Connections
A Newsletter for the Viterbo College Community
Vol. 12 No 29 March 29, 1999
Deadline reminder
This Wednesday, March 31, is the deadline for submitting nominations for the Outstanding Academic Advisor Award.
Please consult Viterbo’s Web page under "academics" or pick up a form from Peg in MC 215.
—Wayne Wojciechowksi
From La Crosse ROTC
Of the 29 students who are on full ROTC scholarships, 19 of those students are enrolled at Viterbo College. The total scholarship dollars spent this semester is $141,618, with $116,627 being paid to Viterbo College. Lt. Col. Gaetzke reports that this year’s scholarship program for current high school seniors has been completed and eight of the incoming freshman to Viterbo will be Army ROTC scholarship winners.
The department commissioned four new second lieutenants in last December’s graduation, and projects 13 more graduates this coming spring. Eight of this spring’s graduates are from Viterbo.
Staff assembly grant
It’s that time of year, again…Staff Assembly is searching for the 1999-2000 recipient of the Staff Assembly Grant. The recipient will be announced at Honors Convocation on May 6. Please help in identifying students that should be considered.
The Grant is given to a junior or senior that demonstrates need. Put your thinking caps on and watch for the nomination forms in your mailbox this week.
Your donation to "Spirit Day," the first "Casual Dress Friday" of the month, supports the Staff Assembly Grant.
Welcome
Paul Sannerud has been appointed the new dean of the School of Fine Arts effective July 1.
He will be arriving from Cornell College, Mt Vernon, Iowa where he is currently serving as chair of Theatre and Communication Studies. He has been there since 1993. Previous to Cornell, he was on faculty in the theatre department at the University of Northern Iowa (1989-93) and Luther College (1987-89). Paul earned his BA (theatre) from Augsburg College in Minneapolis and his MFA (theatre design and technology) from the University of Minnesota.
Theology field trip
Students interested in pursuing a graduate degree in theology [M.Div; M.A.R., M.Th] are invited on a field trip to the University of Dubuque (all day) Mon., April 12. Please contact Bill Reese, religious studies, x3708.
Bits and pieces
Notary Public: Chris Sanger is a Notary Public. The service is available to the Viterbo community at no charge.
Casual Dress Fri. April 2, Closed—Good Friday
Viterbo Employee Night at the Rivoli. Coming soon!
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."
Viterbo people
Congratulations and welcome to new employee:
Tammy Edens new Secretary for Admission, started Mar. 24. Stop by the Admission office & say hello.
Lisa Schoenfielder, art professor, and art education students Jennifer Olson and Beth Winters, will give a presentation at the Wisconsin Art Education Association’s Spring Conference "Art & Design: Exploring Connections" at UW-Stout on April 9.
Lisa Schoenfielder is showing new monotype prints at Luther College this month in the Union Gallery. She also participated in "Culture Rot," a portfolio print exchange involving 24 printmakers throughout the United States.
Arts & Entertainment
The Viterbo Senior Graphic Design student show runs through March 31 in the third floor Fine Arts Center Gallery. Upcoming shows at the Viterbo College Gallery include the Senior Exhibition of Chandra Samara Collins and Virginia Samantha Gunderson, April 7-18 with an opening reception at 7:30 p.m. on April 8. Chandra and Sam will be showing work in various media including oil, monotype and charcoal.
The Viterbo All Student Show will run from April 22 through May 6 with an opening reception at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday April 22.
The Gallery is open weekdays during business hours. Call Ed Rushton, x 3752, for more information.
Kudos to…
Rosey Dregne, BSN, RN of Readstown was recently named one of the regional winners of the Wisconsin Outstanding Nurse of the Year. Dregne is a Viterbo nursing graduate and she also recently completed a parish nursing course taught by Ruth Williams at the Bethel Home in Viroqua.
Students Jamie Davidson and Sue Fischer were in Madison to attend the Wisconsin Newspaper Association Conference. Upon their return, they co-authored a story which appeared in the statewide WNA newspaper.
When Renee Heuss, Viterbo USA Today Honorable Mention, graduates, Viterbo’s loss will be UW-Madison’s gain. She reports that she has been accepted into medical school there.
Telly Rolle, our President for a Day, will be on WKTY 580 radio on April 1 from 2-3 p.m. promoting Viterbo and global education. Telly who is from the Bahamas will be joined by Nicoleen Rhoomes, a Viterbo College student from Jamaica. Listen in. The program promises to be informative and we’ve been promised that we would be treated to some Calypso music from the Caribbean.
As some of you may know, Viola Jeffrey, Viterbo nursing student, has taken this semester off to represent her country as the new Miss Belize 1998-1999. She is serving as a goodwill ambassador for her country and will participate in many ceremonial activities, such as the Independence Day parade and other national events. "I will be a good role model and spokesperson for the people of Belize," she says.
This year, the Miss Universe Pageant airs May 26 at 8 p.m. CST in Trinidad Tabago.
Pat Kerrigan, Public Relations and Marketing, will be covering the story live for Strides Magazine.
Have news about your department or students’ accomplishments? Share your achievements with the campus community by sending us a note via "Connections."
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.
Please return all contributions for Operation Rice Bowl to one of the Campus Ministers by Easter break; thanks so much to all who participated.
