All employees are invited to an Employee Appreciation Ice Cream Social on Tuesday, June 27. UW‒Madison leaders will be handing out free Babcock ice cream on Bascom Hill (weather permitting) from 1–2:30 p.m., or until supplies run out. A dairy-free option will be available. Ice cream will be served in cups in two areas of Bascom Hill, including one area with flat or gentle surface slopes for greater accessibility. In case of rain or severe weather, the event will move to Birge Hall; any change in location will be announced by 10 a.m. on June 27. Additional details, including parking and transportation tips, can be found at go.wisc.edu/p42pmi.

On June 26, RAMP (Research Administration Management Portal) will replace UW’s current pre-award software systems, WISPER and Cayuse, which facilitate the application for, and acceptance of, over $1.4 billion in sponsored programs funding annually.The cutover from WISPER to RAMP will start June 20; at that time, WISPER will be converted to view-only. Starting June 26, all research proposals, award setup, and sponsored agreements will need to be prepared and routed in RAMP. Cayuse will remain operational for several weeks after RAMP goes live for proposals that are already in process.

These changes are being implemented as part of the Administrative Transformation Program’s Research Administration Modernization Project. Visit the UW‒Madison RAMP Training and Resource Library to register for live training courses or to access training materials, user manuals, job aids, and more.

The 4th annual Student Employment Summer Summit will take place on Wednesday, July 12, 12:30‒4:30 p.m., at Gordon Dining and Event Center. This in-person event brings together supervisors, hiring managers, and others who support student employment at UW‒Madison and beyond. The event is hosted by the Student Employment team in the Office of Student Financial Aid and is offered at no cost.

Life Matters and the Employee Assistance Office will present a free session for UW‒Madison employees on Assertive Communication. Participants will learn how to boost self-esteem, address conflict, set boundaries, and more. Both virtual and in-person options will be offered. The virtual session will take place Monday, June 26, 11 a.m.‒noon with registration at go.wisc.edu/14877g. The in-person session is scheduled for Thursday, June 29, 10:30‒11:30 a.m. at 21 North Park Street, rooms 1106/1108, with registration at go.wisc.edu/7dsmfi.