If you want to be a Badger, just come along with me,
By the light, by the light, by the light of the moon.
If you want to be a Badger, just come along with me,
By the bright shining light of the moon.
By the light of the moon, by the light of the moon,
By the bright shining light, by the light of the moon.
If you want to be a Badger, just come along with me,
By the bright shining light of the moon.
Source: UWBadgers.com
Yesterday morning at about 7:00 am, Mary Kunz Berge passed away. And I know the "light of the moon" from now on will be just a little bit brighter because of Mary.
I first met Mary and Paul Berge in 2003 when they generously agreed to chair the School's Centennial Committee. Fresh from chairing the University Sesquicentennial Committee, Mary and Paul never hesitated, never even blinked but said "of course" when Dean Douthitt asked them to take on this challenge. And unbeknownst to them, Robin had assigned me to be their staff leader. Me, a complete greenhorn about campus and the School - I had only been there a few months, tops. Surely Mary would need someone with more experience on campus, more history with the School.
Over the course of our year long project, Mary and Paul welcomed me into their home and taught me what it means to be a Badger. It's not the football games, the sunsets at the Union, the great classes or the band. Sure those are all great elements - but what Mary showed me was so much bigger. It is about stepping up when you see a need, and giving more of your time and talent than anyone would ever expect. Mary was the first person to say "how can I help" - she did more than "talk the talk", she walked it every day.
I had the pleasure of shooting a video with Mary and Paul about their gift to the 100 Women initiative -Paul and their children were among the first to participate. During the interview I asked Mary why she's so engaged, what motivates her to give so much of herself to the School. Without hesitation Mary told me that whether it is the textile collection being a place for scholars or the human development and family studies programs or the community leadership initiatives, she believes in the importance of our mission to improve the quality of other people's lives.
My feelings are too raw right now to do Mary justice. I see her sitting at the board of visitors table, her ponytail always tied with a grosgrain ribbon. I hear her laugh and see her smile. Over the last few years Mary walked with a little assistance from a cane but true to her spirit, it was not any cane. Hers was a mosaic of color, sparkle and reflection - it was as unique and original as its owner.
I will miss you Mary and every time the light of the moon shines on our School, we know you are there.
Saturday, September 29, 2012
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
It is alive!
What? Is this a line from "Young Frankenstein"? Or "The Sound of Music"?
Nope, I am talking about Nancy Nicholas Hall - it is alive!
My colleagues have been teasing me over the last year, wondering if I will be comfortable with people walking in this spanky building. I tease right back threatening to make people wipe their feet or use a coaster in my nice clean house!
The day before the semester began (yes I was in on Labor Day , it only seemed right as this project was both a labor of love for the School and labor pains associated with birth only this time I can't yell at my husband) I walked the building. I avoided the faculty who were preparing for class because I was not there for them, I was there for purely selfish reasons. I was there for me.
The solitude of the building was, actually, unsatisfying. Oh sure the floors were clean and furniture all in its designed place. It was neat, orderly and all according to the plan.
But it was quiet and had no energy. It was missing something important - the buzz that only comes with students.Yesterday we welcomed students back to the School of Human Ecology and THEIR brand new home.
I saw graduate students in the Graduate Student Lounge and in the Graduate Studio; I heard joyful squeals when students come together from a summer apart. Students were lined up for advising sessions in the waiting area of the Fetzer Center and lots eager faces in the large classroom. I spent my morning in the Link helping people find their way around this beautiful building and yes, I saw students curled up on the sofas at the end of the east hallways, feet on the furniture and food on the tables.
And I couldn't be happier.
Welcome home, boy we've missed you!
Nope, I am talking about Nancy Nicholas Hall - it is alive!
My colleagues have been teasing me over the last year, wondering if I will be comfortable with people walking in this spanky building. I tease right back threatening to make people wipe their feet or use a coaster in my nice clean house!
The day before the semester began (yes I was in on Labor Day , it only seemed right as this project was both a labor of love for the School and labor pains associated with birth only this time I can't yell at my husband) I walked the building. I avoided the faculty who were preparing for class because I was not there for them, I was there for purely selfish reasons. I was there for me.
