Summer Roundup

Power plant agreement
UW–Madison announced an agreement that addresses concerns of campus-area residents about a proposed cogeneration power plant envisioned for west campus.

The facility, planned for the 600 block of Walnut Street, has been the subject of numerous public meetings and discussions with nearby residents. In June, the university, the State of Wisconsin and Madison Gas and Electric signed a memorandum of understanding that addresses air quality, noise abatement and procedures for complaints. It followed a separate memorandum of understanding with Madison-area environmental and consumer organizations that addresses air and water quality and energy conservation.

The natural-gas-fired plant is designed to produce 150 megawatts of electricity for the Madison community along with steam heat and chilled-water air-conditioning for campus buildings. The facility still requires final approval from the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin and the Legislature.

Making progress
With little or no rain to dampen their progress this summer, crews have been hard at work reconstructing West Johnson Street from Randall Avenue to State Street. That project, along with several others in the downtown area, has caused traffic woes for motorists and pedestrians. The street is expected to remain closed at least through mid-October. In the meantime, West Dayton

Street will continue to be one way eastbound. In addition, University Bay Drive from Lake Mendota Drive to the Goodman Softball Complex is also closed for reconstruction, necessitating detours for campus buses and other vehicles. That project began Aug. 18, and should be completed by Sept. 10, weather permitting.

Sharing development ideas
The UW–Madison’s sister Big Ten schools, like virtually all U.S. colleges and universities, face serious financial challenges affecting tuition, faculty and staff retention and recruitment, building projects, and basic operations. In July, representatives from the development offices of the Big Ten schools gathered on the UW campus for an annual conference to discuss strategies and share ideas.

About 140 development professionals, including staff from the University of Wisconsin Foundation, which hosted the event, attended the three-day conference.

Chancellor John D. Wiley urged attendees to make government commitment to funding for higher education a more visible public issue.

“I always come away from our annual gathering with a sense of pride that I am associated with dedicated people representing the finest group of institutions in the nation,” says Sandy Wilcox, UW Foundation president.

Taken for granted
Several significant grants came to the university and its researchers during summer. Here’s a brief sample:

• The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation awarded $500,000 to the UW System to help improve the work environment for faculty and staff. The grant will support a multi-campus laboratory to study how to create more equity, flexibility and career options for faculty and academic staff. Bernice Durand, associate vice chancellor for diversity and climate at UW–Madison, will serve as the project’s executive director.
• UW-Madison’s Waisman Center has received $1.6 million from the National Institutes of Health for a multi-institutional effort to advance research and treatment of autism, a complex developmental disability that affects the functioning of the brain.
• The Center for German and European Studies, a joint program of UW–Madison and the University of Minnesota, received a $625,000 grant from the German Academic Exchange Service, to help fund its programs for the next five years.
• A $50,000 grant from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation will help UW–Madison administrators devise a plan for stimulating entrepreneurial values and skills across campus. UW–Madison was one of 15 institutions to win initial funding in the first stage of an initiative, which nurtures resourcefulness and creativity in research and teaching.

And in sports…
The facelift at Camp Randall made significant strides during the summer. Although construction of a new east-side upper deck and work on the end zone bleachers won’t be complete until next year, the grass is already looking a little greener around the venerable stadium — mainly because the grass is greener. During June and July, workers rolled up the nylon carpet playing surface and replaced it with a new turf system engineered to look, feel and perform more like natural grass. Known as FieldTurf, the synthetic surface comprises a mat of polyethylene fibers, which is filled in with a mix of sand and rubber. New fields were installed at Camp Randall and the adjoining McClain Athletic Facility.

FieldTurf, a type of artificial surface installed this summer at Camp Randall, combines “the best of both worlds,” says John Chadima, associate athletic director for operations, who helped select the new turf. “You can have a grass-like field but still have all the usage you want without wearing out the field.”

Two new golf coaches were brought on board to pick up the mantle from Dennis Tiziani, the long-time coach who retired this spring. Jim Schuman, the head professional and director of instruction at Hawks Landing Golf Club in Madison, will take over the men’s team. Todd Oehrlein, who coached the men’s team at UW-Eau Claire for the past six seasons, will head the women’s squad.

Swimmer Carly Piper participated with the U.S. team at the Pan American Games, winning a gold medal as part of the champion 4-by-200-meter freestyle relay. The team’s winning time set a record for the games. Eric Hansen, coach of the UW swimming teams, headed the U.S. men’s team at the event in the Dominican Republic.

Beau Hoopman and Paul Daniels, members of the UW men’s crew team, also claimed gold medals at the Pan American Games. The rowers, who made up one-fourth of the winning U.S. crew in the men’s eight race, also won silver medals in the men’s four.

Tara Clack, who won the Big Ten title in the pole vault this year, and basketball player Kirk Penney were recognized by the Big Ten as recipients of the conference’s award for outstanding sportsmanship.

Former Badger football player Wendell Bryant, now with the National Football League’s Arizona Cardinals, brought a few recognizable faces home for his Celebrity Basketball Extravaganza. Held in June at the Kohl Center, the first-time charity raised $15,000 for area youth programs.

All in a name
The Department of Chemical Engineering has changed its name to Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering to reflect an increase in the scope of the discipline, bringing the name in line with research and instructional efforts.

Governor signs budget
Gov. Jim Doyle signed the 2003-05 state budget into law July 24. The final budget contains a number of cuts and other provisions that directly impact UW–Madison.

The budget cuts UW System’s biennial budget by $250 million — $110 million in 2003-04 and $140 million in 2004-05. UW System will offset $150 million of the cuts through tuition increases, including $700 per year at UW–Madison. Of the remaining $100 million, $38.5 million will be cut from UW–Madison’s budget.

The budget uses $26.5 million of UW System auxiliary reserves to fund a $23.6 million net increase in new financial aid through Wisconsin Higher Education Grants, Lawton grants and Advanced Opportunity Program grants. State support for WHEG was reduced by $3 million to fund National Guard tuition grants.

Under the budget, UW System must cut 650 positions during the biennium. The university is required to make half of its cuts in the first year; most will be managed through attrition.