Demetris\' Division Chief, Jeanne M. Ditter, a UWP Industrial Engineering grad, suggested she consider the online master\'s degree. Demetris did a thorough comparison of the coursework for the two universities and decided that UWP could offer just as good, if not a better experience.
Her assessment proved true. Demetris posted her resume on both the DoD database and the Institute of Industrial Engineers\' website and by graduation day, she had been contacted about several job openings. Just two days after graduation, Demetris was thrilled to accept a job with US Homeland Security and the Secure Border Initiative.
As a single mother, Demetris often studied until two or three o\'clock in the morning after helping Makhiah with his homework and putting him to bed. She credits her excellent professors, Tom Kershaw, Barbara Barnet, and Dave Hammond, as well as Mary Jo Stutenberg for encouraging her and providing what she needed to accomplish her goal in such a short time.
In January, when the end was in sight, Demetris says, "I thought, I hadn\'t worked so hard to not take part in the graduation ceremony and meet some of the people who helped me." Makhiah celebrated with his mother knowing graduation means she\'ll have more time to spend with him. After two days of pomp and circumstance, Demetris and her family visited the National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium in Dubuque, and she celebrated at the Grand Harbor Resort Waterpark. She earned it!'); plexus[count++] = new entry(m2, eng,'turnball','gen', '10yrs_turnbill', "Ken Turnbill—Student Profile", 'By: Christine Hawkinson', '','"The number one reason I chose UWP was because it was an actual school - an actual university with a campus, not just an online program," says Ken Turnbull, "UW-Platteville is an accredited school that offers an online engineering degree." After six months of researching online graduate degrees, he decided to enroll in the UWP engineering program he found by accident.
As a full-time employee working in the mathematical field for the State of South Carolina, Ken was interested in pursuing an advanced mathematics degree online, but finding few, he began looking at engineering programs as the opportunities look bright with the US Department of Energy Savannah River Site near his home and increasing exploration of alternative energies.
Ken acclimated quickly to online learning as his work requires extensive computer knowledge. He found his classmates to be proficient as well. Ken also found that as working adults, either paying for their own education or meeting the expectations of an employer providing the financing, everyone was very dedicated and gave 100% to the experience. He keeps in touch with several classmates and talks often with fellow graduate, Don Zurek in Michigan.
The key to Ken\'s success was self-discipline and spending time each day on his courses. "This isn\'t something you can do on the weekends," Ken explains, "It\'s easy to get behind and hard to catch up." His commitment to keep pace helped him complete his master\'s degree with a design emphasis in two years.
Ken decided early in his degree work that he would attend the graduation ceremony, so he could celebrate his achievement and confirm with a visit that it was no accident he stumbled upon the UW-Platteville. Ken\'s wife, Marianne, and his mother, June Turnbull accompanied him from South Carolina. This was their first visit to Wisconsin, and they especially enjoyed the scenic drive from O\'Hare Airport to Platteville and the chance to see dairy cows across the countryside.'); plexus[count++] = new entry(m2, eng,'10-100','10-100', '10yrs_riedle', "A Closer Look at the Program", 'By: Lisa Riedle and Mary Jo Stutenberg', '','Ten years ago, the Master of Science in Engineering degree was approved and the first courses offered to students. The College of Engineering, Mathematics, and Science Advisory Board realized the need for an advanced degree opportunity that offers flexibility to working engineers.
Today, the program offers 25 different courses, in four emphases, taught by 10 faculty members (two of them graduates of the program). Students increase their knowledge base in the structural/geotechnical, controls, engineering design and engineering management fields. Participants are assured a learning experience enriched by the diversity of the students: the current 319 students reside in 28 different states and three countries, the average age is 34.2 years old, 17% are female, and 26% are a race other than Caucasian.'); plexus[count++] = new entry(m1, gen,'DavidMarkee','chancellor', 'retro_retirement', "Chancellor David Markee to Retire—A Distance Learning Retrospect", 'By: Christine Hawkinson', '
Under Chancellor David Markee\'s leadership, the distance education program has thrived thanks to his commitment to the program and openness to explore new technologies.
Prior to coming to UWP, Chancellor Markee worked for 16 years at Northern Arizona University at Flagstaff, initially as vice president for student services and then as vice president for institutional advancement, where he saw fledgling efforts in distance education take off. Distance students gathered in classrooms to communicate via television sets. The non-traditional student base at NAU was similar to UWP\'s distance students: employed adults aspiring to complete a degree and advance in their careers.
When Chancellor Markee arrived at the UWP in 1996, the print-based Bachelor of Science in Business Administration program had experienced steady growth for nearly 20 years. When Provost Carol Sue Butts joined TEAM UWP, she and Chancellor Markee shared the commitment to utilizing technology to create new distance learning opportunities.
The advent of the Internet brought a whole new wave of technological possibilities to distance education. UWP was poised to act, and the UW System recognized that providing degrees online was not only something UWP could do, but should do.
"We were able to establish a niche by capitalizing on our strengths in degree areas," says Chancellor Markee. "The key was defining the parameters of what to offer and what we could do well. Using the print-based program as a foundation, we could stretch in different directions." Online delivery of the business degree began in 1997-1998 and has served to complement rather than replace print-based delivery.