The solitude of the building was, actually, unsatisfying. Oh sure the floors were clean and furniture all in its designed place. It was neat, orderly and all according to the plan.
But it was quiet and had no energy. It was missing something important - the buzz that only comes with students.Yesterday we welcomed students back to the School of Human Ecology and THEIR brand new home.
I saw graduate students in the Graduate Student Lounge and in the Graduate Studio; I heard joyful squeals when students come together from a summer apart. Students were lined up for advising sessions in the waiting area of the Fetzer Center and lots eager faces in the large classroom. I spent my morning in the Link helping people find their way around this beautiful building and yes, I saw students curled up on the sofas at the end of the east hallways, feet on the furniture and food on the tables.
And I couldn't be happier.
Welcome home, boy we've missed you!
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Eating the Elephant
It's an old joke:
How do you eat an elephant?
One bite at a time.
Today is a milestone day for the project as we begin moving the more than 13,000 objects that comprise the Helen Louise Allen Textile Collection back home. Years of planning rolled into design, construction, temperature and humidity data collection and analysis and passion to create a space that is second to none, anywhere in the United States.
But before any of that happened the collection needed to be packed and moved to secure offsite storage for the nearly three years it took to reach today. Remember, this is easily the largest University-held collection in the nation and it most of it had never seen the light of day, let alone get packed and moved out then moved back again.
It is worth sharing again the spectacular blog (http://hlatc.blogspot.com/) created by Diana Zlatanovski the associate curator of the Collection, that documented the process of moving the objects out of the building. Please take a moment and start at the bottom of her blog - she did a wonderful job photo documenting the space where the collection used to live and how we actually moved it out. I still remember the large rolled textiles being hand-carried down 4 flights of stairs with people on either end trying to keep it level. Now that's commitment.
Once again it is the caring hands of dozens of people who have come together to make this move possible - from the hands of the dozens of volunteers who cut muslin, coroplast and scrubbed the cabinets clean, to the hands of the people from Coakley who moved our collection out of the building over the semester break December/January 2009-10, and now back again, the elephant has come full circle.
But I most want to thank:
Erin Hamilton, Maggie Ordon, Barbara Bradley, Ericka Knapp and Lynn Mecklenburg
who confronted the elephant named "moving back home", stared it down and very precisely ate it all, one bite at a time.
Bon Appetit!
How do you eat an elephant?
One bite at a time.
Today is a milestone day for the project as we begin moving the more than 13,000 objects that comprise the Helen Louise Allen Textile Collection back home. Years of planning rolled into design, construction, temperature and humidity data collection and analysis and passion to create a space that is second to none, anywhere in the United States.
But before any of that happened the collection needed to be packed and moved to secure offsite storage for the nearly three years it took to reach today. Remember, this is easily the largest University-held collection in the nation and it most of it had never seen the light of day, let alone get packed and moved out then moved back again.
It is worth sharing again the spectacular blog (http://hlatc.blogspot.com/) created by Diana Zlatanovski the associate curator of the Collection, that documented the process of moving the objects out of the building. Please take a moment and start at the bottom of her blog - she did a wonderful job photo documenting the space where the collection used to live and how we actually moved it out. I still remember the large rolled textiles being hand-carried down 4 flights of stairs with people on either end trying to keep it level. Now that's commitment.
Once again it is the caring hands of dozens of people who have come together to make this move possible - from the hands of the dozens of volunteers who cut muslin, coroplast and scrubbed the cabinets clean, to the hands of the people from Coakley who moved our collection out of the building over the semester break December/January 2009-10, and now back again, the elephant has come full circle.
But I most want to thank:
Erin Hamilton, Maggie Ordon, Barbara Bradley, Ericka Knapp and Lynn Mecklenburg
who confronted the elephant named "moving back home", stared it down and very precisely ate it all, one bite at a time.
Bon Appetit!
Sunday, August 5, 2012
Modern Family
I started this blog writing a fairy tale but after 2 days of trying to make it work, I've just scratched the whole thing. My daughter and I have been on a marathon of funny TV shows - everything from "Arrested Development" to "Modern Family." In my opinion some of the best comedy writing today lives on the small screen.
