This document contains results from the 2020 Engagement, Inclusion and Diversity Survey. Employee engagement, inclusion, and diversity (EID) are important components of the Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration Strategic Plan.
File: 2020VCFAreportOnFPM-2.pdf
Please watch this video message from Donovan Kron, FP&M Employee Recognition Committee Co-chair.
Note: video footage of employees working on campus was filmed before the COVID-19 pandemic.
The awards nomination period for 2021 comes to a close after May 7, 2021.
Help share stories of our ongoing commitment to excellence. Consider nominating an FP&M coworker for an Employee Recognition Award! Nominating someone for a Recognition Award is a great way to highlight FP&M employees’ contributions, accomplishments, and service to a unit or department over time.
Contact recognition@fpm.wisc.edu with any questions.
“Dust it off!” Would you consider updating and resubmitting a nomination submitted in a past year? We are accepting new and updated Award nominations!
The FP&M Extended Leadership Team (ELT) met on April 14, 2021.
Meeting highlights included an update on FP&M’s Engagement, Inclusion, and Diversity (EID) Plan, preparing for a “New Normal” as more in-person activities resume on campus, and efforts to support campus space needs as a part of UW–Madison’s post-pandemic plan.
Margaret Tennessen & Dar Ward – EID Committee Co-chairs
Dar Ward attended as a guest to kick off the ELT meeting with an update on Engagement, Inclusion, and Diversity (EID) Plan progress and updates. The plan has two components to address FP&M needs based on the 2020 employee EID Survey.
The EID 2020 Survey Action Plan has four main priorities:
The 2020-2021 EID Implementation Plan has been updated with plan activities to continue implementing in 2021:
ELT team members met in smaller groups for EID breakout sessions, with four goals in mind: 1) connect & reflect 2) share collective wisdom, 3) be inspired to dedicate time and take action within teams, and 4) begin the process (this work is ongoing). Consider:
Rob Cramer, Margaret Tennessen, Sue Fritts
Infection rates continue to rise in the counties surrounding us.
Brent Lloyd
Brent Lloyd introduced a work modalities and programmatic space needs exercise that supports the work explained in Rob Cramer’s 4/15 message to FP&M employees. This exercise will help to address FP&M and other campus space needs as a part of the university’s plan to look at work modalities post-pandemic.
“This is really our opportunity to review what has worked, what hasn’t worked.”
-Brent Lloyd
The Extended Leadership Team (ELT) at FP&M includes FP&M directors and their direct reports.
2020-201 EID Survey Implementation Timeline
File: 2020_FPM_EID_PlanImplementation_Final_January2021.pdfEngagement, Inclusion and Diversity (EID) 2020 Survey Action Plan
File: 2020_FPM_EID_Plan_Final_November2020.pdf
See shout-outs and kudos for those who have been going above and beyond.
I have a lot of appreciation for all of our lead workers for their assistance in adapting to the new changes on campus this past year. They have stepped up to these challenges and their support and leadership have greatly helped operations continue smoothly through difficult times.
I would like to specifically thank new lead worker Jason Kauffold for his assistance managing the snow removal operations this past month through some particularly heavy snow, freezing temperatures, and high winds. Despite this, the third-shift crews I’ve worked with and observed around campus have been putting forth a strong effort with an attention for detail this year. Thank you all.
–Tracker Dunn, Custodial Services Supervisor, crew 346
Shout-out to John Gausman and Mike Vanderwegen for the work on Rooms 3310 and 4310 at Computer Science; they look wonderful! The extra work on the furniture makes them look new again, and certainly makes the room much more inviting.
-Christine (CJ) Johnston
Josh Evridge, Dennis Becker, Jeff Walter, Kirstin Selchow, Phil Drees, Cindy Mrozenski, and Heather Bockhop are all recognized for their outstanding work on an office remodel project in Van Vleck. The customer is thrilled with the results and is looking forward to being back on campus so her team can enjoy their new space!
“Well Dennis, your crew did a really good job of trying to fix whatever happened! Looking at these pictures, other than 958, the smears and white powder look almost all removed. I don’t know what that was but I’m impressed your crew was able to do what they did with it!”
