1. Four finalists selected for Helen Way Klingler College of Arts and Sciences deanship

The search committee for the dean of the Helen Way Klingler College of Arts and Sciences is pleased to announce the finalists for the deanship:

Dr. Erik Herron serves as associate chair and professor of political science, University of Kansas College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Dr. Herron also serves as program director of the Political Science Program at the National Science Foundation, and previously served as director of the Center for Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies at the University of Kansas.

Dr. Richard Holz serves as associate dean for resources and planning and professor of chemistry, Loyola University Chicago College of Arts and Sciences. Dr. Holz previously served as chair of the Chemistry Department at Loyola University Chicago.

Dr. Marc Muskavitch serves as professor of biology, Boston College College of Arts and Sciences, adjunct professor of immunology and infectious diseases at the Harvard School of Public Health and associate researcher at the Broad Institute. Dr. Muskavitch previously served as chair of the Biology Department at Boston College.

Dr. Patricia Okker serves as faculty fellow in the Office of the Provost and professor of English, University of Missouri College of Arts and Sciences. Dr. Okker previously served as chair of the English Department at the University of Missouri.

The finalists will be making two-day visits to campus in late January, when they will have the opportunity to meet and interact with a broad array of Marquette faculty, students and staff. Each visit will conclude with a one-hour public event to which all members of the college and university community are invited. The finalists will speak for approximately 20 minutes about the role of the arts and sciences at a Catholic, Jesuit university in the 21st century. The finalist's talk will be followed by an opportunity for questions and answers from those in attendance. The session will conclude with a reception from 5-5:30 p.m., providing opportunities for informal conversation. The public finalist events will take place on the following dates:

Dr. Patricia Okker
Wednesday, Jan. 23, at 4 p.m.
Raynor Memorial Libraries, Beaumier Conference Room (lower level)

Dr. Marc Muskavitch
Friday, Jan. 25, at 4 p.m.
Raynor Memorial Libraries, Beaumier Conference Room (lower level)

Dr. Erik Herron
Tuesday, Jan. 29, at 4 p.m.
AMU, Ballroom B (third floor)

Dr. Richard Holz
Thursday, Jan. 31, at 4 p.m.
AMU, Room 227

"To date, it has been the search committee's privilege to represent the Klingler College of Arts and Sciences and Marquette University to the candidates," said Dr. Phillip Naylor, professor of history and chair of the Search Committee. "Now the university community will have the opportunity to meet the finalists. In your interactions with the candidates, I thank you in advance for your hospitality and your focus on both the future and potential of the college that Father Pilarz rightly places as the foundational center of this university's intellectual mission."

The search committee began its work in June 2012. Working with Isaacson, Miller, the executive search firm assisting with the search, the committee met with a wide range of college and university colleagues over the summer. The feedback received from those listening sessions helped the committee compose the Opportunity and Challenge Profile, a description of the deanship as well as the college's collective hopes for the future. Isaacson, Miller used the Opportunity and Challenge Profile to advertise and recruit for the position.

This fall, the committee reviewed the candidate pool and selected eight semi-finalists. The eight semi-finalists visited Milwaukee for in-depth, confidential interviews with the search committee in late November. After those interviews, the committee unanimously recommended four finalists to President Scott Pilarz, S.J., and Provost John Pauly. Father Pilarz and Provost Pauly reviewed the search committee's recommendation as well as the credentials of the proposed finalists, and approved inviting four finalists to campus.

Faculty, students and staff who participate during the visits will have the opportunity to submit feedback online. That input will be reviewed by the search committee, Provost Pauly and Father Pilarz. As specified in the Protocol for Deans Searches, Father Pilarz will make the final decision. The dean is expected to begin work in the summer of 2013.

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2. RSVP for President's Strategic Planning Workshop, Jan. 30

President Scott R. Pilarz, S.J., will forego the typical annual Presidential Address this year and use the date to invite the university to participate in a university-wide Strategic Planning Workshop, which will bring together faculty, staff and students in interdisciplinary, roundtable discussions aimed at generating ideas for university-wide goals to be considered for inclusion in the strategic plan. The President's Strategic Planning Workshop will be held Wednesday, Jan. 30, from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. in the AMU, Monaghan Ballroom. All faculty, staff and students are invited to attend and participate in the workshop.

The event will begin promptly at 3 p.m. with welcoming introductory remarks by Father Pilarz, and will be followed by a 60-minute strategic planning workshop featuring guided discussions at each roundtable led by department chairs and director-level and assistant/associate vice president-level staff. The focus of the President's Strategic Planning Workshop is to ensure broad participation in a dynamic and collaborative cross-disciplinary process to identify possible strategic plan goals. Ideas generated at the workshop will be shared with the Marquette community for review and further input via the strategic planning website, and will be considered for inclusion in the final plan.