Living up to the Pioneer nickname, UWP became the first public university in the state to deliver entire degrees online. The MS in Criminal Justice, MS in Project Management, and MS in Engineering were developed and began enrolling students during the 1998-1999 academic year.
In 1999, Provost Butts hired Dawn Drake to direct the distance learning program toward its mission to offer degrees to adults seeking knowledge and skills to advance in their careers.
"The past 10 years have been a whirlwind of activity. While we had substantial experience with distance education, online was a new format for us," says Dawn. "New programs, policies, and procedures all needed to be developed for the online initiative. In addition, there were a large number of faculty and staff who were new to distance education. Getting the buy-in at a larger level was very important for the success of the programs."
"The direction given by Dawn has allowed us to achieve effective, but controlled and measured growth," says Chancellor Markee. Indeed, each of the programs has reached milestones by this ten year anniversary:
Recognizing the strength of the criminal justice and distance learning programs at UWP, the UW System provided a grant to the DLC to create a BS in Criminal Justice. The degree was designed to meet the needs of the criminal justice professionals working in the field who want to further their education and advance in their careers. The program went online in 2006-2007 and has graduated eight students.
Students are often surprised with the ease and the advantages of getting to know classmates from across the country - or world. "The maturity of the distance education students, thanks to age and work experience, opens the door to foster online relationships with classmates, faculty, and staff," says Chancellor Markee. Coupled with the commitment from faculty and staff to foster those relationships, the quality of UWP distance education has been recognized in the region, the state, and across the nation.
In the next 20 years, Dawn hopes to help create a more interactive approach to the overall educational experience for students. The groundwork has been laid for this to occur in courses as well as student services. "With distance education becoming more of a mainstream educational option, the expectations of our students continues to grow," says Dawn, "Combine this with the ever increasing changes in technology, our competition, and the world economy and it becomes a very complex and exciting field in which to work."
In the future, the Distance Learning Center will continue to build on the strong foundation Chancellor Markee helped establish. Provost Butts says, "His vision, his entrepreneurship, his ability to view problems as opportunities and his positive thinking have made a tremendous impact on the university—and distance learning."
Chancellor Markee views his role in the evolution of online programs as one of opening the door to allow it to occur and giving the commitment to the project. "The right people got involved and they explored the possibilities," he says. "As a result, we have filled an important niche with distance learning on our campus and in the state. Looking to the future, a similar strategy will serve the program well. It is still important to build on strengths, explore and study educational needs in the region, state and country, and put no boundaries on creativity—maintain an openness to explore."
Pharmacy procedures have changed drastically as a result of new advancements. Stephen no longer tracks prescriptions or patients by hand, and there is no need to type generic instructions or collect data. Software programs facilitate the process and allow him to spend more time with his patients. He says, "It (technology) makes things so much easier and allows me to be more efficient and improve my relationships with patients." He places great value on the new developments in technology and knows educational institutions benefit in similar ways.
"I never thought about online programs, but it is a natural progression," says Stephen. The classroom examples and advanced communication available through online education significantly enhance a distant student\'s educational experience. He thinks online education is a great way to reach students at a distance and is pleased UWP made the commitment to online learning.
'); plexus[count++] = new entry(m1, gen,'beerys','beerys', 'retro_beery', "PM Grad Joins Alumni Advisory Board—Sharon Beery", 'By: Samantha Brehm', '',' "My degree opened the doors I needed opened in the project management profession," says Sharon Beery, who received her Master of Science in Project Management degree in 2006.In addition to her busy personal and professional life, Sharon is an active member of the Alumni Advisory Board (AAB). The AAB, with representation from every distance education major, serves as the voice of the distance alumni to review policies, plans, and new initiatives. They also work to promote distance education, connect alumni with students, and create awareness of distance education opportunities.
"As a new member of the advisory board, I hope to bring my experience as an undergraduate and graduate distance education student to the table," says Sharon. She is excited to be a member of such a significant group of people and is eager to increase communication between students and alumni.
'); plexus[count++] = new entry(m, pm,'bellings','bellings', 'bellings', "PMI North American Global Congress", '','', 'The UWP Project Management Program will be well-represented this fall at the PMI North American Global Congress.Dr. Lolwing noted the topic sounded interesting when he approved the topic, but when he saw Shawn\'s unique approach, he knew it was something special. "I can see why PMI would choose Shawn\'s paper. He explored a topic not often addressed—how upper management communicates with employees." He is quite pleased that Shawn\'s work is being recognized.
Dr. Ginger Levin, who has attended and presented at PMI conferences since 1997, will present "Team-Building Techniques for Virtual Teams". Ginger and Shawn agree that the PMI events are excellent opportunities to learn and network with other project management professionals. For more information about PMI and the North American Global Congress, visit www.pmi.org.'); plexus[count++] = new entry(m, bs,'gias1','gias1', 'gias_profile', "New Professor—New Course in International Financial Management", 'By: Christine Hawkinson', '','"The economic situation of the past few months demonstrates how important it is for every student to understand the international financial system," says Sharif Gias. After earning his bachelor\'s degree from North South University in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Sharif Gias worked in banking for a few months and then for Orascom Telecom, where colleagues from Tunisia, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Russia made a life-changing impression on him.
