Daily Pioneer News

PLATTEVILLE-The University Women's Council of the University of Wisconsin-Platteville was awarded a grant with the purpose of recruiting and retaining more women students at UWP. The University Women's Council requested and was awarded a Chapter Stipend from the Wisconsin Women in Higher Education Leadership organization.

The UWP Women's Council will use the stipend to hold a series of luncheons and dinners that will foster interaction between women students and faculty from different departments around campus. Tammy Salmon-Stephens, director of the UWP Women in Engineering Program, spoke of what the luncheons specifically strive to achieve.

"We're embarking on a strategic plan to increase the number of women on campus," explained Salmon-Stephens, "At these luncheons, we'll find out female students' feelings and perceptions about campus, both before and after their arrival in Platteville."

The Women's Council will also discuss the recruitment of women into departments where women have been traditionally outnumbered such as chemistry, engineering, industrial studies, mathematics and criminal justice. Representatives from different UWP leadership groups, including Women in Technology, Women in Athletics, Residence Hall Association, Women in Engineering, Recruitment Office, Multicultural Education Resource Center, Student Senate, and Sexual Assault Awareness Task Force, will also attend the luncheons to build connections between women leaders at UWP.

The grant was awarded to the UWP Women's Council by WWHEL, an organization of women in higher education. The stated mission of the group is to provide "opportunities for networking, information sharing and support for women in leadership and encourage women faculty and staff to pursue leadership positions."

The luncheons are limited to 12 people each, and interested students may contact Tammy Salmon-Stephens to make a reservation. More than 12 students may attend a luncheon, but there will only be 12 lunches offered. The next session is a dinner held at 4-5 p.m. Tuesday, March 24 in the Mining Room of the Pioneer Student Center. Anyone seeking more information regarding the dates of future luncheons, the WWHEL Chapter Stipend, or the UWP Women's Council may contact Tammy Salmon-Stephens at (608) 342-1563 or salmont@uwplatt.edu.

Contact: Tammy Salmon-Stephens, UWP professor of engineering and director of Women in Engineering, (608) 342-1563 salmont@uwplatt.edu. Written by: Ryan Broege, UWP Department of Public Relations, (608) 342-1194, broeger@uwplatt.edu