University of Wisconsin - Madison
Richard Steeves, Emeritus Faculty from the UW Med School and Tom Eggert, Emeritus Faculty from the Nelson Institue will share perspectives on the future role of nuclear power. Richard heads up the local group "Rethinking Nuclear" (see https://rethinkingnuclear.org/) and has been an advocate for greater use of nuclear power. Tom taught classes through the WI School of Business and the Nelson Institute on the role of business in creating a sustainable future and led the Wisconsin Sustainable Business Council. They share a concern for the risk of climate change, both now and in the future, but they diverge on their embrace of nuclear power. Come listen to a new spin on the old argument of whether or not nuclear power deserves to be included in the future energy mix.
Dr. Richard Steeves is an Emeritus Professor of Radiation Oncology at the UW School of Medicine. He currently heads up the group "Rethinking Nuclear" which promotes nuclear power as a way to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. Since 2010 he has also been leading a discussion group called “Pathways to a Sustainable Planet”, for PLATO. His experience in handling X-rays and radioactive isotopes, both in the USA and at the Curie Institute in Paris, prepared him for delving into the potential benefits of atomic energy for solving our impending climate crisis. Cleaning up our generation of electricity is a good way to start, for transportation as well as for home and industrial use. Dr. Steeves drives an electric car and flies an electric airplane.
Tom Eggert has emeritus status at the University of Wisconsin-Madison where he developed classes in sustainability and systems thinking. He taught the first class on sustainability at UW in 1994 and has received numerous teaching awards. He served on the UW task force that created the Office of Sustainability, he was a Fulbright Scholar to Latvia (where he taught classes on sustainability) and he was one of the co-developers of the School of Business’ certificate in Business, Environment & Social Responsibility. In 2008, he founded the WI Sustainable Business Council, and served as the Executive Director until his retirement in 2018. In addition, he founded and oversees Wisconsin Microfinance; a non-profit that raises money for microloans.
If you have preliminary questions for the speakers, please email them in advance to program coordinators Tom Eggert at tleggert@wisc.edu by Thursday, March 16.
Food Pantry Contributions:
Checks payable to UW-Foundation, with "Open Seat" on the memo line may be mailed to UWRA, 21 North Park Street, Room 7205, Madison, WI 53715-1218.
Registration Deadline: Monday, March 20
Registration:
Advance registration is required. You are encouraged to register online. To register by phone or email, call the Association office. If you or your guest registered for this seminar but cannot attend, please cancel your registration online, or email/call the UWRA office.
NOTE: The weblink and virtual call information will be included in the meeting reminders registrants receive.
UW-Madison Retirement Association 21 N Park St, Room 7205 Madison WI 53715-1218 608-262-0641 retireassn@mailplus.wisc.edu
Retirement Opportunities Committee (ROC) offers programs and activities to help UWRA members live a rewarding retirement, all the while making new friends and having fun!
Program categories include: Health in Aging; Nature; Culture/Intellectual; Government/Political; Home Concerns; Social Justice; University Updates, and History, etc. The committee coordinates the "Activities in Retirement" column in the monthly newsletter.
Interested in possibly joining the committee? You are invited to attend a committee meeting to check it out. Please register.
Advance registration is required in order to receive virtual call information. To register by phone or email, call or email
2023 Big 10 Retiree Association Conference Committee Planning Session.
Advance registration is required. To register by phone or email, call or email
Join us for conversation and food !
Join fellow UWRA members for breakfast (or a cup of coffee or tea) at Elie's Family Restaurant (formerly known as Green Forest Restaurant). Members gather once a month for breakfast and lively conversation.
You can check out Elie's website.
Travel Committee typically organizes one-day travel opportunities leaving by bus from Madison to destinations that are historical, educational, and interesting.
Electronic Technology Committee assists members in staying abreast of changing electronic technology, which includes devices such as computers, tablets, telephones, cameras, printers, and software applications.
Monthly planning meeting of the Committee on Financial Matters in Retirement (CFMR).
The Committee offers monthly programs on topics dealing with financial matters in retirement. The topics include seminars on State health insurance coverages, federal and state tax changes, estate planning, management fees to invest, administer and dissolve a trust, how to protect against identity theft and other economic topics of interest to our members.
