Carmichael is leaving UW-Green Bay to take the position of Vice President for Institutional Advancement at Flagler College in St. Augustine, Fla., her undergraduate alma mater. And while she describes the new position as her “dream job,” Carmichael says it is nonetheless difficult to leave UW-Green Bay.

“This decision brings with it much emotion, as leaving UW-Green Bay truly is bittersweet,” Carmichael said. “I have so enjoyed serving as Assistant Chancellor for University Advancement, and I have come to love this University more each day. I believe in the mission and the heart of UW-Green Bay, and I will miss it very much.”

Carmichael has held her current position for nearly three years, after taking over the role July 15, 2010. Her hire was a return to UW-Green Bay, where she’d served in the same position on an interim basis in late 2000 and early 2001. Carmichael has an extensive fundraising background, having spent the five years prior to her 2010 hire as a partner and fundraising consultant with The Winston Group in Green Bay. Prior to that, she served as the director of corporate relations at St. Norbert College in De Pere and as the director of development at Flagler. She began her professional career as a third-grade teacher in Florida, and she and her husband, Don Carmichael, always intended to return there eventually. Carmichael has been an active community volunteer, involved in numerous organizations including the Community Partnership for Children, the Women’s Fund of Greater Green Bay, the Encompass Early Education and Care Foundation and many others.

During her three years at UW-Green Bay, Carmichael’s accomplishments and successes have been many. She reorganized the University’s Advancement Division and was instrumental in establishing the UW-Green Bay Foundation, Inc., launched in April 2011 to give the University greater flexibility in managing gifts and assets, and in being proactive in its private fundraising. Under her leadership, fundraising numbers have increased year-over-year, and the University successfully implemented a rebranding initiative during the 2012-13 academic year. Carmichael was a co-founder of the University’s After Thoughts series of programs, which gather women for learning, networking and socialization after the workday ends.

Carmichael will be missed, said UW-Green Bay Chancellor Tom Harden.

“Bev Carmichael has done so much for this University, and we certainly will miss her leadership, knowledge and enthusiastic advocacy on behalf of UW-Green Bay,” Harden said. “I also have every confidence that Jeanne Stangel, in her interim role, will help us achieve a smooth and successful transition during this time of change.”

Stangel has served as UW-Green Bay’s Director of Development for more than a year, previously having held the role of associate athletic director, senior women’s athletics administrator and director of the Phoenix Fund, the fundraising arm of UW-Green Bay Athletics. A 1987 graduate alumna of UW-Green Bay, Stangel has held a variety of other positions with the University, amassing nearly 25 years experience as a student, administrator, alumna and advocate. She maintains extensive community and professional ties.

“We are all sorry to lose such a dynamic leader, though we wish Dr. Carmichael nothing but the best in her new role,” Stangel said. “Through hard work, mutual support and Dr. Carmichael’s continued guidance, we will continue doing her tireless work on behalf of this great University.”

Carmichael will begin her new duties at Flagler College Aug. 1. The school is a four-year liberal arts college in St. Augustine, Fla., with a student enrollment of approximately 2,600. Accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, Flagler awards Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Fine Arts and Bachelor of Science in Public Administration degrees in a variety of major, minor, pre-professional and external academic programs. More information is available at www.flagler.edu.

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Lakowske, of Sparta, is receiving her bachelor’s degree in Psychology with minors in Human Development and Public Administration, and honors in the major.

She was nominated and selected from among approximately 900 graduating seniors who are eligible to receive diplomas at the Saturday, May 18 commencement ceremony at the Kress Events Center on campus. The UW-Green Bay Alumni Association has been soliciting nominations and designating a single Outstanding Student Award recipient for each graduating class since 1976.

Lakowske will accept the Outstanding Student Award at an awards ceremony for graduating seniors Friday night, May 17. She will also be acknowledged from stage at commencement the following day.

Lakowske is an accomplished student researcher who exhibited posters at the annual UW-Green Bay Academic Excellence Symposium in 2012 and 2013, and at the Midwestern Psychological Association Conference this month in Chicago. Her topic this year was “Personality Influence on Irrational Beliefs and Organizational Commitment.” She also served as a research assistant in her department’s Language Learning Lab, as an intern and volunteer assistant with UW-Green Bay’s Camp Lloyd summer camp for grieving children, and as a teaching assistant for a social sciences statistics course.