-Customer at Law Library
Thank you to everyone who voluntarily came in on a Sunday to assist with removing snow on campus steps. Ross Berge, Paul Becker, Dave Mathews, Jerry Edgington, Malik Mitchell, Marty Scharrer, and Chance Sayre, your work is greatly appreciated!
A big thank you goes out to carpenters Brian Meyer and Chad Allen and sheet metal workers Justin Zitlow, Pete Cooley, and Charles Chladil for their work on the gutters in Fluno Center Garage Lot 83. Water had been traveling down the concrete columns of the garage but thanks to their help, the water now successfully travels down the gutters. Their solution helped the university avoid a massive repair expense. Great work, everyone!
Andy Sharp is recognized by his team members in Stores! Andy goes above and beyond for his work and is always kind, courteous and positive. Keep up the excellent work, Andy!
Gratitude and appreciation go out to Jon Hedgecock, Shannon O’Connell, Marcella Otter, and Mark Gilles for their great work replacing the sinks in a woman’s restroom in the Law Building. The new sinks were installed in less than a day and the customer is very pleased with the results. Kudos to you all for the fantastic collaboration!
Clay Eckstein from the finishing shop received recognition for the great job he did painting inside the Law Library. The customer is extremely pleased with how well he was able to match the old and new paint colors. Keep up the great work, Clay!
Is there someone from your unit or across FP&M that deserves a kind word or quick thank-you? Send a shout-out of your own to be featured on Inside FP&M and in an upcoming FP&M Employee Newsletter.
NOMINATE! Give even more substantial recognition for someone’s exceptional efforts over time—nominate an FP&M employee or team for a Recognition Award.
Complete the form on Inside FP&M: go.wisc.edu/nominate-fpm.
See tips for a successful nomination here.
Employee recognition is part of our culture. Learn more on the FP&M Employee Recognition program page and how to get involved directly with the committee.
We are calling on your knowledge to contribute to upcoming FP&M Trivia topics. From steamfitting to chemical safety, automotive to accounting; from parking operations to space planning, engineering to ergonomics, and many things in-between; FP&M has experts, galore.
No matter your work area, we want to learn about it.
Share your expertise by contributing five interesting facts about your work for FP&M Trivia questions—see below for instructions. Then join in the fun on Tuesdays and Thursdays in virtual trivia. You may even learn something new about the work of our colleagues!
Congratulations to recent winners of FP&M virtual Trivia!1/5/21 Winner – Brad Freitag
1/7/21 Winner – Carolyn Wolff
1/12 Winner – Isaac Knoflicek
1/14 Winner – Maddie Wojciuk
1/24/21 Winner – Sue Thalacker
1/26/21 Winner – Isaac Knoflicek
1/28/21 Winner – Carolyn Wolff
2/2/21 Winner – Jennifer Dachauer
2/4/21 Winner – Jennifer Dachauer
2/9/21 Winner – Carolyn Wolff
2/11/21 Winner – Jennifer Dachauer
2/16 Winner – Jennifer Dachauer
2/18/21 Winner – Bryn Scriver
2/23/21 Winner – Craig Mayer
2/25/21 Winner – Jennifer Dachauer
Thanks for playing!
Sometimes it’s hard to stay connected with our coworkers, whether it be our busy schedules or our physical distance. FP&M Trivia can help us stay connected by taking just 15 minutes to play and say hello. If you’re interested in playing, please drop in for a game to see if you like it!
Trivia is an activity provided by the FP&M wellness team that lets us have fun while supporting the social and emotional dimensions of wellness in our lives. As an employee-directed program, the FP&M Wellness Committee supports the overall well-being of FP&M employees by creating opportunities for employees to explore, learn about, and enhance their health and well-being.
Trivia Tuesday | 11:45am-12:00pm
Trivia Thursday | 11:45am-12:00pm
To play FP&M Trivia you will need to use Microsoft Teams (an app provided by UW-Madison.) Get started with MS Teams: see this KB resource.
Questions? Please contact Kayla Ruplinger (kayla.ruplinger@wisc.edu).
See shout-outs and kudos for those who have been going above and beyond.