Here's my interpretation of Human Ecology as a family comedy (sing along to the popular theme songs):
The Beverly Hillbilies
Space is our big need we cannot waste it
You can raised the funds, why don't you take it
You're gonna build it after all
You're gonna build it after all"
Rawhide Theme Song ( I only changed 2-3 words, it just seemed to work)
"Rollin' Rollin' Rollin'
Don't try to understand 'em,
Just rope and throw and grab 'em,
Soon we'll be living high and wide."
Here's my interpretation of Human Ecology as a family comedy (sing along to the popular theme songs):
 |
| School of Human Ecology building, 1928 |
"Come and listen to a story 'bout our favorite Dean
Their building was old but they sure did keep it clean
Until one day with students on the stairs
Robin looked up and said "It just ain't fair"
Space that is.. class-rooms...teaching labs"
The Brady Bunch
 |
| Associate Vice Chancellor Alan Fish |
"Here's the story, of a lovely lady
Who was planning a building of their own
She presented, to Campus Planning
But she was all alone.
.
'till the one day when the lady met this fellow
they shook hands and pledged to work hard on the deal
That the Dean would somehow raise her monies
That's how Nancy Nicholas Hall became so real."
Theme song to Mary Tyler Moore Show
(little known fact - at the end of the clip where MTM spins and throws her hat into the air? That's a Zwicker Knit hat!)
"
Who can raise a building with her wiles?
Who can raise a building with her wiles?
Who can take the faculty and carefully make them all walk the miles?
Well it's you Dean, and you should know it
With each step and every single donor you show it Space is our big need we cannot waste it
You can raised the funds, why don't you take it
You're gonna build it after all
You're gonna build it after all"
Rawhide Theme Song ( I only changed 2-3 words, it just seemed to work)
"Rollin' Rollin' Rollin'
Campus keep on movin',
Though they're disapprovin',
Though they're disapprovin',
Keep them planners movin' Rawhide!
Don't try to understand 'em,
Just rope and throw and grab 'em,
Soon we'll be living high and wide."
This past Wednesday we had a party to honor Robin, thank her for the last almost eleven years leading this School. The party was a fairly informal affair, just cake, ice cream and a wee bit of champagne. Robin has made the School a family - and in that spirit we welcome Dean Soyeon Shim. Please pull up a chair to our table - we are not the formal "eat in the dining room with the proper flatware" kind of family, we are the "pass the potatoes, stop hitting your sister, no texting at the table and how-was-your-day" kind of family.
We are a modern family. But no giving the dog your lima beans....I can see that.
Sunday, July 22, 2012
Mom was right - boys and girls ARE different!
I've been meaning to blog about this for a while but somehow other things kept getting in my way - darn you Tunnel Bob!
All restrooms in the building (save the "Nature Calls" on first and the formal ones in Plenary Hall) have a wall that is just blackboard. Wall to wall, floor to ceiling blackboard. The idea came from a trip to the Merchandise Mart in Chicago about 3 years ago. After a long day of showroom appointments looking at furniture, we (the design team plus me, Robin, Roberto and Angela) had drinks at an uber cool, "we-are-too-old-to-be-here-but-we're-out-of-town-and-will-never-see-these-people-again" bar where we discovered the restroom was planked in chalkboard.
About a month or so after moving into Nancy Nicholas Hall my colleague Bruce Hellmich stopped by and asked what was on the boards of the womens' room. Curious, we each peeked into the others restroom - what a difference.
 |
| Hoover with a coaster on her head....it was funny at the time |
This morning with a cup of coffee on my desk, my husband on location for a shoot and Hoover, my 6-year old Chocolate Lab snoring next to me (wait, didn't she just wake up from sleeping all night?! How do they do it!) I am in a calm place to write about the fun stuff.
The chalkboards in the bathrooms of our facility are cracking me up. What a difference between genders.
It was spectacular. Visual. Organic. Funny. It was easy to do in our building and we bet the students would love it.
The women's room chalkboard entries trend towards drawings with lots of color and "TGIF" or encouraging types of material. The men's room is very clearly...shall we say...occupied by boys. Apart from documenting human functions, the chalkboard contributions lean towards cartoons and jokes. "My nose smells" seems to be a favorite.