A member of the NCAA Division I women’s cross country team at UW-Green Bay, Lakowske is a multiple winner of All-Horizon League academic honors. Over the course of her UW-Green Bay career, she has served as president of the Psychology and Human Development Club and as an officer of the campus chapter of the Psi Chi psychology honor society. In those roles, she has promoted new initiatives to stage career-information sessions, publicize faculty mentoring opportunities and develop a grad-school preparatory series.

In the community, Lakowske has volunteered with the Brown County chapter of NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness; and the local Depression Bipolar Support Alliance, working to increase awareness of mental health issues among her fellow UW-Green Bay students.

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Dhein will accept the award from Chancellor Tom Harden during spring 2013 commencement at 11:30 a.m. Saturday, May 18 at the Kress Events Center on campus, 2420 Nicolet Drive.

Dhein is chief adviser to the higher-education-friendly 1923 Fund and 1883 Fund charitable trusts. The philanthropic foundations were established by the late Dr. David A. Cofrin, who in the founding documents identified 16 organizations that he considered “particularly deserving,” including UW-Green Bay and the Cofrin Center for Biodiversity.

While the funds have provided important support for the University, Dhein also has extended that financial philanthropy to personal involvement. He is an engaged and active presence with UW-Green Bay natural areas, scientific research, the Theatre and Dance program and the Weidner Center for the Performing Arts, among others.

A native of West Bend, Dhein holds a bachelor’s in agricultural economics from UW-Madison. He worked in computing and technology before being approached by Dr. Cofrin in 2004 to serve as co-adviser of the 1923 Fund. The 1883 Fund was created in 2008, and Dhein became chief adviser of both funds one year later upon the passing of Dr. Cofrin.

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As of May 7, 802 students had registered to graduate at the end of spring semester 2013, and another 129 intend to complete their degree requirements this summer, according to the UW-Green Bay Office of Institutional Research and Assessment. Each one of those 931 total students is eligible to participate in spring commencement exercises, and more than 75 percent have indicated they plan to attend. Similar to recent years, 96 percent (892) of the candidates for graduation are completing undergraduate degrees, while 4 percent (39) are finishing master’s degrees. Spring commencement ceremonies will take place at 11:30 a.m. Saturday, May 18 at the Kress Events Center on campus, 2420 Nicolet Drive.

Here, by the numbers, is a look at the class of 2013:

• Undergraduate degree candidates range in age from 20 to 64, with an average age of 26 years. Master’s candidates range in age from 23 to 46, with an average age of 32. Ninety percent (35 individuals) of grad students and 34 percent (309 individuals) of undergraduates are age 25 or older.

• Sixty-eight percent of undergraduate degree candidates (609 individuals) are women. An even larger percentage of the master’s candidates — 74 percent, or 29 individuals — are women.

• About eight percent of undergraduate degree candidates are students of color from a range of backgrounds, including Asian American, Native American, Mexican or Hispanic American and African American, as well as those from multiple racial or ethnic categories.

• Candidates for graduation have addresses in China, Germany, Great Britain, Korea, Mexico, Nepal and Vietnam, as well as 27 U.S. states.

• More than 20 percent (179 students) of undergraduate degree applicants completed high school in Brown County. Eleven Northeastern Wisconsin high schools have more than 10 alumni applying for graduation in May or August: Green Bay Preble (39), De Pere (22), Pulaski (19), Green Bay Southwest (18), Green Bay East (18), Bay Port (17), Denmark (16), Luxemburg-Casco (15), Ashwaubenon (14), Manitowoc Lincoln (12) and West De Pere (11).

• Master’s degree candidates for May and August come from four programs: Environmental Science and Policy (seven individuals), Management (three individuals), Social Work (23 individuals) and Teaching and Learning (six individuals).

• Six undergraduate degree applicants are slated to complete an associate degree, and the remaining 886 will complete bachelor’s degrees. Four bachelor’s candidates are completing triple majors and 149 are completing double majors.

• Business Administration tops the list of most popular majors for this year’s undergraduates, with 118 candidates for graduation. It is followed by Interdisciplinary Studies (93), Psychology (88), Human Biology (85) and Human Development (85).