Participants will be assigned to roundtables to ensure there is a variety of faculty, staff and students from various disciplines and areas of the university at each table. To accomplish this, attendees should RSVP to University Special Events by Friday, Jan. 25, with their name, designation as faculty, staff or student, and department, office or college.

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3. Opus Prize recipients Monsignor Richard Albert and Marguerite Barankitse will be honored during Mission Week 2013

The 2013 celebration of Mission Week, Feb. 4-8, will bring together recipients of the $1 million Opus Prize, an annual award recognizing faith-based social entrepreneurs who work to solve seemingly intractable issues around the world.

2004 Opus Prize recipient Monsignor Richard Albert believes in self-reliance, education, empowerment and liberation. Since 1976, he has been helping the people of Jamaica achieve these values through a variety of self-help programs and a vast network of charities and institutions that provide the country's poor with basic services and skills to transform their lives. Monsignor Albert has opened six community centers that provide aid to lepers, AIDS victims, abandoned elderly, and neglected children and teens. He also has established schools, skills training centers, libraries, soup kitchens and counseling services. Monsignor Albert often speaks of his work with the poor in Kingston, Jamaica, as his own personal conversion experience.

2008 Opus Prize recipient Marguerite "Maggy" Barankitse's mission through the organization she founded, Maison Shalom, is to improve conditions for children while enhancing the lives of all Burundians, who are emerging from nearly two decades of civil war between the Tutsis and Hutus. The multifunctional service agency is helping heal and support 30,000 young people and families through the establishment of "children's villages" around the country, which provide them a nurturing environment by reintegrating the children into loving families. In early 2008, Maison Shalom opened a hospital complex serving mothers and children in Ruyigi, Burundi. The organization's model is being replicated with new outreach and aid programs to children in Rwanda and Congo. Barankitse is known in many circles as "the Angel of Burundi."

The university will host a variety of events featuring Opus Prize recipients on campus during Mission Week, Feb. 4–8.

The Mission Week keynote address will be held Thursday, Feb. 7, at 4 p.m. in the Varsity Theater. Ambassador Mark Dybul, executive director of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and an alumnus of Marquette University High School, will facilitate a discussion with Opus Prize recipients. Tickets are required and are available in the AMU, Brooks Lounge. The World is our Home dinner will follow in the AMU, Monaghan Ballroom, at 6:30 p.m. Maggy Barankitse and Father Frechette will address the group on behalf of all the women and men of compassion who have been awarded the prestigious Opus Prize. Registration is required.

The College of Education is hosting a children's illustrated book drive to support Reach Education Access Program, which has succeeded in leading thousands of children back to school or into vocational training programs. Through a nonformal education program that takes literacy to the doorstep of the poor, REAP works tirelessly for the eradication of illiteracy throughout India. New and used children's books can be dropped off until Friday, Feb. 8, at the following locations:

  • Residence hall front desks

  • Schroeder Complex, rooms 146 and 151

  • AMU Information Desk

  • Raynor Memorial Libraries lobby

For additional information, contact University Special Events at 8-7431.

For a full schedule of events, visit the Mission Week website.

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4. Employees should check benefits information

All Marquette employees are encouraged to review their first paychecks of 2013 to verify that benefit elections are correct. Items to note for this year:

  • Those who completed both parts of the Health Risk Assessment will find the discounted premium displayed on their paychecks.

  • For non-exempt employees who changed benefits from 2012 to 2013, the benefit premiums that changed were not deducted from the check dated Jan. 2, 2013. Those benefits will be double-deducted from the second paycheck. Any benefit that remained the same from 2012 to 2013 was not "skipped" for the Jan. 2, 2013, check.

  • New health insurance cards were issued to all employees who are enrolled in either plan.

  • There is no card for the VSP vision plan. Enrollees should provide their name and employer to their in-network provider, who will verify enrollment through VSP's website.

  • There is no card for the MetLaw – Hyatt Legal Services voluntary group legal plan. Employees will be asked to verify name, zip code and employer when requesting services.

Additional information and regular updates are available on the Employee Benefits website. Anyone who feels there is a discrepancy with a benefit election or deduction amount should immediately contact the Department of Human Resources at 8-7305.

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5. Memorial service for Phylis Ravel will be held Jan. 19

A memorial service for Phylis Ravel, former Theatre Arts faculty member who passed away Nov. 6, 2012, will be held Saturday, Jan. 19, at 2 p.m. at Immanuel Presbyterian Church, 1100 N. Astor Street in Milwaukee. The family requests that no flowers be sent. All who knew and loved Phylis are welcome to attend.