Wednesdays in Lent: the final soup and bread lunch, sponsored by Agape, will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Wed. Mar 31 in the cafeteria. Proceeds go to Operation Rice Bowl. Evening Vespers with Bill Reese at 5:30 p.m. in the College Church; Taize Prayer at 10 p.m.
Liturgical Schedule for Holy Week at the College Church:
• 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.
Rest In Peace: Please remember those who have recently died: Paula Ripple Comin, alum; the father-in-law of Michael Ranscht; the grandfathers of Charity Jolicoeur and Sheila McDonnell; and, the grandmothers of Andy Kaiser and Nicole Olstad.
Retreat Opportunities at St. Anthony’s, Marathon: Holy Week Retreat, April 1-3/4; Retreat For Divorced & Separated, Apr. 911. See Fr. Tom for details.
News you’ll notice
Wayne Wojciechowski
Student Retention
The issue of student retention sparks attention on all college campuses and Viterbo is no exception. Yet student retention should not be the goal of any college but rather the by-product of a good student fit for the college and providing quality teaching and service to students.
At the beginning of the spring ’99 semester Viterbo had a 93% retention rate of its full-time students from the beginning of the fall ’98 semester to the spring ’99 semester. This is one of the best full-time retention rates for Viterbo from the fall to spring semesters in ten years. In fact we have demonstrated a steady improvement from a low full-time student retention rate of 90.5% in spring ’95.
Another benchmark is the retention rate of first-time freshman. The following chart will provide you with the retention rates by semester of the freshman classes from 1995 through 1998. The chart seems to reflect some improvement in student retention in the past two semesters especially for the last two freshman classes.
Freshman Freshman Freshman Freshman
Class ’95 Class ’96 Class ’97 Class ’98
Beginning 2nd Sem. 85% 86% 85% 88%
Beginning 3rd Sem. 67% 65% 70%
Beginning 4th Sem. 62% 61% 67%
Beginning 5th Sem. 57% 54%
Beginning 6th Sem. 55% 54%
Beginning 7th Sem. 52%
Beginning 8th Sem. 50%
The reasons for student attrition at Viterbo are many and varied. Some of the major contributing factors are:
• Personal/Health related
• Financial
• Lack of academic commitment and/or poor class attendance
The last issue is the one that concerns me particularly since it includes students who are very gifted and quite capable of outstanding achievement levels. This is a real challenge for all of us at Viterbo and one which has no simple solution. Yet, I believe we need to respond constructively to this situation because of the student and likewise be responsible stewards for the financial aid and scholarship money provided to students.
The quality of faculty-student interaction and student integration into the social and intellectual life of Viterbo needs to be our primary focus. To these ends the Enrollment Management Committee last academic year formulated an Operational Plan for Student Retention that was shared with the President and the Cabinet. This spring semester the Enrollment Management Committee reviewed the progress and outcomes from the implementation of that plan and made necessary refinements. Perhaps this is why there has been an improvement in student retention this academic year. For this we say thank you on behalf of the students.
Hospice volunteers needed
The Gundersen Lutheran Hospice Program needs volunteers to be part of the team—helping families, running errands, staying with the patient so loved ones can have a break, and more. If you have a compassionate heart, a willing spirit and a few hours a week, you are needed. Your time is donated, but the rewards are beyond measure.
The next Hospice Volunteer Training is: April 15 & 16 (Pre-registration required by April 9, Riverview Room, 2nd Floor, 811 Monitor Street, La Crosse.
To register or for more information call Gundersen Lutheran Volunteer Services, 791-6755.
Celebrating the woman in you series-April 14
"Songs for the Soul," a special program to help women nurture and develop their spiritual awareness, will be held from 7 to 8:30 p.m. on Wed., April 14, in the Overholt Auditorium at Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center.
This program is designed to help women cope with key issues in their lives, and is sponsored by Gundersen Lutheran Counseling Services.
Guitarist Todd Werner will perform his original music. With his own unique sense of humor, he’ll also discuss many problems women face today and connect them to each person’s potential.
Cost of the session is $5, which is payable at the program. Pre-registration is requested. For more information call Gundersen Lutheran Counseling Services, 791-4707.
From the Pump House
Thomas Huck Print Show, Front Gallery, showing through April 11. These rich black and white woodcuts, depicting the foibles of public and political life, are from the collection of Chad Oness, Assistant Professor of English and Editor of the Sutton Hoo Press at UW-L.
La Crosse Society of Arts and Crafts This 80+ year old group presents a variety of work from its members. All works are for sale.
The benefits of smiling
You can forget about Prozac or St. John’s Wort. A genuine smile increases the production of serotonin, the happy hormone.
It’s a bonding agent. Smiling builds bridges to other people around us. It keeps us from remaining aloof and separate from one another. Babies as young as three weeks old even recognize smiling as a bonding behavior.
What a workout! One smile uses more than 16 muscles.
Statistics
The cost of education
• 52.2 percent of four-year college students are at schools with tuition costing less than $4,000. Nearly 75 percent of students are on campuses where tuition is under $8,000.
• 6.4 percent of students are at $20,000+ institutions.
• More than 80 percent of the students at over-$20,000 schools are not paying the full price because they have financial aid.
• Two-thirds of college students currently have their bills reduced by financial aid. Of the remaining third, many could have received aid but didn’t ask.
—USA Today
Quote
Risk—The trouble is, if you don’t risk anything, you risk even more. —Erica Jong