A tentative list of majors and number of undergraduate candidates is as follows:

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State Reps. John Klenke, R-Green Bay and Chad Weininger, R-Green Bay, hosted the session in conjunction with the University. Chancellor Tom Harden offered opening comments before the floor was opened for attendee input, outlining UW-Green Bay’s revenue balance situation in light of recent media attention to the issue.

“At this University, we feel good about the balance that we have — we’re not embarrassed by it,” Harden said. “We think our balance has been very, very appropriate, and not too high.”

Harden has been supportive of Gov. Scott Walker’s proposed budget since day one, he said, noting that the proposed $181 million System increase would be important for costs to continue and economic development across the state. With recent talks about System revenue balances perhaps putting that increase in jeopardy, Harden said, not receiving those funds would be significant for UW-Green Bay. A likely tuition freeze could likewise pose challenges.

Klenke addressed the reserve issue several times throughout the nearly hour-long session, noting that no one is saying the UW System shouldn’t have reserves — but the amount of the funds and the context in which they’re presented and discussed are important. Legislators must consider competing priorities, he said. Still, when it comes to UW-Green Bay’s reserves, “I would argue they’re adequate,” said Klenke, a former business executive with Schneider National, “maybe even under a bit.”

Several students, faculty and staff members had their say during the legislative session. Student Government Association president Heba Mohammad told the legislators and fellow attendees she’s concerned about a possible tuition freeze, as well as the impact of any changes in the proposed budget. Without a pay plan, something UW-Green Bay officials have been discussing for some time and were hoping to pursue, Mohammad fears the loss of quality faculty that make her University experience what it is. She doesn’t understand why some legislators are “up in arms” about the discussion on reserves, she said.

“It doesn’t seem that universities are being trusted to handle their own money,” Mohammad said. “Having reserves in case something comes up (is critical). This UW System is really important to a lot of students.”

Other members of the University community also focused their comments on the possibility for a pay plan, and concern that the budget situation might hamstring progress in that vein. The UW System is critical to economic development in the state, yet taxpayer support is dwindling, said director of International Education Brent Blahnik. In discussing the possibility for a pay plan, Harden reiterated that compensation “has clearly been our highest priority … that it is by far the biggest need that we have.”

On the faculty side, Associate Prof. Derek Jeffreys spoke about the lack of civility that has at times characterized the statewide budget discussion, including his perception of expressed anti-intellectualism on the part of some legislators. CIT Help Desk manager Kevin Boerschinger praised the innovation and efficiency of UW-Green Bay, viewed through the lens of his two decades in private industry. And he, too, made a plea for civilized discourse as budget talks continue.

“If we’re going to run like a business, we shouldn’t be affected by politics nearly as much as we are,” Boerschinger said. “I think we need to find ways to trust each other a little more.”

This year’s honorees are Dr. Jerry Blackwell, Class of 1978; Kate Meeuwsen ’76; recent alumnus Danny Schulz ’05; and Julie Van Straten ’91.

The annual program spotlights UW-Green Bay alumni who have made special contributions to the University and to their communities. The ceremony takes place in the Grand Foyer of the Weidner Center for the Performing Arts on the campus at 2420 Nicolet Drive, Green Bay.

The event is open to the public. It begins with a 5 p.m. social and includes dinner at 6 p.m. followed by the program. The cost is $35 per person. For more information, contact the UW-Green Bay Alumni Office at (920) 465-2074 or alumni@uwgb.edu, or register online at www.uwgbalumniawards.eventbrite.com.

Three individuals will receive Distinguished Alumni Awards. They are:

Dr. Jerry Blackwell, Class of 1978

Kate Meeuwsen, Class of 1976

Julie Van Straten, Class of 1991

One alumnus will receive the Outstanding Recent Alumni Award. He is:

Danny Schulz, Class of 2005

The education services company features UW-Green Bay in the fourth annual edition of its free downloadable book, The Princeton Review’s Guide to 322 Green Colleges.

The Princeton Review chose the schools for this guide based on a 50-question survey it conducted in 2012 of administrators at hundreds of four-year colleges.

The Company analyzed data from the survey about the schools’ course offerings, campus infrastructure, activities and career preparation to measure their commitment to the environment and to sustainability.

