Student NewsLink
August 27, 2008
The News
New chancellor to welcome new students at convocation
Incoming Chancellor Carolyn "Biddy" Martin will address the campus community for the first time at the Chancellor's Convocation for New Students at noon on Friday, Aug. 29, in the Kohl Center. As a tradition, a UW-Madison student serves as keynote speaker for the event, and this year junior Kim Roberts will deliver the address, becoming the first international student and the first student-athlete to have this honor.
First-Year Interest Groups take off
Beginning as a pilot program in 2001, First-Year Interest Groups (FIGs) set out to provide diversity education, connect academic pursuits with residence life and offer integrated learning across a cohort of courses. In its first year, the program supported 75 students within four FIGs, and since then, the program has blossomed to more than 580 students and 31 FIGs.
University urges 'Safety 24/7' with new Web site
The university is making an added effort to raise the level of safety education and awareness during the start of the fall semester with the launch of a new Web site. The site contains a wide range of information about personal safety, off-campus living, sexual assault and domestic violence prevention, emergency preparedness tips and information on how to sign up for WiscAlerts-Text, the university's new emergency text-messaging system.
Living & Learning
Slide show: Orientation in the wild
Fifty-one incoming freshmen have participated this summer in Wisconsin Basecamp, an outdoor orientation program that offers wilderness trips to students the summer before their first year on campus.
What's hot this fall for students on campus
From political blogging to plaid clothing, laptops to leggings, going green to gas-guzzler alternatives, UW-Madison students are leading and often creating the latest trends. With students heading back to the classroom Sept. 2, University Communications student writers took a look at the trends they are bringing with them.
Around Campus
Campus invited to ice cream social
As the fall semester gets under way, faculty, staff and students are invited to greet each other and new Chancellor Carolyn “Biddy” Martin at a university ice cream social on Bascom Hill. The event will be held from 4-5:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 4, rain or shine. All university employees and students are invited. Bucky Badger will be on hand from 4-4:30 p.m. Babcock ice cream will be served, including a new flavor — Strawbiddy Swirl — named in Martin’s honor. Babcock Dairy Plant manager Bill Klein says the flavor has a vanilla ice cream base with strawberry slices, strawberry marble and dark chocolate flakes in it, and it should taste like chocolate-covered strawberries. Klein credits Joanne Poniatowski, a student employee in the Babcock Dairy Store office, for coming up with the ice cream’s name. Klein and Poniatowksi jointly chose the ingredients. Dietary alternatives also will be available at the event. There will be a limit of one dish per person, while supplies last.
Memorial Union Bash welcomes new students
The Memorial Union is hosting a free, non-alcoholic event for freshmen and new transfer students to introduce them to all the Wisconsin Union has to offer. Activities include a condom casino, a climbing wall, midnight snacks and more.
Personalizable Wisconsin Welcome calendar helps students sort out events
With so many start-of-semester events to choose among - from workshops that hone academic skills to social events for meeting students, faculty and staff - the Center for the First-Year Experience has created a dynamic Wisconsin Welcome calendar. The calendar allows new students to sort through the many dozens of upcoming events to tailor a schedule suited to their interests.
ISS hosts New International Student Welcome Reception
New international students can meet with current international student leaders, the Madison Friends of International Students, ISS staff and other special guests at this ISS Welcome Reception for new international students. Make new friends, participate in a scavenger hunt, win prizes, learn about different student organizations and enjoy snacks and refreshments. The reception is from 10 a.m.-noon on Friday, Aug. 29., in the lounge of the New Ogg Hall.
Special Union event welcomes new transfer students
Join fellow transfer students, university staff and continuing students in this fun and engaging evening. This is one of many opportunities to learn about campus resources, be formally welcomed by a representative of the faculty into the campus community and begin making connections in a new home. Free food and prizes await from 7-9 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 3, TITU Memorial Union.
Friday is College Colors Day
College Colors Day is an annual celebration that promotes the traditions and spirit that make the college experience great by encouraging college students, fans and alumni to wear apparel of their favorite college or university throughout the day of Friday, Aug. 29. Participation is easy for Badgers: Wear red and white this Friday.
Notable
Sign up for emergency information via WiscAlerts
The philosophy behind WiscAlerts is to send a consistent set of messages across all platforms in an effort to reach as many members of the campus community as possible, in as short an amount of time as possible. The university has four main notification systems, each able to reach different subsets of the campus community, depending on the nature of the emergency, including e-mail, text messaging, voicemail and 'reverse 911.'
Opportunities
Academic initiatives offered in University Residence Halls
Students living in University Residence Halls can turn a variety of resources to boost academic success. Academic advising and Technology Learning Centers become available on Sept. 2; students may schedule tutoring or check out laptops starting Sept. 8; and both study groups and help writing papers are offered throughout the semester.
Puzzled about involvement? Take the involvement interest survey
Ask current students about the No. 1 step for improving the college experience and most of them will say, "Get involved." With more than 700 student organizations on campus, the options can be bewildering. If you take the short survey below, your e-mail will be given to student organization leaders who may contact you about upcoming meetings and events.