Amazed by the breadth and depth of their knowledge, Sharif decided to increase his own skills and knowledge by traveling to the United States where he could further his education in the classroom, as well as experience the American culture and workplace first-hand.
After earning his MBA at Delaware State University and teaching there for two and a half years, Sharif found his next opportunity at University of Wisconsin-Platteville. Since August 2008, Sharif has taught five financial management courses on campus and embraced the challenge of developing a new online course for the Fall 2009 semester: International Financial Management.
Understanding the relationship between the domestic and global economy provides insight into the cause of the economic crisis as well as possible solutions. "We are all interconnected; if you invest in domestic markets, you need to understand the global marketplace. It\'s important to understand exchange and risk rates in foreign markets," he says.
Sharif is looking forward to the lack of geographical and cultural boundaries of his online course and will create opportunities for his students to learn from each other by bringing their professional experience, cultural backgrounds, and personal views to the classroom. "I learn every day I talk with students," says Sharif. "They all bring something new - a different perspective. I love being in a diverse group of people to learn from and facilitate learning from each other."
Sharif is pleased with his decision to come to UW-Platteville. The university is growing and provides him the opportunity to teach, do research, develop new courses, and help students with internship and career considerations. Sharif has enjoyed meeting the wonderful people and exploring the culture and surroundings of his new home, Southwest Wisconsin. He also continues to share what he learns and sends books to his home country to provide new opportunities for others in Bangladesh.'); plexus[count++] = new entry(m, gen,'changes','draked', 'change', "Change and our Future", 'By: Dawn Drake', '','Change is in the air—it\'s all around us—it\'s everywhere. In the past year, we have seen unprecedented changes that have impacted nearly everything we do. And these changes have not just impacted you and me, but every person, town, state, country, and continent in our world. We have survived, but it begs the question: What will happen next and how will each of us respond? Charles Darwin said, "It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change."
As I review the past year and the activities in distance education, we have made a number of changes, which will help us prepare for our uncertain future. A few of our accomplishments include:
As we conclude our celebration of our 30-year anniversary of distance education at UW-Platteville, it is both exciting and quite humbling to realize all the changes that have occurred during this time frame. While I believe there will always be the need to make education available in a distance format, I can\'t begin to imagine what that format will look like in the next 30 years (I keep having visions of the George Jetson household).
During this semester, a distance education task force was formed to develop a plan for where we want to be in the next five years. It was fun to discuss opportunities and help mold our future possibilities. As I look at the list of recommendations that this group brought forth, it is both overwhelming and exciting to think about what we can become. As John F. Kennedy wrote, "Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future".
I believe we have a strong sense of what we are and where we can go in the future, and I look forward to working with various people to develop the action plans that will help get us there. As we move forward with this planning, we will be connecting with both students and alumni to get input about our future.
I hope that the experiences you have had with UW-Platteville will help you plan for, embrace, and mold the change that impacts your life and the world. I leave you with these two quotes:
"Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we\'ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek." -Barack Obama'); /* plexus[count++] = new entry(m, tech,'chuck','chuck', 'online_hurdles', "Clear These Three Hurdles to Reach Your Finish Line", 'By: Chuck Christison', '',''); plexus[count++] = new entry(m, bs,'curtiss','curtiss', 'curtiss_new_advisor', "Kelly Curtiss Enjoys New Role as Advisor ", 'By Christine Hawkinson', '',''); plexus[count++] = new entry(m, cj,'apperson','apperson', 'apperson', "Superstar Instructor: No Cape - Just Smiles of Success", 'By: Amy Nemmetz', '',''); plexus[count++] = new entry(m, gen,'johnsonke','johnsonke', 'alumni_spotlight', "Alumni Spotlight", ''); plexus[count++] = new entry(m, ss,'courtney','courtney', 'graduates', "Pomp and Circumstance", 'By: Travis Courtney', '', ''); plexus[count++] = new entry(m, gen,'hawkinson','hawkinson', 'new_dlc_staff', "New Editor Joins Distance Learning Staff", 'By: Samantha Brehm', '',''); plexus[count++] = new entry(m, gen,'kershaw','kershaw', 'kershaw_profile', "Kershaw Enjoys Challenges and Benefits of Online Teaching", 'By: Christine Hawkinson', '','T'); */ //BSAD ARTICLES plexus[count++] = new entry(s, bs,'business','curtiss', 'ba_contacts', "Important Contacts for Business Administration Students", 'By: Kelly Curtiss', '','As a degree-seeking distance learning student, sometimes it might feel like you are at a disadvantage when you need help. You simply are not able to visit campus and talk with us face to face. Even if you were able to visit campus, you would need to know who to ask about financial aid, billing, loan deferment, graduation requirements, why you have been wait-listed for a class and so forth.
"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." -Nelson Mandela
Actually, you have the same resources as students on campus, and a call or e-mail to the right person can provide the answers you need. So, who should you call?