In the guide’s profile on UW-Green Bay, The Princeton Review highlights the school’s historic mission and current-day offerings.

“UW-Green Bay is affectionately dubbed ‘Eco U,’” the profile begins. “Environmental research and applied ecological sciences were the focus of the institution’s educational philosophy at its inception.”

The publication goes on to mention:

• Student access to programs, courses, student research and internships in sustainability
• The Environmental Management and Business Institute
• Historically strong undergraduate and graduate programs in environmental sciences
• Capstone seminars in which students tackle high-level issues
• Dedicated recycling and environmental awareness programs
• Mary Ann Cofrin Hall and other energy-efficient features
• The on-campus Cofrin Memorial Arboretum and other natural area holdings

Schools are listed, but not ranked. Wisconsin schools in the guide are Marquette University, Northland College and the UW campuses at Eau Claire, Green Bay, Madison, Milwaukee, Oshkosh and Stevens Point.

Robert Franek, a senior vice president with The Princeton Review, says his company’s recent survey findings indicate significant interest among college applicants in attending “green” colleges. “Among (nearly 10,000) college applicants who participated in our 2013 ‘College Hopes & Worries Survey,’ 62 percent said having information about a school’s commitment to the environment would influence their decision to apply to or attend the school,” he said.

The Princeton Review created its Guide to 322 Green Colleges in partnership with the Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council, with generous support from United Technologies Corp., founding sponsor of the Center for Green Schools.

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• Dr. Jerry Blackwell, Class of 1978, president and executive director of the Wellmont CVA Heart Institute in Kingsport, Tenn. — A standout guard for the Phoenix NCAA Division II teams of the 1970s, Blackwell went on to achieve prominence as a cardiology researcher and practitioner who served on the faculty of the University of Alabama Birmingham and continues to find success in clinical practice as a leader in the advancement of MRI and new diagnostic imaging technologies. He received his UW-Green Bay bachelor’s in Population Dynamics.

• Kate Meeuwsen, Class of 1976, civic leader, retired educator and member of the UW-Green Bay Foundation Board and Council of Trustees — Meeuwsen has a far-ranging and distinguished record of advocacy on behalf of educational initiatives at her alma mater and communitywide. She and her family have been important supporters of Phoenix Athletics, the Weidner Center, development of the Kress Events Center, and academic enhancements. Her community involvement includes leadership of the Adolescent Parenting Coalition, Inc., and formation of the nature-based 4K program at the Green Bay Wildlife Sanctuary. She received her UW-Green Bay bachelor’s in Communication-Action (music).

• Julie Van Straten, Class of 1991, attorney, civic leader and general counsel for UnitedHealthOne —  Over 20 years with UnitedHealthcare, Van Straten has risen to an executive position with significant responsibility in corporate and regulatory matters, risk management and business development support. In the community, she has been honored (2010 Chamber of Commerce Athena Award) for her service as current president of the Women’s Fund of Greater Green Bay, as a member of the Chamber’s board of directors, and as a past board member for organizations including the Greater Green Bay Community Foundation, United Way of Brown County, and the American Foundation of Counseling Services.  She received her UW-Green Bay bachelor’s in English.

You have perhaps seen media reports involving alleged unacceptable conduct within the Phoenix Men’s Basketball program.
 
It is important that I share with you some basic information.
 
On Tuesday night (April 9) I received a copy of an email written by the parents of a student who has recently left the program. The email brought to my attention allegations of improper verbal and other non-physical abuse directed at that player by the team’s head coach.  The next morning I responded to the family and assured them we would investigate in light of their allegations.  More specifically, we are retaining an outside local professional— someone with no relationship to the parties involved, the athletics program, or the University — to conduct a full, fact-finding investigation.
 
The investigator will submit the report directly to me, and I will determine the appropriate course of action at that time. I expect it could be a matter of weeks before the report is concluded. Beyond that, I have few details to share regarding these allegations.
 
Some would like for me to speculate on possible outcomes or to provide additional context.   It would not be appropriate at this time.  My office reacted immediately and properly to a complaint I considered serious within hours of its reaching my desk. When the facts are known and we resolve this matter, it will be on the basis of an independent review conducted by a respected outside professional.
 
I will keep you informed as we move forward.
 
Sincerely,

Thomas K. Harden
Chancellor