The La Follette School is thrilled to host David Brooks of The New York Times on Wednesday, October 27. Brooks will speak at 7 p.m. CDT in Shannon Hall of the Memorial Union, 800 Langdon St.

A best-selling author, Brooks has been an op-ed columnist for The New York Times since September 2003. He also is an analyst on PBS NewsHour, NPR's All Things Considered, and NBC's Meet the Press. His fifth book, The Second Mountain: The Quest for a Moral Life, was published in April 2019.

In 2018, he joined the Aspen Institute to spearhead the Weave project, aimed at bridging the differences that divide Americans and seeking out a compelling common ground. He also teaches at Yale University and is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Brooks received a bachelor's degree in history from the University of Chicago, where he serves on the Board of Trustees. He also is on the Board of Advisors for the University of Chicago Institute of Politics.

Brooks' visit is made possible by the La Follette School's Kohl Initiative, which was launched in May 2019 with a $10 million gift from former US Sen. Herb Kohl.

Brooks also is serving as UW-Madison's Fall 2021 Public Affairs Journalist in Residence, a joint effort of University Communications, the School of Journalism and Mass Communication, and the La Follette School, with support from the Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association.

Click here for link to announcement and registration details:  https://tinyurl.com/9ku8t84z

UW-Madison is recruiting COVID-19 testers who can bring their talent and enthusiasm to helping keep our campus safe this fall semester. The Health Technician – COVID Testing position works under the supervision of a testing site lead to assist with the collection of samples for COVID-19 testing. COVID-19 testing will be done through self-administered nasal swabs. 

Duties include explaining how to perform the test, observing employees and students who are self-administering the test, and coaching on proper testing techniques. This position requires wearing personal protective equipment and standing for long periods of time. Required training will be provided. The hours of work are Monday-Friday, 8:00am to 5:00pm, with a one-hour lunch break. 

To apply, visit https://jobs.hr.wisc.edu/en-us/job/510079/health-technician-covid-testing. Please share this posting with anyone who might be interested.

Interested in being a Marshall for the 2021 Commencement?  Click on the link below.  

2021 Spring Commencement Marshal FAQ – Commencement – UW–Madison (wisc.edu)

Vaccines provide hope that the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic will soon be behind us, but they can also lead to some tricky conversations.

This week's Badger Talks video discusses vaccine etiquette.  Check it out!

Badger Talks video: Follow vaccine etiquette (wisc.edu)

As published in "Inside UW" . . .

In spring 2020, as the rest of us scrambled to buy masks and hand sanitizer, the UW’s resourceful archivists were already thinking of posterity. They put out a call for photos, videos, social media posts, oral histories, and other digital artifacts from the campus community. The goal was to preserve Badger experiences of a unique historical moment.. Hundreds of submissions came in, some of them aching with despair. Other entries are more lighthearted. “I think people are trying to make the best of a terrible crisis,” says Katie Nash, who heads the UW Archives.  To read more of the article, click https://onwisconsin.uwalumni.com/exhibition/the-pandemic-for-posterity/ 

Public listening sessions for candidates being considered for the UW Chief Diversity Officer are scheduled  this week: March 17, 11 am – noon and March 18, 6-7 pm.  Here is the link to more information. 

https://news.wisc.edu/search-underway-for-new-chief-diversity-officer/

If you own an iPhone or iPad be sure to apply the latest security update from Apple as it addresses a security flaw in the iOS software that being currently exploited by hackers.  To install this update, open the Settings  app on your device, select “General” and “Software Update”.   Download and install the update indicated.    For questions about this or other tech topics, feel free to email us at UWRA.tech@gmail.com

 

There is still time to submit your name or nominate someone else to join our Board of Directors. Deadline is February 4.  More details can be found in the January Sifter, page 2. I invite you to join the team!

Information about activities planned for Monday, January 18 can be found at  mlkingcoalition.org website.

The UW has adopted new measures to enhance the safety of the campus community by increasing the scope and frequency of testing and are linked to access to campus.  Access to campus facilities and services will be linked to proof of recent negative COVID test results.  See COVID-19 Response – Latest updates, information and planning – UW–Madison (wisc.edu)   

These new requirements affect the processing and pickup of mail sent to UWRA at 21 North Park Street.  Please be aware that there may be a delay in processing of checks for membership,  Living Ledger requests, and pantry donations.