A big shout out to Brent Emery of the Steamfitters shop for all his efforts in diagnosing valve and damper issues on Air Handling Units across campus. Even with the recent cold weather, issues have been significantly less in comparison to previous years. This is due to Brent’s hard work and making this a top priority. Thank you Brent!
-Brian Culles, Dan Stanford, Ed Corcoran, and Ray Wahl
Rebecca’s understanding and internal process to FP&M occupational injuries is flawless. The Worker’s Compensation claim process is very complex however Rebecca has always been an extraordinary resource. She does her job to the utmost competence. She is approachable, accessible and works in partnership with Risk Management’s loss control efforts. (See full shout-out)
-Michelle Discher
I would like to extend my heartfelt appreciation and gratitude to these members of Crew 338. Their determination, dedication and teamwork could not have been on display any more than it was Thursday night, February 4, 2021 in less-than-desirable conditions. The workload they attempted to conquer with 6 people was an impossible ask, yet they did a more-than-an admirable job—particularly with the snow removal/salting, trash removal, and disinfecting of restrooms (with little assistance from me prior to 3am).
I couldn’t be more proud and humbled by their extraordinary efforts tonight and am certainly blessed for their dedication to UW and our team. These folks ROCK! Extra Kudos to Roger Dote for is outstanding efforts on the morning of Sunday, January 31, 2021 with emergency snow removal operations. What a tremendous help he was!
-Johnny Lohrentz
Thank you for your willingness to follow up on occupational injuries. Risk Management appreciates the time and effort you have contributed to promoting safety culture within your department. (See attachment)
-Michelle Discher
Just want to acknowledge Alex Pastena with Transportation Services IT team Despite the fact Alex is quite new, he has been providing immediate support to our department, including data retrieval and analysis, and for that I have to say “thank you” – especially for your timely responses as we navigate these challenging times!
-Peter J. Armstrong
Thanks to Laura Gower, Brandon Dowd. and the Maint. Mechanic staff for assisting EH&S with completing Emergency Shower & Eyewash Station inspections. The need to adjust schedules and responsibilities to make this happen in a tight time frame did not go unnoticed. Great job to all involved.
-Ray Wahl
Shout out to Field Service’s Enforcement and Maintenance staff for the excellent work they did during snow events the last few weeks! The staff were focused and productive in cleaning the pedestrian access points and drive lanes at parking structures during and after the last two big snow events. Great work everyone!
-Troy Ruland
Is there someone from your unit or across FP&M that deserves a kind word or quick thank-you? Send a shout-out of your own to be featured on Inside FP&M and in an upcoming FP&M Employee Newsletter.
NOMINATE! Give even more substantial recognition for someone’s exceptional efforts over time—nominate an FP&M employee or team for a Recognition Award.
Complete the form on Inside FP&M: go.wisc.edu/nominate-fpm.
See tips for a successful nomination here.
Employee recognition is part of our culture. Learn more on the FP&M Employee Recognition program page and how to get involved directly with the committee.
The FP&M and CALS Wellness Committees have partnered to bring you professional and personal wellness session topics that will help you better navigate our stressful world. Sessions are led by a professional from LifeMatters. We hope you can join us for as many sessions that interest you and that your schedule allows. Be well!
The success of an organization is due in large part to the diversity of skills, talents and backgrounds of the people who come together to create a work group. This also means, of course, working with people who have different attitudes, habits and personalities which may be difficult to manage.
There is no magical cure for stress. However, this training can offer practical ideas on how to begin working to reduce stress right away as an overall lifestyle change.
Knowing and recognizing the symptoms of grief are the first steps toward feeling good again. Learn about grief, including common reactions and symptoms.
Anger in itself is not negative, but how we express it can be. Anger is a normal emotion – just like being happy, sad, scared, etc. What is important about anger is what you do with it.
We need to let go of the desire to achieve a perfect balance between work and family. In most cases, it is impossible and only causes more stress and guilt. However, there are things we can do to bridge the gap that exists between the two.
One factor influencing our stress level is how well we manage our energy. The concept of energy management is based on a new way of looking at self-discipline. It challenges the widely held view that time management is the key to work/life balance.
