Happy New Year and welcome to your 2009! From conversations that I have had with other ACUI members across Region 8, my sense is that Fall 2008 was a productive, though somewhat taxing, semester. Maybe institutions are beginning to feel the effects of the slowing economy, some college unions played significant roles supporting the November elections, and other campuses witnessed new examples of the growing emotional needs of the students we serve. Regardless of what challenges you and your staff may have successfully overcome in 2008, I hope you were able to enjoy a restful, joyous, and much deserved, holiday break.

As we enter the New Year, please know that ACUI, and Region 8, offers many opportunities for community, renewal, and professional development. Within this January edition of Communiqué’, you will find information about how you and your students can connect with the Region 8 Annual Recreational Tournament the weekend of February 21-22, 2009 at the University of Illinois at Chicago. You’ll also learn about the return of the Region 8 Poetry Slam competition tentatively planned for the weekend of February 21-22 or February 28-March 1st. You’ll also receive valuable information about how your staff and students can apply to benefit from Region 8 scholarships to participate

ACUI Region 8 Newsletter • Winter 2009

www.region8.acui.org

From the Director:Ian Crone, Region 8 Director

Cont. on page 2

in the ACUI Annual Conference in Anaheim, CA from April 5-9, 2009.

A great deal is planned for the 89th Annual ACUI Conference in Anaheim, CA. The conference theme, “Where Tradition Meets Tomorrow” serves as a blueprint for the conference experience honoring the vibrant history of our association, while at the same time embracing the evolution of the college union ideal in the 21st century.

Conference attendees can anticipate not only innovative showcases, inspirational speakers, and cutting-edge educational programs geared to the needs of tomorrow, but also have the opportunity to learn about and celebrate the Association’s extraordinary traditions on college campuses throughout the world.

The Conference programs includes traditional favorites, such as the Battle of the Regions, Banquets, the Fund Run, Community Builder Awards, and a return of Community Service; in additional to innovative new programs, such as the Networking Fair, designed to connect you to institutions and jobs.

As you can see, 2009 is sure to be exciting year. We wish you the best.

Coming Soon to Region 8

RecreationalTournamentFeb 21-22, 2009University of Illinois at Chicago(More info: page 3)

Region 8Poetry SlamFebruary 27-28, 2009UW-Madison(More info: page 2)

National Conference April 5-9, 2009Anaheim, CA

Registration now open at www.acui.org. Scholarships from Region 8 are available. Apply today!(More info: page 3)

Region 8 Poetry Slam: Seeking Participating Institutions!

Bring Your Best Slammers to Madison Feb. 27-28 • University of Wisconsin - MadisonThe 2009 ACUI Region 8 Poetry Slam

is on! This event will be held Febru-ary 27-28th in the Memorial Union on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus. An opening reception will be held the evening of Friday, Febru-ary 27th and the Poetry Slam will take place on Saturday, February 28th.

Many of the institutions participating in the Region 8 Poetry Slam are doing so for the first time and have not hosted a campus poetry slam before. If you’re in the same boat assistance and resources are available to help guide you through the process. Keep in mind that these events should be viewed more as social/performance/arts events than competitions; an opportunity for indi-viduals from different backgrounds to share their wit and talent. As stated on ACUI’s Poetry Slam website, “…everyone is enriched by sharing poetry, em-bracing the value of inclusivity, and supporting a program in which “Everyone’s voice is welcome.””

Interested institutions are encouraged to contact Region 8 Poetry Slam Coordi-nator Vickie Eiden (608-890-1313, vleiden@wisc.edu) for further information.

In order to participate, your institution must:

• Purchase your Poetry Slam Certification on the ACUI website through “Shop ACUI”. You will then be sent a resource CD and be certified to host your campus slam and participate in the ACUI Region 8 Poetry Slam and the College Unions Poetry Slam Invitational (CUPSI). Do this as soon as possible so you can plan a campus poetry slam!

• Contact the Region 8 Poetry Slam Coordinator to be included on the list of participating institutions for the Region 8 Poetry Slam and receive further information.