Have you wondered about why we should use solar panels for energy generation on homes and other sites? What are the societal and personal benefits? What are the key points to consider if you or your family are "going solar”? Join us on an informative journey with representatives from the Wisconsin Energy Institute, RENEW Wisconsin, the Couillard Solar Foundation, and a local solar installer.
Scott P. Williams, research and education coordinator for the Wisconsin Energy Institute, administers the Energy Analysis and Policy graduate certificate and the undergraduate Certificate in Engineering for Energy Sustainability and teaches courses in these programs. He also supports WEI’s public education and outreach programming as well as extracurricular student activities related to energy education and career connections.
Sam Dunaiski, executive director at RENEW Wisconsin, guides strategy, policy development, day to day operations, and membership engagement. Prior to joining RENEW Wisconsin, Sam worked as an operational meteorologist, creating short- to medium-range weather forecasts for utilities, radio stations, insurance companies, airports, agricultural organizations, and other clients.
Jackie Harrison-Jewell, executive director at the Couillard Solar Foundation, has worked in the solar and renewable energy field since 2017 and brings over 20 years of marketing, communications, design, and strategic planning to her role at CSF. She enjoys using those skills to help Wisconsin nonprofits get affordable, clean energy for their communities.
Justin Arneson, solar and storage consultant at All Energy Solar. He joined the company in 2015 and has helped more than 400 homeowners, businesses, and nonprofits make the switch to solar.
If you have preliminary questions for the speaker, please send to Program Coordinator srspring@wisc.edu by Wednesday, April 5.
Registration Deadline: Friday, April 7, 2023.
More than 648,000 members including current state and local government employees and retirees look to the Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS) to help provide for their retirement. The State of Wisconsin Investment Board (SWIB) is the independent state agency responsible for investing the assets of the retirement system.
Edwin Denson joined SWIB in 2018 as managing director, asset and risk allocation. He was appointed executive director/chief investment officer in April 2021. Before joining SWIB, Edwin was managing director, strategic tilting, at Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB). Prior to joining CPPIB in 2013, Edwin spent 13 years in asset allocation, currency, and risk management as a portfolio manager at William Blair & Company, managing member at Singer Partners LLC, and managing director and head of asset allocation at UBS Global Asset Management. Earlier in his career, Edwin was an economist at Lehman Brothers, Primark Decision Economics, and Putnam Investments, and he also briefly managed a commodity trading adviser and a quantitative equity strategy. Edwin holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Cornell University and a PhD in economics from Northwestern University.
Rochelle Klaskin, Deputy Executive Director and Chief Administrative Officer, joined SWIB in 2015 as its chief legal counsel before becoming deputy executive director/chief administrative officer. Throughout her more than 20-year career, she has led and advised organizations on board governance and legal matters, daily operations, and strategic transitions and planning. Prior to joining SWIB, she was a shareholder in the corporate practice group at the law firm Godfrey & Kahn, S.C., and she served as the managing partner of the firm’s Madison office. She earned her law degree from Chicago-Kent College of Law and a bachelor’s degree in journalism and mass communication from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill.
The Wisconsin Department of Employee Trust Funds (ETF) is the state agency administering retirement, insurance, and other benefit programs for active state and local employees and for retirees participating in the WRS.
John Voelker, ETF Secretary, will discuss the importance of providing a dependable retirement system, including maintaining its fully funded status, financing of annuity adjustments, and ensuring resources are available to support member services.
Mr. Voelker was appointed Deputy Secretary of the Department of Employee Trust Funds in July 2014, and has more than 35 years of public service experience. Immediately prior to his appointment the served 11 years as the Wisconsin Director of State Courts. During his 22 years with the court system, Mr. Voelker also served as the Assistant to the Chief Justice and as a Senior Policy Analyst. A native of Menasha, Wisconsin, he holds a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh.
This presentation will be videotaped.
If you have preliminary questions for the speaker, please send to Program Coordinators Millard Susman at msusman@wisc.edu and Mel Morgenbesser at mmorgenb@wisc.edu by Thursday, April 6.
Registration Deadline: Monday, April 10.
Join us for a discussion with Crystal Potts, UW-Madison’s Director of State Relations about the impact of the 2023-25 state budget proposal on the state and UW-Madison.