The transition into the winter season can bring lowered energy and a change in mood. Learn the causes and effects of the winter blues.
How do you manage when you have a number of priorities that require your attention? Do you end the day feeling frustrated or overwhelmed because you were not able to complete your tasks? Learn how to manage these multiple priorities.
Review the common stressors resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic and self-care strategies.
Many of us were raised to look to food as comfort for physical pain when we fell down or from the sadness we felt when our friends let us down. Using food to help us feel better has resulted in feeding our emotions rather than using food to fuel our bodies. Learn the signs of emotional eating and tips to create changes for a healthy eating patterns
For the first time in history there are four different generations in the workplace. Learn how to value the new ideas and embrace the change that each new generation brings.
See shout-outs and kudos for those who have been going above and beyond.
HUGE SHOUT OUT to Robyne Gunderson and Marci Hilliard for going the extra mile of Fit Testing for weeks on end. Your tenacity and dedication is very much appreciated by us all in Occupational Medicine. Keep up the great work. YOU ROCK!!.
-Patty Perdzock-Haas, RN
Shout out to Monte Chapman, Rob Hodel, Justin Lambert, Lloyd Chapman, Tom Vandygriff, Ramkumar Bhulai, Ron Reschke, Cody Boyd, Steve Butler, Ben Krause, Tim Oppor, Wayne Hillestad, and Carlos Spinelli.
On January 1, 2021, there was a leak in a critical piece of equipment at the Charter Street Heating & Cooling Plant. Left unattended, this leak could have caused the heating plant to trip offline. The team was able to transfer operations to the Walnut Street Heating & Cooling Plant, perform necessary repairs, and return the system to normal operation.
The teamwork and dedication of the staff involved both prevented an interruption to campus steam service and mitigated risks to people and equipment. We are very proud of their hard work during this critical situation.
-Andrew Gossfeld
Shout out to Grounds, all Custodial shifts (Day Shift, Second Shift, Third Shift,) Campus Services, and Waste and Recycle for helping with snow removal on Jan. 26!
-Kris Ackerbauer
“Thanks all. A big snow and a great response.”
-Robert Cramer
“It is looking great. Thanks for the hard work from you and your staff.”
-Jay A. Bieszke
A big shout out to Brad Bauman for assisting in the expedited purchase of equipment urgently needed for testing. With much gratitude and appreciation for taking the time to help with such an important task!
-Pat Fargen, EH&S, ORS
-Donovan Kron
Is there someone from your unit or across FP&M that deserves a kind word or quick thank-you? Send a shout-out of your own to be featured on Inside FP&M and in an upcoming FP&M Employee Newsletter.
NOMINATE! Give even more substantial recognition for someone’s exceptional efforts over time—nominate an FP&M employee or team for a Recognition Award.
Complete the form on Inside FP&M: go.wisc.edu/nominate-fpm.
See tips for a successful nomination here.
Employee recognition is part of our culture. Learn more on the FP&M Employee Recognition program page and how to get involved directly with the committee.
See shout-outs and kudos for those who have been going above and beyond.
Shout out to Jay Bozart for taking the extra time and effort to prepare a vehicle for a cross country trip in a short amount of time. To explain to the driver about off road use and the proper tools and techniques to use in different situations.
-Sean Kypreos
We got MANY THANKS to Physical Plant from Brent Lloyd, Tami Moran and Todd Schechter for all your efforts to help outfit the Spring Testing sites and Lab. Special Thanks To you and Your Staff:
Brad Schenkel
Steve Heitz
Jeff Templin
They were especially pleased with your efforts and help over the holiday break!
-Kris Ackerbauer
Is there someone from your unit or across FP&M that deserves a kind word or quick thank-you? Send a shout-out of your own to be featured on Inside FP&M and in an upcoming FP&M Employee Newsletter.
NOMINATE! Give an even more substantial recognition for someone’s exceptional efforts over time—nominate an FP&M employee or team for a Recognition Award.
Complete the form on Inside FP&M: go.wisc.edu/nominate-fpm. See tips for a successful nomination here.
Employee recognition is part of our culture. Learn more on the FP&M Employee Recognition program page and how to get involved directly with the committee.