I can't wait to check again after the students come back this fall.
Thursday, July 19, 2012
It's not a dream
 |
| Nancy Nicholas Hall photo taken by John Loeffelholz on July 17, 2012 |
Just few hours later the campus was hit with a massive (and much needed) rainstorm. John's photo was taken with a filter and I understand the camera has color correction so while I like to think it's always glorious at Human Ecology we may have had just a wee bit of help.
And what do you see in this picture? I see one kick-#$#@! building, and one helluva staff member to care enough to get this image. John, please accept this huge public thank you!!!
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Grateful Dead meets Human Ecology
My husband would be so proud - well truth be told he would be stunned - that I am using a classic Grateful Dead lyric from "Truckin'" to headline this post. Some day I will tell you the story of the only Dead concert I attended. Let's just say I am more of a "Talbots" girl than the tie-dye, twirling peasant skirt type and Purell hadn't been invented yet. 'Nuff said there!
Lately I've been thinking about what might be next. We will welcome a new dean on August 27 and a new crop of undergraduate and graduate students. New memories will be created and fresh ideas will percolate.
Did I tell you about accidentally meeting Dr. Shim our new dean? It was during construction and the building was closed - we were having problems with security and seriously, students were trying to drop off papers. No kidding, we had a student actually scale the construction fence to try and drop off a form for Student Academic Affairs. I don't know what I admire more - the physical agility or the tenacity that no fence is gonna stop them from meeting a deadline!
Any-who...I was up in the cafe area trying to convince my colleagues at the Union that the cafe would be a money-maker when I look up and see a person walking with great purpose through the second floor. I knew she wasn't a contractor, design team member or anyone I had worked with. But darn she was moving fast - by the time I excused myself from my meeting saying "can I help you?" she had cut down a secondary corridor. Crap, I lost her! Oh well, I tried.
So imagine my surprise when I learn about a month later during her official visit the unregistered visitor was OUR NEW DEAN! Nice move Zwicker, way to make an impression.
Welcome aboard Dr. Shim - I look forward to working with you but expect I will spend a fair amount of time just trying to keep up!
"Sometimes the lights all shinin on me;
Other times I can barely see.
Lately it occurs to me what a long, strange trip it's been."
Lately I've been thinking about what might be next. We will welcome a new dean on August 27 and a new crop of undergraduate and graduate students. New memories will be created and fresh ideas will percolate.
Okay while I think of it - percolate reminded me that we do not have
agreement (yet!) with the Union to run our cafe. Percolate = coffee =
Mama's happy. I've had a ton of questions about the cafe and we are at a
standstill on negotiations. Stories best told in person.
Did I tell you about accidentally meeting Dr. Shim our new dean? It was during construction and the building was closed - we were having problems with security and seriously, students were trying to drop off papers. No kidding, we had a student actually scale the construction fence to try and drop off a form for Student Academic Affairs. I don't know what I admire more - the physical agility or the tenacity that no fence is gonna stop them from meeting a deadline!
Any-who...I was up in the cafe area trying to convince my colleagues at the Union that the cafe would be a money-maker when I look up and see a person walking with great purpose through the second floor. I knew she wasn't a contractor, design team member or anyone I had worked with. But darn she was moving fast - by the time I excused myself from my meeting saying "can I help you?" she had cut down a secondary corridor. Crap, I lost her! Oh well, I tried.
So imagine my surprise when I learn about a month later during her official visit the unregistered visitor was OUR NEW DEAN! Nice move Zwicker, way to make an impression.
Welcome aboard Dr. Shim - I look forward to working with you but expect I will spend a fair amount of time just trying to keep up!
"Sometimes the lights all shinin on me;
Other times I can barely see.
Lately it occurs to me what a long, strange trip it's been."
Thursday, June 14, 2012
Just when you think it can't get any more strange...
I am regretting my last blog post. I am regretting it BIG TIME because I tempted the Fates with the line "....is that all you've got? Bring it on!"