She will share her perspectives on the state budget process during a time of divided government in Wisconsin (Democratic governor, Republican-controlled legislature) and how it will impact the state and university. Crystal, who has a BA in political science and Chinese from UW-Madison, serves as the University’s point-of-contact for state government relations, including the governor’s office, state legislature and state agencies. She previously served as chief of staff to Wisconsin State Sen. Howard Marklein (R-Spring Green). In this capacity, she supported the legislature’s Joint Finance Committee as the Senate staff lead on tax and local government issues. Earlier in her career, she served as research assistant and staff clerk to the state Assembly’s Ways & Means Committee.
If you have preliminary questions for the speaker, please send to Program Coordinator Scott Hildebrand at scott.h.hildebrand@gmail.com by Tuesday, April 11.
Registration Deadline: Friday, April 14, 2023.
UWRA members are welcome to attend.
Advance registration is required in order to receive virtual call information.
To register by phone or email, contact:
Here’s a great chance to learn how UW-Madison uses social media to communicate about our amazing university with a wide range of audiences from Jennifer (Koppelman) Matteson, Social Media Manager, University Communication.
Is social media valuable for an institution of higher education? The answer is a definite yes! While it can be easy to get distracted by ever-changing trends and algorithms, at its core, social media is an enduring and valuable communication tool for a university. Social media channels, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn, provide UW–Madison with unique platforms for sharing the expertise, research and successes of our faculty, students and alumni. They also present opportunities to amplify their voices, create strong engagement among our campus community and reach new audiences. Join us to learn how UW–Madison University Communications effectively conceptualizes, strategizes and manages its social media channels as digital extensions of campus to keep our community informed and engaged. No social media knowledge necessary! #OnWisconsin
If you have preliminary questions for the speaker, please send to Program Coordinators Brad Hughes at bthughes@wisc.edu, Kathy Christoph at kathy.christoph@gmail.com, and Scott Springman at srspring@wisc.edu by Tuesday, April 25.
Registration Deadline: Friday, April 28, 2023.
This is self-drive day trip on Tuesday, May 9, 2023
(Rain Date: Thursday, May 11)
We know people have greatly valued our Four Lakes (DeJope) area for centuries, because they built roughly 1,200 effigy (animal/spirit-shaped) and other mounds on the high grounds overlooking the lakes starting about 800 BC. While the vast majority was destroyed through development, our guide will lead us on a two-mile walk where you will see remaining conical, linear, and effigy mounds. You will also learn the fascinating background of the indigenous people who lived, traded, hunted and fished the shores of Lake Mendota going back 12,000 years. By the end, you will know what to look for in finding the indigenous earthworks that we so often overlook in our midst. (Photo by Teri Venker)
Teri Venker is a volunteer docent and researcher for the Madison Trust for Historic Preservation. She also leads tours of Indian Mounds around the Madison area, which partly stems from her lifelong interest in Native American history and culture. Her career at the UW was in marketing and communications for the UW-Madison’s Wisconsin Union, the UW Colleges and UW-Extension. Teri is a UWRA member.
Special details:
If you have preliminary questions for the speaker, please send to Program Coordinator Al Liegel at arliegel@wisc.edu by Monday, May 1.
Registration Deadline: Wednesday, April 24
Join us for a discussion with Kathy Kuntz about accessing the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) funding for home weatherization, electrification of your home, and electric vehicle purchases: what every homeowner should know.
Kathy Kuntz is the Director of the Dane County Office of Energy & Climate Change in Madison, Wisconsin where she leads climate action efforts both internal to County operations and countywide. Dane County is on track to be carbon neutral in its facilities, fleet and land conservation efforts by 2030. Consistent with the County’s 2020 climate action plan, they aim to cut countywide emissions in half by 2030.
Kathy has almost 30 years of experience implementing programs focused on resource efficiency and climate action. Prior to joining Dane County Kathy led Cool Choices, a nonprofit that worked with businesses and local governments on sustainable practices and prior to that Kathy led Focus on Energy, Wisconsin’s statewide energy efficiency and renewable energy program.
If you have preliminary questions for the speaker, please email them in advance to program coordinators Tom Eggert at tleggert@wisc.edu by Wednesday, May 3.