• Arrange for travel and accommodations for your campus team in advance (you will determine who the team members are at your campus poetry slam). A block of rooms for the ACUI Region 8 Poetry Slam is being held at the Lowell Center, which is one block from the Memorial Union. This block of rooms is being held through January 27th, though bookings may still be possible after that date.

• Host a campus poetry slam at your institution no later than February 22, 2009. At your campus slam determine who will represent your institution on your campus team at the Region 8 Poetry Slam. The registration deadline (campus team member names due) is February 23rd, 2009. Register for the Region 8 Poetry Slam on the ACUI website through “Shop ACUI.”

Want to get a taste of what poetry slams are like? Check out the video “Slam-nation”! It may be available through your local video store or library, and trail-ers can be viewed at www.slamnation.com. You can also find clips from CUPSI 2008 on YouTube. We hope to see you in Madison this February!

$$$$$$$$$$$

It’s Tournament Time !2009 Region 8 Recreational TournamentFebruary 21-22, 2009 • University of Illinois at Chicago

Do you know what time it is? It is tournament time! The recreation tournament is coming up very soon. To be exact it will be on Feb 21-22 at the University of Illi-nois at Chicago (UIC). UIC just built a New Recreation Center and renovated their Bowling Center and is excited on hosting the tournament. We will be including new options which include breakout sessions of video game tournaments. Also new for this tournament we have cool shirts that each participant will able to get wear and show their ACUI Region 8 “Da Ocho” Pride.

Annual Conference$cholarships Available Travel Budget Tight this Year? Apply for one of the Region 8 Scholarships

Region 8 supports members (students and staff) to attend the Annual conference by offering scholarships to cover the cost of registration. If you are looking for a personal and professional development opportunity – consider attending the ACUI Annual Conference in Anaheim, California. “Where Tradition Meets Tomorrow” serves as a blueprint for our conference experience honoring the vibrant history of our association, while at the same time embracing the evolution of the college union ideal in the 21st century.Conference attendees can anticipate not only innovative showcases, inspirational speakers, and cutting-edge edu-cational programs geared to the needs of tomorrow, but also have the opportunity to learn about and celebrate the Association’s extraordinary traditions on college campuses throughout the world. www.acui.org/programs/conference/2009/

Information is available online and applications for students and staff are due by Friday, February 6, 2009. region8.acui.org/Region/08/scholarship.html

We will be staying at the fabulous Crowne Plaza Chicago Metro. The hotel is 10 minutes walking distance from the tournament venue and many restaurants. It is for low low city price of $99 per night for doubles. We need your students to bring two things their “game faces” and thier “a game”. It will fun filled weekend at the Region 8 “Da Ocho” Recreation Tournament. Online reservation for the tournament will open on Jan. 4, 2009. For hotel reservation please call (312)829-5000 ask for the ACUI group. You can take a tour of the hotel at www.vfmii.com/exc/aspquery?command=invoke&ipid=1066491&ids=40372

Regional Conference Wrap-UpThanks for Lighting the Way with Us!

Congratulations Region 8 Award WinnersRichard L. Christie Staff Leadership AwardKarl ConstantUniversity of Wisconsin - Platteville

“He has been described as a model of commitment, energetic, persistent, creative and filled with the desire to serve. This student served on the programming board, worked as Dining Service student employee, and member of the Union Board.”

“He made significant contributions to his undergraduate institution and currently is impacting the lives of students in his role as graduate advisor.”

Michael H. Poe Student Leadership AwardMelanie FloydUniversity of Wisconsin Whitewater

Ian Crone, left, with Karl Constant

Ian Crone and Melanie Floyd

From left, Sara Ann Suwalski, Valerie Wetzel,

and Ian Crone

“She is described as one that encourages others, relates well to students and always finds ways to do things more efficiently. She is always willing to learn and be challenged.”

“On her campus she was instrumental in many planning many aesthetic features of the center, currently serves as advisor to a student club and will be working with the committee to plan the 2009 Regional conference.”