Because they've brought it on, big time. Since we've moved in we have dealt with:
Because they've brought it on, big time. Since we've moved in we have dealt with:
- all three of our elevators being down, at completely unscheduled intervals and sometimes with people inside! It's from overheating hydrolic oil in elevator 2, or something about magnetic tape, or maybe we haven't fed the little hampsters that spin the wheel or perhaps Tom Cruise is filming "Mission Impossible 5: Badger Protocol"
- campus legend "Tunnel Bob" has been sighted multiple times skulking around the building, pressing his face into windows and scaring the bejeezus out of staff - seriously, when the director of technology services comes running up to my office on the second floor at 6:30 pm to report that Tunnel Bob has just pressed his face against his window I am thinking "what the hell? I really need a taser" but externally I say "thanks for letting me know...let's contact campus police"
- the running argument with custodial over who is responsible for providing toilet paper was finally resolved (thank you VC Bazzell for recognizing the absurd nature of the debate) so after week three of being in the building we are fully stocked. I am no longer humiliated by asking "can you spare a square?"
- furniture is still being delivered and will be coming in over the next 2 months - so for instance private offices only have one guest chair because the fabric was backordered. The second guest chair will arrive in about 4 weeks - please go light on entertaining in your office.
- the custom furniture for the Dean's private office and reception is back ordered and expected some time in July. In the mean time we are telling the Dean candidates the private office "is the minimalist look... trust me, it's all the rage in Europe"
- the licensor is inspecting the preschool this morning at 9:00 am, keep your fingers crossed for a positive report. Jill Riley, director of the Preschool and the whole entire staff have blown me away - they closed at 5:00 pm last Friday, moved over the week-end and in 3 days unpacked and set up the entire preschool.
- the card access system is burping about every other day which means on one day my card would work, and the next day I am frosted out of spaces. Soooooo not helpful and sooooo out of our control.
- 80% of the sod that was installed on the project was rejected and had to be ripped up. This week new sod put down and it looked really funny to see the front lawn get rolled up and put onto skids. Of course I knew what was happening but it sure caused a few raised eyebrows among our staff - I couldn't resist a few lines " budget cuts are a bitch" or "we decided to just pave the front lawn to save on maintenance" and "WHAT? Pulling out our sod??? Are you serious? OMG I can't believe this is happening - Robin's gonna kill me"
Sunday, June 3, 2012
Two by Two
Right now I am sitting in my office at home trying to come up with a catchy line about the move back home. Truth be told I am drawing a blank. "Two by two" is all I've got because the title "I'm freaking exhausted" just wouldn't read quite so well.
On Monday May 21 we began the move back to 1300 Linden Drive and by Friday May 25 the first phase was complete. All the months of planning, meeting, writing and hand-wringing paid off with a smooth and swift move of occupants and functions from Sterling Hall, Tokay Boulevard, Middleton Building, Mechanical Engineering, Henry Mall and the MSC building into Nancy Nicholas Hall. I am sure I've said this before - the landing at Normandy wasn't this well planned!
The faculty and staff have been in the building nine working days and it's been pretty darned great to have everyone under the same roof. I'm not blowing any smoke, I firmly believe the School is at its best when everyone is together, bumps and all.
And we need to be linking arms because on top of the move we have been hosting candidate visits for the Dean's position. Part of me wants to curl up in the corner of my office and quietly weep (because if I made noise they would find me) and part of me says "Really, is that all you've got? You think you can break us? Bring it on!"
We finished moving from six locations on the Friday before the Memorial Day week-end but the team of Miranda Hofmann (Operations and Facilities Manager), John Hilgers (Director of Technology Services), Andy Wagner (Assitant Director of Technology Services), Julie Anderson, our student workers and Assistant Dean Bruce Hellmich made the impossible happen. At 8:00 am Tuesday morning - with only part of our furniture delivered, untested technology and unpredictable elevator service - we welcomed our first candidate. The hallways had been largely cleared of packing debris, furniture was borrowed from other spaces to fill Plenary Hall, catering arranged, restrooms stocked, card access programmed and technology for the presentations cobbled together from other locations. Two down, one more to go.
Because if you're not living on the edge you are taking up too much room.
