Publications

Connections
A Newsletter for the Viterbo College Community
Vol. 12   No 28
March 22, 1999

Congratulations
On behalf of the Viterbo College community, I wish to congratulate the office of Public Relations and Marketing for the five Addy Awards which they recently received.

Viterbo received the highest possible award in two categories. The first was for the best multi-media campaign and the second was for the best self promotional magazine. Also honored were the "Bright Star Season brochure," "Viterbo College Annual Report," and the "Strides" cover for Winter '98.
I know you join me in congratulating everyone in Pat Kerrigan's office.
                        —Bill Medland, President
 

Women’s clothing drive
Support the efforts of the Sociology/Social Work Club in collecting work-appropriate clothing for The Women’s Clothes Closet: for women coming off of welfare and entering the work force.

Donations may be dropped off from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., March 22-26 in the Murphy Center Lobby. Racks and a table will be set up.

The women’s clothing should be appropriate for work, spring and summer-weight (No fall or winter clothes, please), uniforms, purses, shoes, scarves and jewelry; clean, wearable, and preferably on hangers.

 •  Donations of hangers also needed.
 •  All sizes needed small through XXL.
 

Outstanding Academic Advisor Award
The deadline for nominations for the Outstanding Academic Advisor Award is March 31. We are looking for nominations from students, faculty, and administration who have an awareness of an academic advisor who demonstrates effective advising qualities and practices that distinguish the nominee as an outstanding academic advisor.

For more information on the award and the nomination criteria, please consult Viterbo’s Web page under "academics" or pick up a form from Peg Beirne MC 215.
         —Wayne Wojciechowksi
 

Calling all Viterbo employees
Do you like to play basketball?

Do you like to help local charities?

If you answered yes to either of these questions, this event is for you!

Viterbo Circle K Club is hosting a charity basketball game at 7 p.m. on Fri., Apr. 16 in the SAC. The Club would like to play against Viterbo employees. A few instructors are interested in playing on the team…but more employees are needed!

Before you agree to play or even attend, here’s a little more about the game. The Circle K team will consist of members from the Viterbo club, as well as clubs throughout the state. None of the players are current basketball players. All benefits from the game will go to Place of Grace.

If you are interested in playing on the employee team or would like more information on this very special game, please contact Kiarra at 796-3501 or e-mail kkkuik@mail.viterbo.edu.
 

Reminder: Flexible Spending Plan- Section 125
Benefits Design Group meeting Representative Sue Sieger will be on campus Tues. and Wed., Mar. 23 and Mar. 24. All new employees hired after May 1, 1998 must meet with Sue for an explanation of the Section 125 plan.

An appointment sheet is located by the MC mailboxes. Please sign up for an appointment.
Meetings will be held in the library’s Faculty Research Room 128.
 

Bits and pieces
Casual Dress Fri. Mar. 26, Jeans Day. Proceeds go to Alzheimer’s Association providing support to groups in the seven county area; AND Riverfront, Inc. This year over 500 people with disabilities in this area earned a paycheck. They worked in Riverfront’s production plants or in one of the 250 community based businesses.

Please pay your $1 at MC Reception Desk if you are participating in Casual Dress Day.

Viterbo Employee Night at the Rivoli. Watch for details!

Lost and found: MC Reception Desk.

24 hour security: call x3911.

Employee Assistance Center (EAC) is for all Viterbo employees and their families. Contact Franciscan-Skemp (608) 791-9530, (800) 493-3960.

Class cancellations: Teacher class cancellation line: 796-3080 or 796-3190. Students call for class cancellations: 796-3200.

Connections is published each Monday by the Public Relations office. Copy deadline is noon Thursday. Send your announcements via campus mail to the public relations office, MC22, E-mail sakluess@mail. viterbo.edu. An edited version of each issue of Connections can be found on the Web at www.viterbo.edu at "Campus News."
 

Arts & Entertainment
Work by Senior Graphic Design majors is presently on exhibit in the Fine Arts Center third floor gallery. The show features the work of Sara Aleckson, Sanja Dojcinovic, John Flottmeyer, Leann Marschall, Bobbie Jean Miller, Angie Olson, Mike Peterson, and Carina Skolos.

The Gallery is open weekdays during business hours. Call Ed Rushton,   x 3752, for more information.

As part of the "Senior Showcase Series" the classic American play, Our Town, by Thornton Wilder, will be presented at 7:30 p.m. on March 25-28 in the La Croix Black Box Theatre.

Directed by Jake Dunham, this Pulitzer Prize winner is considered to be one of the most deeply human, spiritually engaging, and universal theatrical expressions of life in small-town America. The play uses humor, pathos, and metaphoric staging to reveal centuries of social history in small town America.