This post was updated in April 2021 to include the deadline for submitting a nomination is May 7, 2021.
The FP&M Employee Recognition team is now accepting nominations for Employee Recognition Awards through May 7, 2021. See five helpful tips for a successful nomination.
A successful award nomination highlights employee actions that support excellence in facilities and services for our university community. These tips can help you with the nomination process:
4. Get inspired:
5. Keep recognizing
Ready to nominate? Nominate an FP&M employee or team for a Recognition Award here. Learn more about FP&M Employee Recognition on Inside FP&M.
See shout-outs and kudos for those who have been going above and beyond.
Shout out to Robyne Gunderson for being an amazing service provider for campus! She’s been on-site daily during most of the pandemic; providing a majority of the clinic services in Occ Med including fit-testing for hundreds of employees & students.
– Jennifer Kobesko
Shout-out to Dar Ward & Chuck Strawser from Transportation Services for working with Lakeshore Nature Preserve staff on the installation and facilitation of a visitor counter within the Preserve allowing us to know how many people utilize the Preserve. In September: 18,500+.
-Laura Wyatt
In case you missed it: hear the end-of-year thank-yous and holiday greetings from Patrick Kass, Missy Nergard, Margaret Tennessen, Kip McMahan, and Jay Bieszke during the all-staff meeting. WATCH VIDEO [takes you to 49:53]
In addition:
Is there someone from your unit or across FP&M that deserves a kind word or thank-you? Send a shout-out of your own to be featured on Inside FP&M and in an upcoming FP&M Employee Newsletter.
Give an even more substantial thank-you for exceptional efforts over time—nominate an FP&M employee or team for a Recognition Award. Now accepting nominations.
Complete the form on Inside FP&M: go.wisc.edu/nominate-fpm.
Employee recognition is part of our culture. Learn more on the FP&M Employee Recognition program page and see how to get involved directly with the committee.
Congratulations to recent winners of FP&M virtual Trivia!
10/1/20 Winner – Craig Mayer
10/6/20 Winner – Carolyn Wolff
10/8/20 Winner – Isaac Knoflicek
10/13/20 Winner – Jeff Pollei
10/15/20 Winner – Jeff Pollei
10/20/20 Winner – Craig Mayer
10/22/20 Winner – Craig Mayer
10/27/20 Winner – TEAM: Brad Freitag, Ray Wahl, Mike Webber, Kristy Baccam
10/29/20 Winner – Carolyn Wolff
11/3/20 Winner – Isaac Knoflicek
11/5/20 Winner – Kris Ackerbauer
11/10/20 Winner – Stacey Lam
11/12/20 Winner – Ryan Yanke
11/17/20 Winners – Ryan Yanke
11/19/20 Winner – Craig Mayer
11/24/20 Winner – Isaac Knoflicek
12/1/20 Winner – Lisa Raetzman
12/3/20 Winner – Stacy Lam
12/8/20 Winner – Dawn Bierman
12/10/20 Winner – Isaac Knoflicek
12/15/20 Winner – Isaac Knoflicek
12/17/20 Winner – Anjali Sridharan
Thanks for playing!
Trivia is an activity provided by the FP&M wellness team that lets us have fun while supporting the social and emotional dimensions of wellness in our lives. As an employee-directed program, the FP&M Wellness Committee supports the overall well-being of FP&M employees by creating opportunities for employees to explore, learn about, and enhance their health and well-being.
Sometimes it’s hard to stay connected with our coworkers, whether it be our busy schedules or our physical distance. FP&M Trivia can help us stay connected by taking just 15 minutes to play and say hello. If you’re interested in playing, please drop in for a game to see if you like it!
Trivia Tuesday | 11:45am-12:00pm
Trivia Thursday | 11:45am-12:00pm
To play FP&M Trivia you will need to use Microsoft Teams (an app provided by UW-Madison.) Get started with MS Teams: see this KB resource.
Questions? Please contact Kayla Ruplinger (kayla.ruplinger@wisc.edu).
Watch a recording of the FP&M All Staff Virtual Meeting from December 18, 2020 for updates including FP&M leadership answering questions submitted by employees, year-end greetings, and thank-yous.