This is Human Ecology.
 |
| Dress forms from Design Studies move home |
On Monday May 21 we began the move back to 1300 Linden Drive and by Friday May 25 the first phase was complete. All the months of planning, meeting, writing and hand-wringing paid off with a smooth and swift move of occupants and functions from Sterling Hall, Tokay Boulevard, Middleton Building, Mechanical Engineering, Henry Mall and the MSC building into Nancy Nicholas Hall. I am sure I've said this before - the landing at Normandy wasn't this well planned!
The faculty and staff have been in the building nine working days and it's been pretty darned great to have everyone under the same roof. I'm not blowing any smoke, I firmly believe the School is at its best when everyone is together, bumps and all.
And we need to be linking arms because on top of the move we have been hosting candidate visits for the Dean's position. Part of me wants to curl up in the corner of my office and quietly weep (because if I made noise they would find me) and part of me says "Really, is that all you've got? You think you can break us? Bring it on!"
We finished moving from six locations on the Friday before the Memorial Day week-end but the team of Miranda Hofmann (Operations and Facilities Manager), John Hilgers (Director of Technology Services), Andy Wagner (Assitant Director of Technology Services), Julie Anderson, our student workers and Assistant Dean Bruce Hellmich made the impossible happen. At 8:00 am Tuesday morning - with only part of our furniture delivered, untested technology and unpredictable elevator service - we welcomed our first candidate. The hallways had been largely cleared of packing debris, furniture was borrowed from other spaces to fill Plenary Hall, catering arranged, restrooms stocked, card access programmed and technology for the presentations cobbled together from other locations. Two down, one more to go.
Because if you're not living on the edge you are taking up too much room.
This is Human Ecology.
Saturday, May 12, 2012
It's all an illusion
Yesterday more than 400 carts and crates were delivered to the six locations where the School of Human Ecology has been living for the past three years. The packing has begun - I poked my head into the ID Resource Room this afternoon and saw a team of students busy sorting and packing material. At the elevator I ran into Professor Shep Zeldin who cheerfully said "I'm packing Zwick" - god luv ya Shep!
The illusion is about space on the carts. I know some of my colleagues are stressed thinking the carts will never hold all their material -but I am here to tell you it's all good.
This afternoon I did my final sort and toss. I've written before that over the past several years I've reduced my file storage to one five-drawer vertical, one two-drawer lateral and one two-drawer ped. Even now I am throwing out copies of sketches from design workshops and I had the pleasure - and I mean real pleasure - of tossing into the recyle bin all the plans and memos related to the first relocation. Oh my gosh I can't tell you how GREAT it feels not to have to look at the Sterling floor plans any more.
Today I packed a cart and the contents on my file cabinets fit nicely on just 2.5 shelves of a four-shelf cart. The trick is to pack them double deep - a shelf of a cart will hold much more than you think.
Hi-ho, hi-ho, five working days to go.
The illusion is about space on the carts. I know some of my colleagues are stressed thinking the carts will never hold all their material -but I am here to tell you it's all good.
This afternoon I did my final sort and toss. I've written before that over the past several years I've reduced my file storage to one five-drawer vertical, one two-drawer lateral and one two-drawer ped. Even now I am throwing out copies of sketches from design workshops and I had the pleasure - and I mean real pleasure - of tossing into the recyle bin all the plans and memos related to the first relocation. Oh my gosh I can't tell you how GREAT it feels not to have to look at the Sterling floor plans any more.
Today I packed a cart and the contents on my file cabinets fit nicely on just 2.5 shelves of a four-shelf cart. The trick is to pack them double deep - a shelf of a cart will hold much more than you think.
Hi-ho, hi-ho, five working days to go.
Friday, May 11, 2012
Keys
We know you are all anxious to get keys for your new spaces
in Nancy Nicholas Hall. In order to get
your new keys, however, you need to turn in your old ones first, per campus policy. Anyone who has lost any keys will be
responsible for the $75 lost key fee prior to receiving their new keys, checks can
be made payable to UW-Madison. If you
have lost a master key, there is a $75 fee per door that the master opens.