Marquette has established the Phylis Ravel Theatre and Social Justice fund to support social awareness activities and the pursuit of justice through theatre. Once fully endowed, the fund will sustain a variety of programs, including student and faculty projects and research, departmental programming and initiatives, educational forums, speakers, faculty and student development, and community outreach programs. Gifts can be made to support the Phylis Ravel Theatre and Social Justice Fund by mailing a check to University Advancement, Marquette University, 1250 W. Wisconsin Ave., Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 53233. Please indicate "Phylis Ravel Theatre and Social Justice Fund" on the check.

Individuals can also make a gift to celebrate Phylis' life and contributions to Marquette online.

Direct any questions to Stephen Hudson-Mairet, chair of the Department of Digital Media and Performing Arts.

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6. Biological Sciences Seminar Series continues Friday

The Biological Sciences Seminar Series will host, "Stone Soup with Barnacles: A Tacky Title for a Sticky Problem," Friday, Jan. 18, at 3 p.m. in Wehr Life Sciences, 111. Dr. Dan Rittschof of the Duke University Marine Laboratory will lead the seminar, which will be hosted by Dr. James Maki, professor of biological sciences.

Refreshments will be served prior to the seminar at 2:45 p.m. in Wehr Life Sciences, 108. For more information, contact the Department of Biological Sciences at 8-7355.

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7. New audit deadline for students to take effect

Effective for the spring 2013 semester, the deadline for students to select the audit option for a class has changed to coincide with the last day to register for that class. Previously, this deadline coincided with the last day to withdraw, which occurred much later in the semester.

This change was necessitated by federal financial aid regulations that require inclusion of audited classes in students' attempted credits when the audit option is selected after the last day to register in the given session. This affects each student's full or part-time status and thus financial aid, loan deferments and satisfactory academic progress.

This decision was made in the best interest of the students and in consultation with the colleges, schools and Academic Senate Executive Committee. This change is also consistent with best practices at other universities. The new deadline will be reflected in the Academic Calendar and in registration communication sent to students throughout the term.

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8. Submit online form for spring semester review session reservations and exam classroom requests

Faculty and staff wishing to reserve a classroom for spring 2013 course review sessions and final exams must submit the online form to the Office of the Registrar between January 14 and May 1.

In the event a faculty member needs a separate classroom to comply with ADA regulations, they must contact the Office of Disability Services, which will arrange spaces and proctors for students who qualify for testing accommodations. Reservations can be made throughout the term, without the need to schedule through the Office of the Registrar or Events Management. For more information, see the Test Proctoring Guidelines from the Office of Disability Services.

To request classroom space for an ad hoc event, complete the Classroom Reservation Request Form. To request a change for your existing ad hoc reservation, contact Annette Conrad.

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9. English Department alumni sponsoring book swap Jan. 27

Friends and Alumni of Marquette English (FAME) will host a book swap Sunday, Jan. 27, from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. on the second floor of the AMU. Students, faculty and staff are encouraged to bring gently used or new books to share and swap. Participants can take home up to half of what they provide. Remaining books will go to the Milwaukee Rescue Mission.

Discovery World Kohl's DesignIt! Mobile Lab will be a part of the event, allowing children and designers of all ages to use state-of-the-art technology to create new materials and projects. Additionally, handcrafted, personalized bookmarks will be available.

Books can also be donated prior to the event in the English Department, Coughlin Hall 335, or in the Raynor Memorial Libraries lobby. For additional information, contact Jacqueline Rammer, English teaching assistant.

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10. Online registration open for group fitness classes

Online registration is now open for the winter 2013 group fitness classes offered through the Employee Wellness Program. New classes will be offered this semester with a choice of registering for a 10- or 15-week session. Information on each class offered, as well as links for registration forms, can be found online. Classes will begin the week of Monday, Jan. 21.

There will also be three Guided Meditation sessions offered throughout the term. Each session is four weeks and will be held from 12:15 p.m. to 12:45 p.m. every Wednesday. The first session will begin Feb. 13, and the cost is $16 per session. Registration and additional information can be found online. For additional questions, contact Kristin Kipp, adjunct instructor of physical therapy, at 8-4476.

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11. Marquette student-athletes seek volunteers for Jan. 20 'MobilePack' event

Men's soccer player Bryan Ciesiulka and other members of the Marquette student-athlete community are seeking volunteers to help pack meals for needy children around the world in a Jan. 20 event on campus.

Volunteers for the "MobilePack" event will hand-pack 100,000 meals for Feed My Starving Children, an international relief agency. Organizers are looking for volunteers to work the 2:30-4:30 p.m. shift on Sunday at Marquette Place in the AMU.

The Marquette Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and Ciesiulka helped raise more than $22,000 to purchase food and supplies for the event.

Register to volunteer online.

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