Gary E. Bartlett New Professional Leadership AwardValerie WetzelUniversity of Wisconsin - Platteville

“...an undeniable student advocate. She has mentored count-less students, helping them transform their dreams into reality.”

“...active member in ACUI serving in many regional and interna-tional positions for over 15 years and spanning three regions. She continues to serve her region as the Membership Coordinator on the Regional Leadership Team.”

“...can always expect to see her at regional conferences and other ACUI programs with a number of students – demonstrating her continued commitment to helping students connect, learn and grow through their college union experience.”

Luke Leitner Graduate Assistant for Dining ServicesUW – La CrosseI arrived at the ACUI Region 8 con-ference anxious and excited to soak up as much as I could. I was just in time to join a group touring the mar-velous facility I was taking in from the moment I arrived outside and exited my vehicle. It took only a couple of minutes to be reunited with some in-dividuals from my alma mater, UW – Oshkosh, who were standing right next to me while this tour was taking place. The remainder of the weekend would contain several instances of this pleasant discovery.

The opening night wrapped up with a wonderful dinner during which time I was able to catch up with some old acquaintances while making new ones! The very humorous and enter-taining talent show was a wonderful way to cap off the first night while be-ing able to see all the schools present at the conference.

The second day of the conference was incredible! The educational programs offered during each session had something for everyone. I found the programs on sustainability especially intriguing and the session on men’s development very applicable to my current graduate program that focus-es on student development in higher education. The presentation on gen-erations given by the keynote speaker was a light, but very informative ex-perience that brought everyone at the conference together as we engaged in a very relevant topic in higher edu-cation.

As the conference drew to a close I found myself looking forward to the next ACUI gathering in Whitewater next year. As I prepare for my gradu-ation and transition into a career in student affairs and work in a college

Scholarship Recipients ExperiencesReflections on the ACUI Region 8 Conference

union I know that ACUI will play a substantial role as I continue to learn and grow as a professional through-out my life. I am very grateful for this opportunity I was afforded by the ACUI Region 8 Leadership Team and the experiences, connections, and new knowledge I left the conference with.

Vickie EidenWisconsin Union Program AdvisorUW-MadisonThe 2008 ACUI Region 8 Conference was the second Regional conference I have attended and the first that was not a shared regional conference with Region 9. UW-River Falls, the host institution, did a phenomenal job promoting sustainable practices and a deeper understanding of the many facets of sustainability, and spending two days in their beautiful new Univer-sity Center was both educational and a pleasure. From the eco-architectural features of the building to the focus on locally produced food (including edu-cational videos that play in the cafete-ria) to the conference program covers printed on Ellie Poo Paper - a paper made of 75% post-consumer waste and 25% Sri Lankan elephant dung produced to provide an economic in-centive for the elephants’ conservation – the commitment shown to local and global environmental protection at this conference was impressive and inspir-ing. As I learned more and more about what colleges and universities right here in Region 8 are doing to incorporate eco-friendly measures into everyday campus life, and as I heard of some of the pioneering projects that are being undertaken, I felt a surge of pride in our piece of the upper Mid-west.

Working within one’s own varied university community and the getting caught up in the intricacies of campus

operations, it’s easy to forget that we are a part of a larger academic net-work and that there are others work-ing on similar projects with similar goals at other institutions…even when those institutions are within a drive of only a few hours. ACUI helps us maintain a connection to this vast net-work. At this conference, surrounded by others in the ‘student life’ profes-sion, I became aware that new issues and trends I have started to see on my campus are also present at other institutions. In several break-out ses-sions we shared ideas and tactics for coping with and overcoming some of our common problems, both those that succeeded and those that failed, and each conversation was an opportunity to learn valuable lessons from others and share my own knowledge in re-turn. In leading an educational ses-sion and talking to people throughout the conference and at an info booth, my co-leader Annie Kleinert and I were also able to promote and gain support for the Region 8 Poetry Slam event in a way that was much more exiting and encouraging than just sending emails and making phone calls.