After 16 years in quality control at the Fennimore Ray-O-Vac plant, Mary decided to go back to school. Currently, she is in her twenty-fifth year with Ray-O-Vac, and has been taking print-based business administration courses for nine years. Although it has been a long road, taking just one class at a time, she proudly declares the finish line is drawing near.
Mary explains that she started the program to keep her skills up-to-date and have a back-up degree in case of any drastic economic changes. Luckily, she hasn\'t experienced any employment changes, but has experienced tremendous benefits from her education.
"It (education) has helped me be more professional and develop better team building skills," she says, "and all the staff at UWP has been really great." Mary says that even through health issues, scheduling problems, and last minute enrollment, Deb Becker, DLC Student/Faculty Coordinator, has been outstanding and always willing to help.
Mary speaks of her courses with similar enthusiasm and gratitude. Her professors are willing to answer questions and reply to e-mail messages and she knows that level of support and quality education will always be offered at UWP. Every time she completes a course, she experiences a huge sense of personal satisfaction and her motivation to continue strengthens.
Staying motivated is sometimes the hardest part of finishing a print-based course "You really have to be a self-starter and an independent learner," Mary says, "but with the help of the professors and DLC staff, you can achieve your goals."
'); //CRIMINAL JUSTICE ARTICLES plexus[count++] = new entry(s, cj,'award','amy-nemmetz', 'cert', "Nemmetz Receives Certificate of Merit", '', '','Amy Nemmetz, program coordinator for the online undergraduate criminal justice program, has been selected as an Outstanding New Advisor Certificate of Merit recipient by the National Academic Advising Association.The award is presented to individuals who have demonstrated qualities associated with outstanding academic advising of students and who have served as an advisor for three or fewer years. Amy is the only Certificate of Merit recipient in this category in the nation-wide competition this year.
'); plexus[count++] = new entry(s, cj,'presenter','dan-avenarius', 'instr_profile', "What\'s Cooking? Outstanding Criminal Justice Instruction", 'By: Amy Nemmetz, Online BSCJ Coordinator', '"Lieutenant Dan\'s passion for law enforcement truly runs into his teaching style, and you can\'t help but feel anything but excitement for the knowledge you\'re soaking up through him," says graduating BSCJ senior, Samantha Puls.
As a young man, Dan\'s passion was music, but just before performing in his last concert and completing his internship to earn his degree, Dan switched gears. Intrigued by his older brother\'s interest in criminal justice, Dan decided to forgo the music teaching degree and focus on a career in law enforcement.
While working in law enforcement, Dan finished his bachelor\'s degree in sociology, earned his Master of Science degree from UW-Platteville in criminal justice and volunteered in local classrooms as a D.A.R.E. Officer. Currently, in addition to serving as the Dean of Business and Computer Science at Northeast Iowa Community College, Dan is an adjunct instructor for the UW-Platteville Criminal Justice program and is a member of the Distance Education Alumni Advisory Board.
In addition to making education a priority, Dan also completed an impressive 30-year career with the Dubuque, Iowa Police Department. Looking back, Dan recalls several learning curves that accompanied the multiple hats he wore as lieutenant, training coordinator, patrol investigator, field training officer, intelligence and gang officer, and arson investigator. Dan\'s passion and dedication was recognized on multiple occasions. He received an award from the Department of Justice for working on local hate crimes, an FBI Appreciation Award for assisting in the apprehension of individuals involved in cross burnings, and a certificate of appreciation from Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms for apprehending a career criminal infamous for using a sawed off shotgun.
After retiring his Dubuque Police Department badge in 2007, Dan turned his focus primarily to educating students. As suspected, Dan brings his professional experiences to the classroom setting where he educates and impacts learners.
"Every once in a while, someone you\'ve never met face to face inspires you to keep reaching for even your furthest goals. I\'m thankful that I\'ve had the opportunity to learn from Lt. Dan and I\'m looking forward to shaking his hand at graduation. It\'s not every day you meet a real-life Clark Kent," says Samantha Puls.
And what does Dan do for fun now that he doesn\'t have to worry about midnight shifts? When asked if he enjoys camping with his lovely wife, Cathie, his response was, "No, that\'s why they make hotels, Amy." Dan likes to read when he has spare time, but he never reads fiction - not even a great murder mystery. He prefers non-fiction and reads every article in National Geographic magazine as "you never know when you may learn something." Although Dan enjoys reading and vacationing, he is elated that his beautiful daughters, Katie and Danielle, have given him the ultimate gifts: grandchildren. Dan cannot get enough of his adorable grandsons, two-year-old Dylan and babies, Jackson and Ryan.'); plexus[count++] = new entry(s, cj,'gavel','cjtc', 'cj', "Washington Criminal Justice Training Commission Partnership Grows", '', '','UW-Platteville began offering online training courses to police officers in Washington State as part of the partnership with the Criminal Justice Training Commission (CJTC) in fall of 2008. Nearly 80 individuals have participated in this training.
The partnership has expanded to include a new course, "Juvenile Offenders With Mental Health Disorders". The course began in May and will continue throughout the summer. This fall, a Radar/Lidar course will be offered, and we are in the planning stages for developing an Emergency Vehicle Operation course.