Tickets are $4 and may be purchased at the Box Office, x3100.

Porgy and Bess will make its Bright Star Season and La Crosse debut at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 23 in the FAC Main Theatre.
For ticket information call the Box Office, x3100.
 

Viterbo people
Elizabeth Seebach, Ph.D., psychology, participated in a roundtable discussion on day care vs. stay-at-home parent care and effects on children. The discussion was broadcast on WIZM radio on Mar. 8.

Lyon Evans, English, has been selected to be a faculty consultant for the 1999 Advanced Placement literature exam. The week-long reading and assessment of AP exams, sponsored by Education Testing Service, will take place in Daytona Beach, Florida, June 10-16.
 

Kudos to…
Todd Munson, Dahl School of Business, and economics instructor for the ADVANCE Program, recently received a National Science Foundation grant to participate in the 1999 National Chautauqua Short Course Program, The Economics of Health Care, taught by David Cutler, May 24-26, at Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.

Have news about your department or students’ accomplishments? Share your achievements with the campus community by sending us a note via "Connections."
 

Changes coming in the Copy Center
A new copy machine with network capabilities was purchased to replace the small copier in the Copy Center. Training sessions will be available after the new copier is installed this week. Expect delays, so plan accordingly. Look for further information concerning the operating procedures in a memo later this week. Thanks in advance for your patience.

Next week the large copier will be replaced with a newer model offering more capabilities. Details to follow.

Campus Ministry News
by Father Tom O’Neill
Celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation in a communal Celebration of Penance at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Mar. 30 in the College Church.
 
Lent 1999: Operation Rice Bowl: sponsored by Catholic Relief Services to help the less fortunate. Operation Rice Bowl helps us during Lent to Pray, Fast, Learn and Give in solidarity with those in need. Contribution containers are available at the Church entrance.
 
Soup and bread lunch, sponsored by Social Justice Group, will be held each Wed. in the Cafeteria. Free will offerings will go to Operation Rice Bowl.
 
Wednesdays in Lent: Interdenominational (ecumenical) Evening Vespers each Wed. night at 5:30 p.m. in the College Church with Pastor Reese; 10 p.m. Lenten Taize Prayer in the College Church.
 
Liturgical Schedule for Holy Week at the College Church:
• Passion (Palm) Sunday, Mar. 28 at 11 a.m.
• Mon., Tues., Wed. of Holy Week, Mar. 29-31, Mass at noon
• Holy Thursday, April 1, 7 p.m.
• Good Friday, April 2, 3 p.m.
Holy Saturday Easter Vigil and Mass, April 3, 8:30 p.m.
 

Wanted:
Students interested in improving their reading speed. The Learning Center is offering a free eight-session class beginning at 3 p.m. on Mar. 29.

Sign up in the Learning Center by Fri., Mar. 26.

V-Hawk sports update
by Jerry Smith
Playing the name game in Idaho

When the Viterbo men’s basketball team throttled Grand View College in the championship game of the Midwest Classic Conference Tournament a couple of weeks ago, I knew there would be a good chance that I would be going out to Nampa, Idaho, with the team for the NAIA Division II Men’s Basketball National Championship.

After plans were frantically made to get the 20 or so people in the traveling party out there, I was able to relax, albeit for only a few moments, to ponder what my role would be.

I decided I would do the usual media stuff, like write press releases after each game and send them back here to the local media so we could get some good coverage, make media calls, take photographs so we would forever have a record of this momentous trip to the NAIA’s version of the "Big Dance," and double as an ambassador for the city of La Crosse.

Wait a minute. That’s not in my job description!

It was nevertheless a job I found myself performing at least a handful of times a day, and I can almost bet that anyone wearing Viterbo College gear had to do the same throughout the week.

That portion of my job, whether I wanted it or not, started before I even stepped foot out of the plane in Nampa. In the plane, in the airport, in the lavatory, it didn’t matter. People were curious to know first how to pronounce the name, and then to know where Viterbo College was.

Now I could handle telling folks all about Viterbo and La Crosse, because I am kind of loyal to both. But before it was all said and done, I nearly blew out my voice correcting people on the proper pronunciation of Viterbo. I’m sure anyone who dared to wear the Viterbo colors was constantly doing the same thing.

It got so bad at times, it became a standing joke with some of the players on the team. "Here come those Ve-ter-bo Jayhawks again," one of the players would say.

Next year when the V-Hawks go to nationals, I’m going to send the La Crosse Area Chamber of Commerce a bill for doing some of their job in promoting the area, and I suggest anyone else who plans on going and wearing the Viterbo colors to do the same.

