For more detailed information about this series of documents, please return to the CALS DDO - Points of Contact - Overview.

Overview:

CALS Academic Affairs provides services to the academic programs of the college, as well as to the students enrolled in them and the faculty and staff who offer and support them. The academic affairs staff manage and coordinate course and curriculum development, program reviews, career services, study abroad, scholarships, student appeals, SOAR, new student orientation, and student organizations, and also offer services specific to undergraduate students, such as transitional advising, dean on call, and Scholastic Policies & Actions Committee (SPAC). 

Staff:

Paul Mitchell, Interim Associate Dean for Academic Affairs

608-265-6514, pdmitchell@wisc.edu

• Manages the Office of Academic Affairs, including program reviews, curriculum and course development, and assessment for all academic programs in the college
• Oversees student services including prospective undergraduate student recruitment, QuickStart and first year programming, academic advising, Honors program, Career Services, and study abroad
• Oversees the TA allocations process, Instructional Lab Modernization funding, summer session planning, and college commencement planning

Michaela Kirck, Office Assistant and Manager

608-262-3003, academicaffairs@cals.wisc.edu

michaela.kirck@wisc.edu

• Front desk reception
• First point of contact for all incoming phone, email, and walk-in visitors

Student Recruitment Team:

Jane Duffstein, Assistant Dean for Student Recruitment and Outreach

608-262-3288, jane.duffstein@wisc.edu

• Leads recruitment activities and promotion to prospective students
• Serves as admissions liaison, promotes and directs activities for recruitment and retention

Benjamin Salomon, Prospective Student Program Coordinator

benjamin.salomon@wisc.edu

• Manages prospective student programs and outreach
• Oversees and directs CALS Ambassadors

Student Advising and Development Team:

Curt Lauderdale, Assistant Dean for Student Advising and Development

608-262-4618, curtis.lauderdale@wisc.edu

• Provides overall management of the vision and direction of Academic Advising
• Provides overall management of the vision, direction, and budget for Career Services

• Provides outreach to probation, dropped, and re-entry students

• Designs, delivers, and fosters participation in student development activities

• Wisconsin Youth Institute Coordinator

• CALS Ex-Officio member of Wisconsin Agricultural and Life Sciences Alumni Association (WALSAA)

Tera Holtz, Academic Advising Manager

608-262-3105, tholtz@wisc.edu

• Advising for exploring students
• Lead of CALS SOAR planning
• Liaison to Campus Advising Community

LauraLee Berrey Norton, Academic Advising Manager

608-262-5780, lberrey@wisc.edu

• Advising for exploring students
• Supports CALS SOAR planning
• Liaison to Campus Advising Community
• Lead contact for student organizations and leadership opportunities for students

Kristina Vack, Director of Career Services

608-263-7798, vack@wisc.edu

• Provides strategic leadership surrounding the vision and direction of Career Services
• Builds partnerships with faculty and staff in academic departments to support career development of students
• Collect and analyze data related to student outcomes, employment trends, and the effectiveness of career services programs.
• Maintain a strong relationship with UW-Madison Career Services units
• Provides internship and career advising

Nathan Doolin, Employer Relations Manager

608-262-8051, nathan.doolin@wisc.edu

• Builds and maintains strong relationships with employers, alumni, and industry professionals.
• Act as a liaison between employers and students by promoting internship programs, entry-level positions, and other employment opportunities.
• Organize and coordinate recruitment events, such as Career Fairs, Employer Treks, and Networking Connectors that provide a platform for employers to connect with students and showcase job opportunities.

Paige LaPoint, Career Services Manager

608-263-3495, plapoint@wisc.edu

• Provides internship and career advising 
• Oversees the CALS Internship Scholarship and teaches Internship class
• Provides customized presentations on career readiness for CALS instructors and student organizations
• Promotes the services and successes of the career services unit to students, faculty, and other stakeholders

Office of Student Financial Aid:

Alan Avila, CALS Scholarship Manager

608-262-3060, avila4@wisc.edu

• Organizes and oversees all aspects of scholarships including application set-up, awards, communication, payout, and stewardship
• Works collaboratively with many administrative units and all CALS departments to manage all scholarship processes for CALS
• Oversees the CALS Short Term Loan Program

Academic Programs and Policies Team:

Megan Ackerman-Yost, Assistant Dean for Academic Programs and Policies

608-265-5436, megan.ackermanyost@wisc.edu

• Provides leadership for undergraduate and graduate academic planning, course and program proposals, and program implementation and publication
• Provides leadership for undergraduate academic policies and procedures
• Supports undergraduate and graduate instructional strategies and implementation of instructional policies
• Oversees the CALS Curriculum Committee
• Oversees undergraduate student academic records
• Provides leadership for undergraduate academic dean functions, such as graduation certification and academic actions
• Chair of Scholastic Policies & Actions Committee (SPAC)
• CALS Representative for School/College Instructional Leaders

Dinka Souzek, Student Records and Curricular Specialist

608-262-4972, dinka.souzek@wisc.edu

• Ensures accuracy and completeness of undergraduate student academic records, including assessing and processing changes and updates
• Communicates with students about academic actions, updates, and policy
• Audits and evaluates undergraduate student records at graduation to confirm graduation requirements
• Schedules courses for INTER-AG subject listing
• Provides support for Scholastic Policies & Actions Committee (SPAC) meetings and appeals processes
• Builds and maintains strong working relationships with CALS departments and the Office of the Registrar

Diana Frantz Anderson, CALS Academic Planner

608-265-9534, diana.frantzanderson@wisc.edu

• Facilitates undergraduate and graduate academic course and program proposal review and approval by ensuring compliance with policies and advising faculty on policy and best practices
• Facilitates program implementation and publication
• Leads academic planning projects under direction of Assistant Dean
• Builds and maintains strong working relationships with CALS departments, other UW-Madison schools/colleges, and central campus academic planning
• Supports CALS Curriculum Committee, including member training, communication regarding committee decisions, and publishing agendas and minutes
• Ensures accuracy and completeness of curriculum and program information in publications (Guide, DARS)
• Advises on academic curricular and policy improvements, including facilitating discussions, analyzing data, and providing guidance on best practices

 

International and Experiential Learning Team:

Brett Schieve, Assistant Dean for International and Experiential Learning

608-890-4196, brett.schieve@wisc.edu

• Works to ensure CALS students have access to high quality, high impact, academic experiential learning opportunities
• Oversees CALS Study Abroad operation, including new program development, data sharing, setting strategic priorities, administering CALS Study Abroad Scholarships, aligning programs with departmental or certificate curricula, and maintaining a strong partnership with International Academic Programs (IAP)
• In collaboration with CALS Global, supports the internationalization of CALS

Kim Kroeger, CALS Study Abroad Advisor and Program Manager

608-265-5759, kim.kroeger@wisc.edu

• Advises CALS students on international exchange, field study, and research opportunities as they prepare, apply, complete, and return from their experience
• Manages a portfolio of programs which includes assisting faculty who lead short-term field studies with program planning and preparation and works with in-country partners on program details 

• Collaborates with academic departments and instructors in promoting study abroad and how it can integrate into specific degree programs and majors

Rebecca Johnson, CALS Study Abroad Advisor and Program Manager

608-890-0978, rebecca.h.johnson@wisc.edu

• Advises CALS students on international exchange, field study, and research opportunities as they prepare, apply, complete, and return from their experience
• Manages a portfolio of programs which includes assisting faculty who lead short-term field studies with program planning and preparation and works with in-country partners on program details 

• Collaborates with academic departments and instructors in promoting study abroad and how it can integrate into specific degree programs and majors

Liza Chang, CALS First Year Program Manager

608-262-3127, liza.chang@wisc.edu

• Manages the CALS QuickStart program
• Instructs CALS INTER-AG 140 (QuickStart), INTER-AG 155 (first-year seminar), and INTER-AG 288 (first-year honors seminar) 

• Supports college and campus initiatives related to early start programs and first-year seminars

Heather Mialik, CALS Honors Program Manager

608-262-7462, hmialik@wisc.edu

• Manages the CALS Honors Program
• Serves as an instructor for CALS QuickStart program

Sarah Jacobsen, GreenHouse Learning Community Program Manager

608-890-3917, sjacobsen2@wisc.edu

• Manages the GreenHouse Residential Learning Community in collaboration with the Faculty Director and University Housing

Jacqueline Whitley, Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) Learning Community Program Manager

608-262-2278, jacqueline.whitley@housing.wisc.edu

• Manages the WISE Residential Learning Community in collaboration with the co-Faculty Directors and University Housing