This partnership allows both institutions to utilize our individual strengths to bring quality online training to criminal justice professionals throughout the state of Washington. We look forward to our continued partnership and the opportunity to develop additional classes.
If your company has training topics you would like to provide in an online format, contact Dawn Drake at drake@uwplatt.edu to determine if UW-Platteville can partner with you to make this opportunity a reality.
'); // ENGINEERING ARTICLES plexus[count++] = new entry(s, eng,'instructor','ryan', 'grad2teach', "Engineering Graduate Becomes Online Instructor", 'By: Samantha Brehm','','"I never would have guessed my degree would lead to teaching, but I am glad I was given the opportunity," says Ryan Melbard. Ryan began his journey to teaching when one of his past instructors, Dr. Philip Parker, asked to use his work for examples in his class. Ryan gladly agreed and was quickly invited to facilitate discussion boards and grade assignments for that course. A 2003 Master of Science in Engineering graduate, Ryan acquired the skills and knowledge to become a leader in the engineering field.Ryan was offered his first teaching position in the summer of 2004 when he taught Optimization, a course that deals with the design of experiments and evaluation of efficiencies. Although the course is very demanding for students and teachers, he welcomes the challenge of helping students understand the advanced material.
Thanks to Ryan\'s success and dedication, enrollment in the course over the past five years has grown from four to 21 students. "Ryan is a great instructor," says Program Coordinator Dr. Lisa Riedle. "He is helpful to students—explains things in great detail—is always available and contactable—and best of all, he is patient and very knowledgeable."
Ryan\'s online experience as an instructor differs greatly from that of a student. "As a student, I only logged on to the course about two or three times a week, but as an instructor, I need to log on two or three times a day," he says. Ryan realizes the importance of responding to students as soon as possible. "I remember being frustrated when I didn\'t get a response for two days, and I don\'t what to cause that frustration for my students," says Ryan.
In addition to his teaching duties, Ryan currently works full time as a Senior Engineer for WE Energies. He is also pursuing a master\'s degree in mathematics with the ambition to become a professor of mathematics.
'); plexus[count++] = new entry(s, eng,'certificate','image012', 'order', "The Order of the Engineer", '', '','Demetris Colclough and Ken Turnbull, along with 118 UWP Bachelor of Science in Engineering graduates took part in the Order of the Engineer ceremony on May 9, 2009. The purpose of the Order of the Engineer is to stimulate formal public recognition by engineering in the United States of two basic principles: the primary purpose of engineering is service to the public, and all members of the engineering profession share a common bond.'); plexus[count++] = new entry(s, eng,'schoolBooks','gen', 'schedule', "Changes: Engineering Course Roation", '', '','The course rotation for the MS Engineering courses in the Structural/Geotechnical emphasis is changing. Effective with the Fall 2009 semester, courses will be offered in the following order:| Semester | Course | Title |
|---|---|---|
| Fall 2009 | ENGRG 7220 | Dynamics of Structures |
| Spring 2010 | ENGRG 7270 | Advanced Deep Foundation Design with LRFD Applications* |
| Fall 2010 | ENGRG 7290 | Earth Retaining Structures: Design, Analysis and LRFD |
| Spring 2011 | ENGRG 7280 | Geosynthetics Engineering |
| Fall 2011 | ENGRG 7260 | Advanced Shallow Foundation Design with LRFD Applications |
| Spring 2012 | ENGRG 6230 | Structural Steel Design with LRFD |
When the cycle is completed, it will begin again with ENGRG 7220. ENGRG 5030 Linear Algebra and ENGRG 7540 Advanced Finite Element Method should be completed prior to this course rotation.
*ENGRG 7260 is a prerequisite to ENGRG 7270.'); // PROJECT MANAGEMENT ARTICLES plexus[count++] = new entry(s, pm,'presenter2','elizabeth-swift', 'elizabeth-swift', "The DLC Welcomes Our New Project Management Advisor", '','', 'Elizabeth Swift began advising students in the MSPM program in May. Elizabeth brings experience in online graduate education, as well as non-profit and public administration. Project management students may contact her at 608.342.1524. Watch for more information about Elizabeth in the next issue of Plexus. '); plexus[count++] = new entry(s, pm,'pmi','haskins', 'pm_update', "PMI Event", '','
Pictured (above) at the conference are alum, Kay Wais, current students, Laura Sherrick and Kim Owens, Program Coordinator Bill Haskins, Dr. Ginger Levin, and alum/adjunct instructor, Shawn Belling.
'); plexus[count++] = new entry(s, pm,'sydney','levin', 'levin', "Levin Goes to Australia", '','', 'Project Management Professor, Ginger Levin, enjoyed a trip to Australia this spring. She met the project management faculty and gave a lecture to an advanced undergraduate class at Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT), where she is a visiting professor.Ginger also gave two seminars for the PMI chapter in Sydney on PgMP Prep boot camp and OPM3 (Organizational Project Management Maturity). While in Sydney she met people in the project management program at University of Technology Sydney (UTS).