The FP&M Employee Recognition Team reviews nominations to recognize FP&M colleagues for their outstanding commitment to excellence in facilities and services for our campus community and plans the annual employee recognition event. Our Team is recruiting a diverse group of FP&M employees that represent all work units. We are currently seeking:
Interested in helping to tell the story of great people and things happening in FP&M? Join us! Send an e-mail to recognition@fpm.wisc.edu.
Sincerely,
Donovan Kron and Karen Demick on behalf of FP&M Employee Recognition | Recognition@fpm.wisc.edu | go.wisc.edu/nominate-fpm
Watch the video below to hear from Interim AVC Alan Fish on why Partners in Giving matters more than ever this year.
Donate Now or learn more about Partners in Giving.
We celebrate LGBTQ Pride Month annually in June. As we continue to celebrate and work toward equal opportunity for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) people, we look to our many resources including the UWPD’s very own “Pride Team” on campus. We can also reflect on our shared history: as catalogued by the UW Archives, while considering the role of Black trans people in the movement as explained by the UW School of Social Work.
As Chancellor Rebecca Blank and Vice Chancellor Lori Reesor stated, “Equality and inclusion are cornerstones of our core values at UW, and we recognize there is still much work to be done. On campus, that means making this a place where our LGBTQ+ community feels fully included and at home. Off campus, that means sending our alumni out into the world to advocate for the full human and political rights of all people.”
Fifty-one years ago, on June 28, a protest that began outside a bar in New York City that helped spark change. We pause to reflect on these important insights from the UW School of Social Work on the important contributions from Black trans people:
“June is designated Pride month, a time for us to reflect, celebrate progress, and advocate for continued LGBTQ rights. But this year, Pride is different in many ways (….) now is a more important time than ever to remember the Pride Movement’s roots and acknowledge that Pride would not exist if it weren’t for the efforts of Black LGBTQ activists. Protesting police brutality and demands for equality were at the heart of the Stonewall riots in 1969 and leading the way were Black trans activists like Slyvia Rivera & Marsha P. Johnson.”
– Lynette Studer and Amanda Ngola, Co-chairs, Committee on Diversity
Stephanie Robert, Professor and Director
It is true that the Stonewall riots helped to make other important advancements possible. As we celebrate this month, we can also look back at our history of LGBTQ life in Madison and Dane County.
Beginning with a few oral histories, this UW-Madison Archive collection features a diverse array of materials and voices from the LGBTQ community. Explore the collection for oral histories, personal papers, photographs, ephemera and organizational records related to LGBTQ life in Madison and Dane County from the 1940s to the present.
This history and continued support for LGBTQ people recognized as a part of everyday life on campus, including the University of Wisconsin–Madison Police Department (UWPD.) As a leader in progressive policing and community engagement, UWPD is proud to have it’s very own “Pride Team.” This is a group that helps “further our department’s mission of inclusion to our expansive campus and surrounding community.”
FP&M wishes everyone a safe and happy Pride month.
Congratulations to our very first winners of FP&M Trivia!
Trivia theme: Emojis
Trivia theme: State of Wisconsin
Trivia theme: Wisconsin State part II
Trivia theme: U.S. States
Trivia theme: UW-MadisonTrivia theme: The World Around Us
Trivia theme: Holidays
Trivia theme: Animals
Thanks for playing!
Trivia is an activity provided by the FP&M wellness team that lets us have fun while supporting the social and emotional dimensions of wellness in our lives. As an employee-directed program, the FP&M Wellness Committee supports the overall well-being of FP&M employees by creating opportunities for employees to explore, learn about, and enhance their health and well-being.
Sometimes it’s hard to stay connected with our coworkers, whether it be our busy schedules or our physical distance. FP&M Trivia can help us stay connected by taking just 15 minutes to play and say hello. If you’re interested in playing, please drop in for a game to see if you like it!
Trivia Tuesday | 11:45am-12:00pm
Trivia Thursday | 11:45am-12:00pm
To play FP&M Trivia you will need to use Microsoft Teams (an app provided by UW-Madison.) Get started with MS Teams: see this KB resource.
Questions? Please contact Kayla Ruplinger.