Nampa notes: As a team, the V-Hawks made school history by making it to the quarterfinals of the prestigious tournament. For that, Coach Todd Eisner, the coaching staff and the players deserve a great big "atta boy." Here goes … "ATTA BOY!"

However, there were a few individuals who deserve congratulations as well:
• Junior forward Luke Maher was named to the 1999 NAIA Men’s Division II All-Tournament Team.
This came on the heels of being named to the NAIA All-American Honorable Mention team. (Senior guard Beth Vacek also deserves accolades for being named to the women’s NAIA All-American Honorable Mention team).

• Senior forward Chad Helle was among four players who set the standard at the tournament in three-point field goals made in a game. Helle drained 7 of 9 threes in the first round against MidAmerican Nazarene.

• Senior guard Matt Schroeder had 10 assists in the V-Hawks loss to Berea College in the quarterfinals, which was third best for the tournament.

Congratulations, V-Hawks, and thanks for the thrilling ride.
 

Sigma Theta Tau
Dr. Patricia Martin from Sigma Theta Tau, International Honor Society of Nursing will be on campus March 25-26 to complete a site visit. The site visit is one of the final steps in the process for establishing a Sigma Theta Tau chapter at Viterbo College School of Nursing.

The purposes of the organization are to recognize superior achievement, recognize the development of leadership qualities, foster high professional standards, encourage creative work and strengthen commitment to the ideals and purposes of the nursing profession. Members are inducted into the Honor Society annually. The Honor Society offers educational programming to the membership, nursing students, and the nursing community.
 

News you’ll notice
by  Todd Ericson
Viterbo College is nearing the completion of its annual budget preparation process for the 1999-2000 budget period. The current status of the process is provided below.

Controllable budget requests totaling over $540,000 were made by departments for the 1999-2000 budget year. The available resource pool, however, is limited to $204,000. As such, the Finance Committee met weekly during February and March, prioritizing controllable budget requests. Factors considered during the prioritization process included:

The Finance Committee has forwarded its recommendations to the President’s Cabinet. The President’s Cabinet will review these recommendations, will incorporate these recommendations with any modifications into the 1999-2000 budget, and will present the budget to the Board of Directors at its April meeting. Each department which has made a controllable budget request will receive notification from my office regarding whether a specific budget request has been approved.

Jay McHenry and I have reviewed all physical plant improvement requests, and have prioritized physical plant improvement projects for funding in 1999-2000. These recommendations have also been forwarded to the President’s Cabinet, and the process for approval will follow that of the controllable budget requests. The College Computer Committee has received all computerization requests, and has begun to prioritize all such requests, in addition to those priorities established in the long-term campus computerization plan. Recommendations from the Computer Committee will be forwarded to the President’s Cabinet during spring 1999, and projects will proceed once recommendations have been approved. Academic and non-academic equipment requests have been provided to Jack Havertape and me for consideration.
 

New books in the library
Reef Fish Identification (Florida, Caribbean, Bahamas) by Paul Humann (QL 125 .H85 R45 1989) is an unparalleled collection of stunning color photos, which, along with a quick-reference format, provide recreational divers the necessary tools to become underwater naturalists.

Never at War: Why democracies will not fight one another by Spencer R. Weart (JC 421 .W43 1998) surveys the history of conflict between democracies, and finds that fully democratic nations have never made war on other democracies. He found a still broader zone of peace among oligarchic republics. Furthermore, peaceful leagues endure only when member states are democracies or oligarchies. By identifying danger-points for democracy, he offers practical information on safeguarding peace in the future.

Running Scared: Why America's politicians campaign too much and govern too little by Anthony King (JK 2281 .K45 1997) details why America's politicians constant and unremitting electoral preoccupations have a deleterious consequence for the functioning of the American system, consuming time and scarce resources. King, a friendly foreigner (a Brit) suggests, among other things, lengthening terms, eliminating off-year elections and reducing primary challenges.
 

Beware of the perils of ‘spell checking’
Eye halve a spelling chequer
It came with my pea sea
It plainly marques four my revue
Miss steaks eye kin knot sea.
Eye strike a key and type a word
And weight four it two say
Weather eye am wrong oar write
It shows me strait a weigh.
As soon as a mist ache is maid
It nose bee fore two long
And eye can put the error rite
Its rare lea ever wrong.
Eye have run this poem threw it
I am shore your pleased two no
Its letter perfect awl the weigh
My chequer tolled me sew.
            —Sauce unknown

Quote
It’s a pleasure to give advice, humiliating to need it, and normal to ignore it.
—Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.