Both RMIT and UTS offer graduate and doctoral project management degrees that, like UWP\'s, are accredited by PMI\'s Global Accreditation Center. Project management graduates from UWP who want to pursue a PhD are offered advanced standing in both programs.'); // MARKETING plexus[count++] = new entry(s, markt,'globe','hollingsworth', 'goround', "Connections Make the World Go 'round", 'By: Les Hollingsworth','', 'I will start by stating the obvious. People are social creatures and enjoy making connections with others. Connecting with others allows us to share the joys and the challenges in life. Connections give us meaning and perspective. Connections allow us to help others and, in many cases, allow others to help us. Chances are, at some point in your life, you were able to help someone or you benefited from a connection you made in the past.
Many people are turning to social media sites such as LinkedIn or Facebook to grow their connections. These sites, when used appropriately, are a great way to reconnect with old classmates or new people with similar interests. UWP has a sizeable group on both of these sites. Please look us up and join for free to start realizing the benefits of living in a connected world.
Our marketing and recruitment group makes connections to help people achieve their educational goals and secure a better future, without putting their lives on hold. We also connect with companies to help prepare their employees for the leadership challenges of tomorrow.
If your organization would benefit from a stronger connection with UWP, please connect with me at 800.362.5460 or hollingsworl@uwplatt.edu.
Or—view my LinkedIn profile at: www.linkedin.com/in/leshollingsworth.
'); /* plexus[count++] = new entry(s, markt,'calendar','maierk', 'retention_calendars', "Retention Committee Provides Calendars", 'By: Kim Maier',''); */ //STUDENT SERVICES ARTICLES plexus[count++] = new entry(s, ss,'meeting','courtney', 'letter', "From My Desk to Yours", 'By: Travis Courney', '', 'Dear Distance Learning Friends,Graduation weekend is always an adventure for our staff and faculty. There\'s a lot of preparation and extra work, a few things we worry might not be ready, a bit of extra stress, a whole bunch of fun, and the ubiquitous exclamations of \'we\'re so glad we did this\'.
Many of us speak to students every day and most of us recognize their names. We assist students with the admissions process and registering for courses. We process grades, update program plans, send out reminders and offer encouragement. It\'s common for those who work in the DLC and our academic programs to know the names and general profiles of our students. It\'s uncommon; however, for us to ever meet them.
On graduation weekend (May 8-9), we honored the success of more than 150 distance learning graduates and nearly 180 students who completed coursework for our online criminal justice training program. On Friday evening, graduates, alumni, faculty and staff gathered in Velzy Commons for the banquet to recognize our soon-to-be alumni. The banquet was set in full evening decor, complimented by an enjoyable social hour with music provided by local quartet, The Fly Rights, graduate and family photos, video interviews, and many old friends meeting for the first time. All enjoyed UWP\'s famous catered food, distinguished speakers (some rather infamously so), well-deserved awards, and frequent laughs during table chats.
After commencement on Saturday, graduates wore relieved smiles and the now more-familiar faces gathered for brunch in Nohr Gallery to celebrate and breathe deeply as the big day had finally come. Inquiries of \'how does it it feel?\' and \'what\'s next?\' spread across the room, while some graduates posed for photos dressed in cap and gown, and others smiled with family while discussing well-deserved plans for down time and summer vacations.
During the events of those two days, I watched as fellow students who consider themselves friends and peers met each other for the first time and embraced after semesters of meeting through virtual groups and course discussion forums. I heard faculty and staff exclaim "I know you!" when introduced to a graduate for the first time ever. I was honored to shake hands and celebrate with graduates from Wisconsin, Indiana, Maryland, Iowa, Illinois, South Carolina, California, Michigan and Canada. We are grateful you allowed us to be a part of your journey, and thank you for joining us for a memorable weekend.
Best wishes and keep in touch,
Travis Courtney
Alan Langeteig created this scholarship to honor of his father-in-law, Walter Longacre, who inspired and encouraged Alan to complete his degree. Colette says, "My family has been very supportive of my continued education and has had to sacrifice both personally and professionally to assist me in my studies." Colette has demonstrated a commitment to her community and family as she earns her master\'s degree in project management.
Noelle Delfosse—Dawn Drake Excellence in Distance Education ScholarshipDawn Drake, Executive Director of Alternative Learning at UWP, created this scholarship to acknowledge the important role distance education has made in her life. The scholarship recognizes the many sacrifices distance learners make to juggle education, career, and family.
Noelle\'s brother, Noah, has cerebral palsy and she cares for him while her parents are at work. "If I was not at home, I would not be able to take part in the very important matters that affect Noah and our family," says Noelle. She has also shown great commitment to her students at a dance studio as she continues her education.
'); plexus[count++] = new entry(s, ss,'regis','amy', 'enroll', "Time to Enroll—Return to Learn Fall 2009", 'By: Amy Griswold', '','Our first session of Return to Learn (R2L) was offered during the Spring 2009 semester. We had a great class with lots of discussion and activity. The Summer 2009 session is in progress, and everything is going great. So, you may be asking yourself, "What is R2L and is it for me?"Return to Learn is a non-credit, eight-week course designed to help students acquire the tools and skills to succeed in earning their degree at a distance. If you answer yes to any of the following questions, R2L may be a great fit for you:
Registration for the Fall 2009 session is open!