For each block of time, I had trouble deciding which educational sessions to attend because they all sounded interesting and pertinent, and I found myself wishing there was more time for each session, to hear more from my colleagues – staff and students from other institutions – and to continue the rich discussions that we had. When you leave wanting more it’s the sign of a good conference, and I do intend to pick up several conversations again; by starting them within my own cam-pus community, by keeping in touch with the people I met at UW-River Falls, and by attending future regional conferences. And yes, my Ellie Poo Paper conference program will be go-ing in my permanent files.

The Region 8 Spotlight

I volunteered to capture a spotlight on something new in the region and like all of us, I am now grabbing for the easiest option at this time. This is the first spotlight, and I am not quite sure how to make it all happen. So I grabbed Karl Constant, a University of Wisconsin – Platteville, Graduate Assistant I supervise and asked him a couple of questions. This is how he replied.

For Karl, two things that were awe-some at Elmhurst College (Illinois), first was the Student Activities Staff and the opportunity to build close friend-ships. “They were great, the staff gave me encouragement to come out and try different things which helped me figure out what I wanted to do in life. I came from Miami, Florida and I never had close friends in high school. At Elmhurst I had great relationships with people and they became my friends for life. I think throughout my whole career I will keep in contact with them.”

Karl continued with one other thing at Elmhurst which was a traditional lead-ership experience. When he played football and they we won a game, there was a victory bell on the corner of the football field. When he rang the bell he felt excited about the win and the first time for him it was ok, but later, there was this excitement to run over and ring the bell, it was an ac-complishment for him.

In Platteville (Wisconsin), Karl stated, “We do an awesome job of planning ahead and collaborating with differ-ent offices and the community. Plan-ning a year in advance, it is much easier to evaluate, increase the bud-get or cut a program and to promote the events. When you do the semes-

Regional Spotlight – Karl ConstantStudent’s Perspective at Two Region 8 SchoolsBy Valerie Wetzel, Membership Coordinator

ter ahead, you are focused on getting all of the logistics together, but when you do the year in advance, you are able to focus on how to market to the entire campus community. With col-laborating, the best thing is to work with other groups and their own target audience, which helps you, reach a diverse student population and it helps to save money.”

“At UWP, Homecoming hands down it the best traditional event that occurs and the best event at Homecoming is the M-Lighting. When I first came, they told me there was a big M on a hillside and they light it up at night, I thought OK. But after experiencing the 50 year tradition, I think it is great you do something, so positive that you can see the effect it has on bringing a community together.”

“As I look forward to a career in Higher Ed, I will take something from all of the places that I have been to eventually become a President of a College. You have to dream big. I

have learned to dream big, so I can see over my circumstances,” Karl ex-plained.

One of Karl’s goals is to never stop learning and never stop volunteer-ing, every opportunity he has had, he has learned about himself and others around him.

Karl Constant was a student at Elm-hurst College and received a BA in Communication Studies and Minor in Business Administration. At the Uni-versity of Wisconsin – Platteville, he is working toward a MS in Education (Counselor Education concentration in College Student Personnel) and gradu-ating in May 2009. Karl is this year’s Michael H. Poe Outstanding Student Leader for Region 8.

One final quote Karl came up with at a meeting the other day, “Great Leaders build their ladders of success instead of climbing other peoples’ ladders.”

Karl Constant, third from right

Regional DirectorIan CroneElmhurst College

Asst. RD - Internal Affairs Charles FarrellUniversity of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Asst. RD - Educational ProgrammingKelly SchaeferIllinois Institute of Technology

Recognition Coordinator Sara Ann Suwalski UW-Oshkosh

Communications/Web Coordinator James McHaley Northwestern UniversityPoetry Slam CoordinatorVickie EidenUW-Madison

Rec. Tournament CoordinatorKarl ConstantUW-Platteville

Membership Coordinator Valerie WetzelUW-Platteville

Region 8 Leadership Team

www.region8.acui.org

Student RepresentativeHanah Diebold UW-Platteville

Student RepresentativeMiles Drummond Northwestern University

2009 Conference Host Co-ChairsUW-Whitewater

Kim AdamsVickie SteinkeTish WintersteenLiz “Jr” Rickaby