Thursday, May 21
Carillon Tower Tour

4:45 p.m.
Carillon Bell Tower (just off Observatory Drive, in front of the Social Sciences Building)

Please join us on Thursday, May 21 at the Carillon Bell Tower. Lyle Anderson will provide us with a tour and history of the tower. There will be light refreshments available and an opportunity to mingle with other academic staff. The event begins at 4:45 p.m., rain or shine. We also have the Social Science Lobby reserved for mingling. Please join us!

Thursday, May 14
Academic Staff Roundtable Discussion with the Vice Provost for Diversity and Climate

2:00 – 3:30 p.m.
Memorial Union TITU

MASA Members are cordially invited to an Academic Staff Roundtable Discussion with the Vice Provost for Diversity and Climate, Dr. Damon Williams.

How do you describe the climate for members of the UW-Madison academic staff? Do you feel proud when you describe your work–or when you explain that you’re a member of the academic staff–to new friends in the community? Here’s a special opportunity for you to discuss your experiences on campus as a member of the UW academic staff.

The Academic Staff Executive Committee (ASEC) and the Vice Provost for  Diversity and Climate invite you to a roundtable discussion of academic staff diversity and climate issues. Snacks will be provided, and while discussion won’t be limited to particular topics, a few questions to be thinking about are:

1. As you may know, the new diversity initiative for the UW System is titled “Inclusive Excellence.”  What does “inclusive excellence” mean to you?
2. If you set out to improve the climate for academic staff at the UW, what steps do you think would be the most important?
3. What kinds of policies and practices do you think have the greatest effects on diversity and climate, for academic staff and for others?

Please RSVP to Susan Crowley, ASEC Chair, at sjcrowley@uhs.wisc.edu by May 4 if you are interested and able to attend. Space is limited.

The Madison Academic Staff Association (MASA) is seeking candidates for the board positions of President-Elect, Secretary, and Membership Coordinator with terms beginning July 1, 2009.

The President-Elect is a three year commitment (as President-Elect, President, and Past-President), the secretary is a two-year term, and the Membership Coordinator is appointed for one year. Nominations are due by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, May 1 and may be submitted by a colleague or the candidate. Nominees should include a statement detailing their background and interest in serving on the MASA Board as well as any other information the candidate would like to share with the MASA membership (please do not exceed a half page).

Please send your nominations and candidate statements by May 1 to Valli Warren at vdwarren@education.wisc.edu.  She may be contacted at 262-3773 if you have any questions.

PLEASE NOTE: The MASA Annual Meeting and Luncheon will be held on May 12 and nominations may be taken from the floor at that time, as well. The MASA election will be held May 18 – 22.

Tuesday, May 12
Annual Meeting and Luncheon

11:45 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
The University Club

Guest Speaker:
Troy Reeves
Head, Oral History Program
University Archives and Record Management Services
University of Wisconsin-Madison

Cost for members: $5
Cost for non-members: $14

We are excited to have Troy Reeves, the head of the Oral History Program, University Archives and Record Management Services, University of Wisconsin-Madison (an academic staff position) as our guest speaker. Troy will be talking about the Oral History Program that has been collecting important recollections of University of Wisconsin–Madison personnel.

Recently, Troy has expanded this program to include the oral history of academic staff governance. MASA members have been actively involved in this project by interviewing current and retired academic staff. This presentation will be very timely.

MASA will pay the lunch costs for any new MASA member joining by payroll deduction, so please invite a friend! New members should complete the MASA membership form and forward it through campus mail. For new members, the first year of dues is covered so payroll deduction for new members will not occur until October 2010.

This promises to be a very informative event with delicious food! Lunch choices are:

• Three Cheese Spinach Lasagna Alfredo with Sautéed Seasonal Fresh Vegetables, Tossed Field Greens with House Vinaigrette, and Garlic Bread
• Herb Roasted Chicken with Roasted New Potatoes, Seasonal Fresh Vegetables, and Tossed Field Green Salad with House Vinaigrette

Please register online by Thursday, May 7, 2009.

Wednesday, April 1
MASA/ASPRO Budget Roundtable

Noon – 1:00 p.m.
Memorial Union TITU

Meet with Janet Swandby, lobbyist for the Academic Staff Professionals Representation Organization (ASPRO) and learn how the governor’s budget proposal could affect academic staff.

Wednesday, March 18
Wisconsin Historical Society Tour

11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Wisconsin Historical Society
816 State Street (across Langdon Street from the Memorial Union)

MASA members are invited to learn about the Wisconsin Historical Society. Rick Pifer, director of reference and public services, will provide those in attendance with an informative tour.

Please RSVP to MASA President Dan Barnish at barnish@biochem.wisc.edu.

Monday, March 23
Academic Staff Leadership Institute
Sponsored by the Madison Academic Staff Association (MASA), Provost’s Office, and the Academic Staff Executive Committee (ASEC)

8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
The Pyle Center

Keynote Luncheon Address
Valuing Academic Staff in Difficult Economic Times

Darrell Bazzell
Vice Chancellor for Administration
University of Wisconsin-Madison

Other sessions in this year’s Institute will address:

• Leadership qualities that transcend workplace characteristics
• The benefits of mentoring, both formally and informally
• How to create career paths where none appear to exist
• Leadership opportunities (presented by MASA, the Academic Staff Professionals Representation Organization (ASPRO), and ASEC)

Session presenters include Sue Riseling, Associate Vice Chancellor and Campus Police Chief and Don Schutt, Director of Human Resource Development in the Office of Human Resources. Participants may attend two sessions of their choice.

Registration:

• Cost is $25 (includes breakfast buffet and luncheon)
• Free to those who join MASA at this time and have not attended the Institute in the past.
• For your friends interested in joining MASA and attending the Academic Staff Leadership Institute for the first time, MASA will pay their registration fee! Plus, as always, the first payroll year of membership is FREE, and a mere $10 per year after that. The best deal on campus! This is one way that MASA is responding to the keynote topic of “difficult economic times.”
• Register for the institute online.

Thursday, February 19, 2009
How to Write a Successful Professional Development Grant

12:00 p.m.
Memorial Union TITU

Is there a conference or other professional development you’re
considering in the second half of 2009? Come to this brown bag to  find out:

• The types of professional development activities eligible for professional development (PD) grants
• The process for applying
• What makes a good grant proposal
• Common mistakes made on applications

PD grant applications are due March 7th to department chairs, March 13 to deans/directors, and March 27 to the Secretary of the Academic Staff.

For complete information and application forms, visit:
http://acstaff.wisc.edu/pdrc/PDGrants/PDgrantinfo.html

Thursday, January 15, 2009
MASA Winter Social

4:45 p.m. – 6:45 p.m.
Fluno Center Study Pub (8th Floor)
601 University Ave.

Bring a friend!

Wednesday, December 17, 2008
UW-Madison Glass Lab Tour and Demonstration

4:45 p.m.
UW-Madison Glass Lab
630 W. Mifflin St. (next to the Kohl Center)

Professor Steven Ferren has invited MASA members to visit the UW-Madison Glass Lab for a demonstration, a tour of the art in the lab, and a brief walk through the history of  some of the greatest artists that attended UW-Madison.

The lab can accommodate only a limited amount of people, so only the first 20 members to RSVP to Dan Barnish at barnish@biochem.wisc.edu can attend.