To learn more about Return to Learn and how to register, visit www.uwplatt.edu/disted/returntolearn.html. If you have any questions, please contact Amy Griswold at foleya@uwplatt.edu or Kim Maier at maierk@uwplatt.edu or call 800.362.5460.
'); plexus[count++] = new entry(s, ss,'pieces','maierk', 'retention', "Retention Committee Working for You", 'By: Kim Maier', '','The Retention Committee\'s ultimate goal is to see you GRADUATE! We want you to reach the goal as much as you do, so we are diligently working to identify spots that may be difficult for you to trudge through. We are looking at classes that may be a hang up or even certain times that are difficult.As we begin to identify a few hot spots, we encourage you to maintain your personal motivation to complete your degree. When you initially inquired and applied to UWP, you clearly had a mission in mind. While taking courses and meeting all of life\'s demands, it\'s good to remind yourself of your goal. Take a moment to reflect on your mission as you complete summer courses and anticipate the fall semester. Hopefully it will recreate a spark if you\'ve lost yours.
To reach our overall goal, we have implemented several projects; the major one being our online orientation class, Return to Learn. The first two sessions of the class have been well received and we look forward to a new session this fall.
Earlier this year, we distributed pocket calendars to our new students. If you received a calendar, I hope you\'re putting it to good use. If you haven\'t gotten around to that yet, be sure to read "Five Tips for Succeeding in an Online Program" for one possible use.
We eagerly welcome your feedback. If you can suggest problems our committee can address, please contact me at maierk@uwplatt.edu or Amy Griswold at foleya@uwplatt.edu. We can also be reached at 800.362.5460.
'); plexus[count++] = new entry(s, ss,'progress','shenita', 'results', "Student Services Survey", '', '','Thank you to those who responded earlier this year to the Student Services Survey. Here are some highlights of the results:To keep you informed, the University of Wisconsin System has created the website http://gibill.wisconsin.edu. Please review this website for up-to-date information about Veteran Benefits.
Applications for the Post 9/11 GI Bill are being accepted at this time. It is important to note that the decision to use the Post 9/11 GI Bill is IRREVOCABLE. Familiarize yourself with this program by visiting the VA website http://www.gibill.va.gov/ or speaking with your Veterans Benefits Counselor or your County Veterans Service Officer.
UWP\'s Registrar\'s Office cannot determine your eligibility or which program is best for you; their role is to certify your enrollment to receive the benefit.
Because this new federal program will pay tuition dollars for eligible veterans directly to the school, there are pending changes in the state budget which may impact students currently using the Wisconsin GI Bill Tuition Remission. To find more information about veterans\' programs, check the UWP Registrar website www.uwplatt.edu/registrar/veterans.html.'); plexus[count++] = new entry(s, ss,'ask','password', 'grades', "How to Access Your Grades", '', '','
Online CoursesInstructors are required to submit their final grades about 5-7 days after the semester ends. Once those grades are processed in the Registrar\'s Office, the DLC staff will begin processing them for our students; typically about 7-10 days after the semester officially ends.
If you are a matriculated student, grades will be posted to your D2L advising site at https://uwplatt.courses.wisconsin.edu. Use your NetID and password to log in. If you need your password to this site reset, please use the NetID Password Reset Request Form.
Special (non-matriculated) students do not have access to a D2L advising site and receive a grade report in the mail once grades have been processed.
Print-based CoursesThe Distance Learning Center will mail you a copy of your completed grade report when you complete a course and your instructor submits your final grade (this process is the same for special and matriculated students). Matriculated students\' grades will also be posted to their D2L advising site. All grades are first recorded at the Distance Learning Center and then forwarded to the Registrar\'s Office for permanent transcription.
Questions or Comments?For more information about grades, visit www.uwplatt.edu/disted/login/gradeInfo.html. If you have questions about this process or trouble accessing the D2L advising site, contact the Distance Learning Center at disted@uwplatt.edu or 800.365.5460.'); //TECHNOLOGY ARTICLES plexus[count++] = new entry(s, tech,'www','viethj', 'web', "Website Redesign Coming Soon", 'By: John A. Vieth', '','We gathered a lot of input from students, faculty, and staff and researched the higher education market. Now we are leveraging all of what we have learned to create a vastly improved website for the Distance Learning Center.
Our goal is to launch the newly redesigned website by November 1, 2009. The new design will provide easy access to information for current and prospective students, alumni, faculty and staff, as well as employers and other partners for whom our programs are a resource.
The objectives of our website redesign project include:
Stay tuned as we make progress on our website redesign project. We hope you love the results.
'); plexus[count++] = new entry(s, tech,'instructor2','streffr', 'dnc', "Drums and Cymbals Part 3:Infusing the instructor\'s social presence into the course by creating more engaging feedback and using audio and visual learning aids for topics that have historically been problematic has received the highest student approval. Instructors are seeing grades improve. Student satisfaction appears to be increasing. Are we there yet? Not quite!
We have six projects embedded into courses as permanent content. Some of the enhancements have found their way into more than one course. In fact, two of the projects have been incorporated into every course. These two projects contain information about using the online library for research and a segment on plagiarism.
