May 2, 2011

Winter appears to want to hang on and frustrate our desires to welcome spring.  But despite the weather, it is still another beautiful day in Superior!  Here’s what’s been happening:
 
If you see some students limping or stretching on campus today chances are good they participated in the 6th annual UW-Superior Relay for Life which took place Friday night into Saturday morning at Wessman Arena.  More than 144 students and staff participated in the 12 hour walk-a-thon and many more supported this effort with donations and their attendance.  Inspirational stories of courage and survival were shared and over $11,000 was raised for the American Cancer Society.  

On Saturday evening the UW-Superior Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Dr. Erin Aldridge, lent its talents to the pre-event Varsity Series prior to the Duluth Superior Symphony Orchestra’s program of “Sultry Dances”.  Compositions by two UW-Superior students were included in the pre-program.  And as always, a number of UW-Superior faculty were prominent contributors to the DSSO program and many students and staff were in attendance.  Congratulations to Dr. Aldridge and the students for an excellent performance!

Senator Herb Kohl met last Wednesday with Dr. Jim Lane and Dr. Michael Waxman of the Natural Science Department, Kaelene Arvidson-Hicks, Research Administrator and Vice Chancellor Jan Hanson to discuss  the UW-Superior Biofuels Project and a companion biofuels research program at UW-Stevens Point.   Senator Kohl affirmed his support for the industry-university collaboration and the opportunities it creates to apply new technologies to new products, new jobs and new economic growth for the region.  
 
Dr. Lane, Dr. Waxman and their students have been conducting an analysis of northern Wisconsin and Minnesota plants to determine whether the properties the plants possess to survive the region’s winter temperatures make them suitable for creating bio-fuels for cold climates. The focus of the research is new technology to convert plant oils to fuel using an economically viable process for production.  This research was first funded in 2009 through the U.S. Department of Defense.   
 
The success of both campuses is built upon close ties with industrial partner, American Science and Technology, which will take the technologies developed in the lab and transfer them to demonstration levels of production in Wausau.

The Yellowjacket softball team went 3-1 last week, splitting with league-champion River Falls on Monday and sweeping Stout on Friday.  They have qualified for the WIAC playoffs and will be the fifth or sixth seed.  The baseball team split doubleheaders with Northland, La Crosse and Stout.  Their final home series of the year will be Friday and Saturday against Oshkosh at Ted Whereatt Field.  Let’s hope the weather cooperates so they can get these games in!  Track and Field teams will be carrying some momentum into WIAC Championships this weekend at Platteville, after two successful meets last week.

Budget discussions in Madison continue, and the debate about the New Badger Partnership vs. the Wisconsin Idea Partnership, likewise.  As most of you know, Sen. Bob Jauch serves on the Joint Committee on Finance.  He indicated in a recent email communication that Finance Committee members have begun their executive sessions, so it’ll probably be a couple of weeks before we hear anything more regarding the 11-13 biennial budget.

Graduating seniors will continue to make their Senior Year Experience presentations at various venues around campus this week, and the Music Department holds numerous events.  The guitar ensemble performs tonight at 7:30 in the Webb Recital Hall, and the Acappella Choir sings at 7:30 in the Thorpe Langley Auditorium on Tuesday.  A jazz lunch will be held a noon in the Yellowjacket Union on Wednesday, and winners of the annual Concerto Competition will be featured at the Symphony Orchestra Concert at 7:30 in Thorpe Langley Auditorium on Thursday.  Finally, don’t miss our first-year students’ presentations at the First Year Seminars Expo from 11:30-1:00 in the Yellowjacket Union on Thursday.

With all of the musical performances scheduled for this week, I must say “If music be the food of love, play on…”  (Duke Orsino in Twelfth Night Act 1, scene 1).

Have a great week!

Julius Erlenbach
Interim Chancellor