to Workday.  

ATP will standardize finance, human resources, and research administration processes, such as payroll and expense reporting, across the UW System. To learn more about Workday and subscribe to the ATP Touchpoints newsletter, visit the ATP website.  

What Is ATP?

The Administrative Transformation Program (ATP) is on a mission to rebuild finance, human resources, and research administration systems at every institution within the University of Wisconsin System. The goal is to reduce the complexity of the current administrative environment and refocus valuable staff time on UW’s mission of education, research, and outreach.

To make this vision a reality, we’re working with people across the UW to standardize processes and implement new, best-in-class technology to support these essential functions.

Technology

To standardize business processes and integrate our systems, ATP will implement Workday and Huron Research Suite to replace HRS, SFS, and hundreds of ancillary systems across the UW.

• Get to know Workday
• Get to know Huron Research Suite

People

ATP's success depends on knowledgeable staff who apply their time, talent, and expertise — both on and off the program team.

• Meet the ATP team
• Meet the Change Network

Process

Our business process redesign work is based on a tiered governance structure and tested methodology that includes faculty and staff from across the UW System.

• See how we're redesigning business processes
• See our governance framework

Watch the Administrative Transformation Program (ATP) Workday Walkthrough #10: How to Fund Positions in Workday

ATP will conduct monthly Workday Walkthroughs on a variety of topics. Recordings are available to anyone with a UW login. This walkthrough provides an overview of how to set up funding as a standalone process in Workday. Learn more about this walkthrough on the ATP website Watch How to Fund Positions in Workday.

• Learn more about this walkthrough on the ATP website
• Watch How to Fund Positions in Workday

Attend the next ATP Workday Walkthrough: What Can a Manager do in Workday?

The October Workday Walkthrough will demonstrate how supervisors will view information about their team or direct reports, approve time off requests and timesheets, and manage performance appraisals. Many employee-related tasks will be available in the My Team Management Dashboard and the Time & Scheduling Hub.

Workday will provide a single source for most employee-related tasks that is secure, efficient, and consistent across the UW System.

Who should attend: People managers, supervisors, and any interested HR staff

October 12 3-4 p.m.

A recording of the walkthrough will be available to anyone with a UW login.

Now on Amazon!

Support Parkside Athletics! Grab the gear on Amazon!

Freshwater Collaborative Updates

The Freshwater Opportunities Bulletin is published the first Wednesday of each month. It

provides information about upcoming conferences, employment opportunities, collaborative courses and experiences, and other water-related opportunities for students, faculty, and staff at UW System institutions.

Please share these opportunities widely on our campus. Visit their website for the latest opportunities: freshwater.wisconsin.edu. 

Paws to You

Paws to You is an employee appreciation program designed to offer gratitude to a fellow coworker. Maybe they helped you complete a task or project and it made a large impact on the outcome. You can show them thanks and appreciation by sending them a Paw they are able to display for all to see in their email signature, and a running total of all Paws will be displayed here on the Paws to You website. So what are you waiting for?

Save Clam Shell Containers for Parkside Community Garden!

Help our community gardeners feed food insecure students and community members by saving your clam shell containers. Bring saved containers to Alex Hobbs in the Student Success and Learning Commons. Thank you!

Haunted Trails and Trunk or Treat with UW-Parkside Athletics

Join us for the first ever Darkside Haunted Trails!

Parkside Athletics is hosting the first ever Welcome to the Darkside through the Parkside Cross Country course on Friday, October 13th from 4-9pm! 

The (tree) trunk or treat is aimed towards kiddos 8th grade and below, while the Darkside Haunted Trail is suggested 14+. Admission for the trunk or treat is $5 per child. The Haunted Trail is from 7-9pm and will be $10 per person!

The Wayne Dannehl Cross Country course is located on petrifying springs road, on the opposite side of the road from Pets Park and the biergarten!