For every course we enhance, the feedback from students and faculty promotes new ideas and challenges. Not only are ideas flowing on other methods of using technologies we have already applied, but we are also looking at standardization between courses and additional technologies as well. We envision an online education for which the technology appears seamless to the student, while embracing the individuality of the program, the course, and the instructor.
We now have the ability to present streaming audio and video formats that most students can access without special software, and are in the first stages of creating content on Apple\'s iTunes University based on the social and open learning methodologies.
This fall, we will continue to enhance more courses. We look forward to receiving your feedback.'); plexus[count++] = new entry(s, tech,'password','viethj', 'password_reset', "Avoid Password Hassles", 'By: John Vieth', '','Have you ever forgotten your password or found it expired because you missed the deadline to change it? Distance education student use multiple username/password combinations to access a variety of resources. Here are some tips to keep you up and running:
Reset Your NetID Password Before it ExpiresYour NetID is used for online library resources, online advising resources like grades and degree plan, campus e-mail, and more. Your NetID password expires 90 days after it is issued or reset.
You can avoid this automatic password expiration by periodically changing your password before it expires.
For example, you could put a reminder on your calendar to change your password once every month or two. Each time you change your password, the 90-day expiration is reset. To change your NetID password, go to www.uwplatt.edu/go/pwm/ and click Change Password.
Configure the Forgotten Password ServiceIf you configure the Forgotten Password Service, you will be able to reset your NetID password in the future if your password expires or is forgotten. To configure the service, go to www.uwplatt.edu/go/pwm/ and click Setup Responses. Follow the instructions for configuring the Forgotten Password Service.
NOTE: If you last configured the forgotten password service prior to January 1, 2009, you must re-configure the forgotten password service due to maintenance that was performed at the end of 2008.If all else fails...The staff at the UWP Distance Learning Center is always happy to help.
If you need assistance with an expired or forgotten password, don\'t hesitate to contact us. For contact information for the various usernames and passwords used by UWP distance education students or for more information about passwords, go to www.uwplatt.edu/disted/passwords.html.'); plexus[count++] = new entry(s, tech,'books','john-berg', 'ask_librarian', "Ask A Librarian", 'By: John Leonard Berg', '','
These are just a few of the services available to you from the Karrmann Library. Please don\'t hesitate to call the Reference Desk at 608.342.1668 or toll free at 888.450.4632 and let us know how we may help you in your research needs.
As the economy continues to evolve, you may need to update some skills outside of your degree program. UW-Platteville has partnered with Gatlin Educational Services to provide high quality, online non-credit courses. Learn about a variety of courses at http://uwplatt.theelearningcenter.com/ and certificate programs at http://www.gatlineducation.com/uwplatt/.
You do not have to be in a degree program to take these courses, so feel free to pass this information along to your friends, family, and co-workers. There are hundreds of courses available.
Are You Interested in Microsoft Project (MSP) Training?A number of current students have indicated they would like to receive some online training for Microsoft Project. Before we develop this type of training (non-credit), we need to hear from those who are interested.
Please e-mail Dawn Drake at drake@uwplatt.edu with the answers to the following questions:
In addition to the items mentioned above, five members of the AAB (Gary Apperson, Dan Avenarius, Melissa Gavin, Carl Ross, and Francie Tuescher) attended the May graduation festivities to congratulate the new alumni of our distance learning programs. Francie Tuescher represents the AAB at the Alumni Association meetings that are held quarterly at the UW-Platteville campus.
Plans for the remainder of 2009 are in place and will continue to be developed. If you have recommendations for this group, please contact Dawn Drake (drake@uwplatt.edu). I would like to add my personal thanks to this group for their dedication, commitment, and support to UW-Platteville!
'); plexus[count++] = new entry(s, gen,'instructor2','gen', 'rateu', "Rate Your University of Wisconsin-Platteville Degree", '', '','You\'ve told us you\'re happy with your degree from UWP. Here\'s your chance to tell others. With an increasing number of online degrees, potential students may have difficulty determining which program provides the education and services that will meet their needs.Knowing what other students have experienced can encourage someone to learn more about UWP Distance Education. Interested in spreading the good word?
Go to GetEducated. com and rate your online degree:
Two of the best ways to stay involved and informed are to read the RSS Feeds or the UWP Distance Education Blog—just click the links on the DLC home page. You will find important updates regarding closed classes, financial aid information, graduation information, study techniques, and trends in distance education.
Do you use the RSS feed? Read the blogs? Do you find what you\'re looking for? Let us know how we can improve these resources. Take a look and e-mail your thoughts to nemitzc@uwplatt.edu.'); plexus[count++] = new entry(s, gen,'finaid','p', 'gen', "Registration Announcements", '', '','
File for Financial Aid NowThe information to file for financial aid for the 2009-10 academic year is available on the web at www.fafsa.ed.gov. If you prefer a paper application, please contact the financial aid office. If you have questions regarding financial aid, please contact Sheila Trotter at trotter@uwplatt.edu or 800.616.0412.
Print-Based Tuition Increase Fall 2009An increase in tuition for print-based courses will be established by the Wisconsin Board of Regents to take effect in Fall 2009. Watch for an announcement in July.
New Students for Fall 2009New online students have two choices for registering: