Almanac

Ask Bucky

Actual questions from real people, answered by the friendly folks at the Campus Information and Visitor Center. Ask CIVC questions at its office, first floor of the Red Gym. Call 263-2400 or e-mail askbucky@redgym.wisc.edu.

Q: I’d like to bring my high school physics class to the spring engineering fair. When is it this year?

A: Engineering Expo 2003 is scheduled for April 10-12. It’s an excellent opportunity to learn from students and industry leaders about the latest technologies. More information: visit http://www.cae.wisc.edu/~expo.

Q: Where on campus can I get several copies of a workbook to learn the African language Fulfulde?
A: Try the National African Languages Resource Center, 4231 Mosse Humanities Building. The center is a federally funded, nonprofit foreign language center dedicated to teaching and learning African languages. Textbooks and manuscripts are available for several languages. More information: visit http://african.lss.wisc.edu/nalrc.

A musical win-win
An unusual venture has borne musical fruit. Janet Jensen, associate professor of music and director of the two All-University String Orchestras, “bought” the work of two student composers, David Dies and Elliot Goldkind, as part of a first-time charity auction. Her bid, along with several others, raised $365, which was donated to the Second Harvest Foodbank of Southern Wisconsin. The compositions of Dies (Sketches for String Orchestra) and Goldkind (Serenade for String Orchestra), both doctoral students studying with Stephen Dembski, premiered last Saturday evening during a concert at Mills Hall.

Remember the Alamo (Bowl)
Want to cheer on the football Badgers at their first-ever appearance at the Alamo Bowl in San Antonio? The Wisconsin Alumni Association is offering an official four-day alumni and fan tour. Travelers can purchase deluxe tour packages, starting at $999 per person; land-only packages start at $529. Information: 262-9521; http://uwalumni.com/bowltours.

On Bascom’s walls
Room 89 in Bascom Hall now showcases graduate student art work, in addition to its usual role as a conference room, thanks to a partnership of the Office of the Chancellor and art Professor John Hitchcock. The first show, which opened this week, features “2:3 — Recent Work by Peter Zylstra.”

Backward glance
From Wisconsin Week, Dec. 16, 1992: UW–Madison Chancellor Donna Shalala announces her plans to leave the university to accept an appointment as secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. Cited among her biggest accomplishments — improving student services, focusing on diversity issues and rebuilding high-profile programs in UW Athletics. Provost David Ward is named interim chancellor and a search and screen committee is formed. … The Office of Campus Child Care is established in University Housing; it aims to improve child care options for students, faculty and staff. … One-time state budget cuts of $6 million result in the 100 fewer class sections for the upcoming spring semester. State officials vow to return the funding.