Registration Deadline: Friday, May 5
Registration begins at 3:45 p.m. Cost: $19 per person
Refreshments will be served along with cash bar available
Registration must be received
no later than close of business on Friday, April 28, 2023.
We are doing something different this year and hope you will join us.
The UWRA Board of Directors are excited to invite you and your guest to the Annual Membership Meeting, Reception, and Speaker at the Arboretum Visitor's Center. With an afternoon event and at a venue with free parking we look forward to seeing you. This is your chance to reconnect and enjoy each other's company.
Our invited speaker is UW-Madison Vice Chancellor for University Relations Charles Hoslet. He is responsible for leading university efforts related to communications, marketing and brand strategy as well as interactions with key stakeholders including federal, state, local and tribal government leaders, community organizations, business and industry, and visitors to campus. Hoslet currently serves on the Board of Directors for Destination Madison and the Wisconsin Alumni Association’s Alumni Advisory Council and has served previously on Advisory Boards for University Research Park and the Wisconsin Technology Council among other organizations. Hoslet, a native of Green Bay, Wisconsin, received his law degree from the University of Wisconsin and his undergraduate degree from Marquette University in Milwaukee.
Following the speaker, there will be a short business meeting which includes President's annual report, nomination and election of board officers and directors, 2022 audit report, approval 2023-24 budget, and passing of the gavel as required by UWRA bylaws.
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Parking: Free parking is available onsite
Food Pantry Contributions: Open Seat Food Pantry.
Both cash and checks payable to UW FOUNDATION will be accepted. Please enter "Open Seat Food Pantry" on the memo line.
New Member Table: If you are new to UWRA or have attended one or two UWRA events, we welcome you. There will be a special table for new attendees to meet board members who will welcome you to UWRA and answer any of your questions or concerns. Look for the table tent saying, "New Member Table".
If the in-person event is cancelled:
If the in-person event is cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances, this event would be held via Zoom (same day, same timeframe). Charles Hoslet would join the Zoom meeting. Following his presentation, the annual business meeting will be held as required by UWRA bylaws.
All registrants will receive notification of the change.
OF NOTE: UWRA follows all Dane County and UW-Madison health guidelines. If the event is cancelled or postponed, registrants will be notified.
Questions? Call or Email:
UW-Madison Retirement Association
21 N Park St, Room 7205
Madison, WI 53715-1218
608-262-0641
retireassn@mailplus.wisc.edu
Registration Opens
January 1, 2023
30th Annual
Conference
Hosted by UW-Madison Retirement Association
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The purpose of the Big 10 Retirees Association
is to enhance the retiree associations at member
institutions through the sharing and exchange
of information relevant to retirees.
Registration and Lodging Deadline: June 25, 2023
For more information, click here.
Join us for a discussion with Sam Sorenson, Creative Director Studio 88 about demographics and the big picture globally, how shifting demography impacts economies and markets (not to mention cultures, politics, religions, and every aspect of society!
This seminar is co-hosted by the Committee on Financial Matters in Retirement and Retirement Opportunities Committee. More details to follow.
If you have preliminary questions for the speaker, please send to Program Coordinator Tom Eggert at tleggert@wisc.edu by Thursday, September 14.
Registration Deadline: Monday, September 18, 2023.
Free and enslaved Black people lived, labored, and raised families on the Wisconsin frontier; they called Prairie du Chien, Racine, Green Bay, Lancaster, Milwaukee, and Menominee home. Yet their stories remain largely untold. Black Americans were a tiny minority in Wisconsin territory and later the state; nevertheless, the practice of race-based slavery and anxieties about Black migrants led white Wisconsinites to dispute abolition and the rights of Black residents. In the mid-nineteenth century, fugitive slaves passing through Wisconsin were often met with assistance, while Black permanent residents were politically and socially ostracized. Black freedom was contested in Wisconsin before the state existed and Africans were steadfast in the pursuit of liberty from the colonial period through the modern civil rights movements.
If you have preliminary questions for the speaker, please send to Program Coordinator Michael Bernard-Donals at michael.bernarddonals@wisc.edu by Wednesday, September 27.
Registration Deadline: Friday, September 29, 2023.
