News for Employees
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Free parenting classes now open for spring
The Office of Child Care and Family Resources offers free parenting classes to UW–Madison employees, students, and spouses/partners. These classes provide valuable tools for navigating common parenting issues, promoting healthy child development, and improving well-being both at home and on campus. Registration for the Spring 2025 Series is now open and includes classes on raising teens, parenting as a team, setting healthy boundaries with family, and more. All classes are held virtually via Zoom from noon to 1:15 p.m. unless otherwise noted.
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Nominations open for Partners in Giving awards
Nominations are now being accepted for four Partners in Giving volunteer awards. Employees are encouraged to nominate campaign volunteers who have done outstanding work to support the campaign. The nomination deadline is Friday, Jan. 31. Award descriptions and the nomination form are available at giving.wi.gov/campaign-awards.
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Volunteers sought to help plan the 2025 IT Professionals Conference
Conference organizers are looking for creative, enthusiastic colleagues to help plan the 2025 IT Professionals Conference, UW–Madison’s annual networking and learning event for information technology professionals. There are opportunities for all levels of expertise, interests, and availability on the planning committee. This year’s conference will be held on May 29, with options to attend in-person or via Zoom. All interested employees are invited to attend an informational session about the planning committee and planning process on Wednesday, Jan. 29, at 1 p.m. via Microsoft Teams. Individuals may also sign up to volunteer.
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Resources for supervisors and aspiring leaders
Campus Supervisors Network (CSN) is a Community of Practice dedicated to promoting leadership and personnel management at UW–Madison by sharing ideas and best practices. A planning committee develops trainings and networking opportunities. Supervisors and aspiring leaders will also find a wealth of resources on the CSN website, and can sign up to receive Planners’ Picks, a weekly newsletter. All UW supervisors are encouraged to participate; visit campussupervisorsnetwork.wisc.edu for details.
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New deadline: Administrative Professionals Conference call for proposals
The deadline to submit a proposal to present at the Administrative Professionals Conference has been extended to Friday, Jan. 31. Interested speakers are invited to propose 60-minute breakout sessions; these can be workshops, panel discussions, or lectures. The conference, scheduled for Wednesday, April 9, 8:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m. at Union South, offers professional development to UW–Madison employees and others in topics such as career management, leadership, equity, inclusion and diversity, workplace skills, relationship building, and well-being. Criteria for successful proposals and potential session topics are available on the call for proposals page of the conference website. Registration has a $135 fee and is open through March 25.
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2025 Cybersecurity Awareness Training now available
UW–Madison employees can now register for and complete their 2025 Cybersecurity Awareness Training. UW System Administrative Policy 1032 requires that all employees complete the Cybersecurity Awareness Training every 365 days (or earlier if required by the employee’s area). New this year, there is only one training option for employees who use computers for their work with UW–Madison. This online training is a highly visual and interactive version that is accessible for people who are blind, have low vision, or use screen readers. It is only available in English. Employees who do not work with computers should speak to their supervisor or human resources representative to see if they qualify for the paper-based version of the training (available in 6 different languages).
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Nominations open for Academic Staff Excellence Awards
Each year, UW–Madison and Universities of Wisconsin honor academic staff members for their achievements and dedication to excellence. The UW‒Madison Academic Staff Excellence Awards will honor individuals in eight categories. The deadline for nominations is Monday, Jan. 27. A new award this year, the Mary Lucy Clark Distinguished Teaching Award, has a nomination deadline of Friday, Feb. 21.
In addition to the UW‒Madison awards, nominations are also welcome for the Regents Academic Staff Excellence Awards from the Universities of Wisconsin. Nominations for these awards, which include both individual and program awards, must be submitted by Monday, Jan. 27. Nominations are also invited for the Alliant Energy Underkofler Excellence in Teaching Award, which honors an instructional staff member, and the Regents Teaching Excellence Award for a department or program. Nominations for these two awards are due Friday, Feb. 21.
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Spring semester resources for instructors
Prepare to Teach has resources for start of classes. Instructors can find a handy checklist, Canvas resources, and more at Prepare to Teach. This page pulls together resources from the Center for Teaching, Learning & Mentoring and campus partners.
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Upcoming sessions for prospective volunteer tutors
The Volunteer Tutoring Program at UW‒Madison matches employees with tutors who provide one-on-one instruction in conversation practice, basic English skills for reading and writing, or learning about the U.S. culture. Tutors have the option to receive online training and may choose to earn a Tutor Training Certificate. Informational sessions about becoming a tutor will be held online via Zoom on Jan. 16, Jan. 22, and Jan. 28. There is no obligation to volunteer after attending. UW employees, students, and community members are all welcome to volunteer.
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University Staff leave balances starting January 1, 2025
As previously announced, starting Jan. 1, 2025, University Staff employees will transition to a new leave schedule. During the one-time transition period from January 1 to June 30, 2025, employees will receive half of their vacation allocation, half of their personal holiday leave, and three legal holidays. Updated leave balances will become available to view in MyUW in early January.
More information is available on the University Staff Leave Changes website at go.wisc.edu/rb4ebg. Employees should contact their local human resources department with questions.