Key turn in/pick up will be in 2209 Mech Engr during these
times:
Thursday, May 17: 1pm – 3pm
Friday, May 18: 9am – 12pm
Friday, May 18: 9am – 12pm
If you are unable to come during either of these times, you
will need to contact Gloria McCord to make alternate arrangements to turn in your
old keys and Miranda Hofmann to receive your new keys. Please note that both Gloria and Miranda’s
availability for key collection and distribution will be extremely limited
during the week of May 21. New keys will
not be distributed prior to May 17.
We're in the home stretch everyone, we are so grateful for
everyone's patience and cooperation as we round the turn for home!
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Private Office Layouts
I think I've been at this too long...I wrote the word "layout" and wanted to follow with "back handspring." My older sister was a gymnast so growing up in my house these two words are a natural pair.
But in this case I am writing about furniture layouts for private offices. The process for selecting furniture can be short or long - in the case of Human Ecology the process was long because the team felt it incredibly important for users to have a voice. For just selecting chairs we had a 2-week long "chair fair" where everyone got to test drive chairs for working, guests, lounge, for the cafe, studios, for classrooms, for the outdoor roof and so on. You get the idea. But this entry is about private office furniture.
Input
Unlike many other projects on the campus where private office furniture is simply decided, Human Ecology took the long way around - we started with a focus group to get feedback and ideas from the people who will actually be using the space. The invite went to the chair of each department or unit lead to send a representative to the April 27, 2010 focus group - the following people participated:
Feedback and Process
Participants went back to their respective groups to get more comments, then reported back to the design team. Comments and adjustments were received until the end of May. From there the layouts were further refined and narrowed into four basic models. Those four models were offered for comment and more feedback received to determine the two basic furniture scenarios - which were then put out for bid.
Four vendors were selected to install a mock-up of an actual desk layout and an invitation to give feedback on the mock-up went to the entire School. Comments were received and two vendors were selected to bid on the project.
"L" Shape" versus P-top: Flexibility
The reason behind these 'L' layouts was actually in an effort to be more customer friendly. Offices in this configuration are also given a mobile table. In the focus group, several people preferred this option because it seemed more congenial to work with a visitor over a table rather than have a formal desk in between them. Also, don't forget these mobile tables have a drop down ledge and can abut or slide beneath the main work surface, giving these users a little more flexibility in their final layout.
Although we have located grommets to allow people to locate their computers where they wish, we have anticipated that most people will have their computers along the side wall where the hutch will be located. This is the case whether the desk is an 'L' or a 'U' shape People will not have their back directly to the door, but will be facing to the side.
Final Selection and Assignment
Last fall each department chair received a floor plan complete with furniture layouts - P-top and "L" shape. While space authority resides with the Dean, each department was asked to provide a recommendation for who would be assigned what office. The School did not prescribe a process but left the selection to each department. The only department that did not have two layout options was Interdisciplinary Studies -their faculty offices are on the north side of the existing building and the constraints on the space are enormous so we could not offer "P" top furniture.
Countdown to the move
I've been working on this project for five years but I didn't want to move into the building without taking a moment to thank you - all of you - for caring so very much. I forget just how much effort each of you has taken to participate in focus groups, test drive chairs, complete online surveys, attend work sessions and so much more. It is the nature of this School to engage students, staff and faculty and the building project is no exception. Nancy Nicholas Hall has a little bit of everyone in it.
But in this case I am writing about furniture layouts for private offices. The process for selecting furniture can be short or long - in the case of Human Ecology the process was long because the team felt it incredibly important for users to have a voice. For just selecting chairs we had a 2-week long "chair fair" where everyone got to test drive chairs for working, guests, lounge, for the cafe, studios, for classrooms, for the outdoor roof and so on. You get the idea. But this entry is about private office furniture.
Input
Unlike many other projects on the campus where private office furniture is simply decided, Human Ecology took the long way around - we started with a focus group to get feedback and ideas from the people who will actually be using the space. The invite went to the chair of each department or unit lead to send a representative to the April 27, 2010 focus group - the following people participated:
- Roberta Riportella (Consumer Science)
- Shannon Sparks (HDFS)
- Cynthia Jasper (Interdisciplinary Studies)
- Linda Dicks (Administration )
- Michele Mickelson (Student Academic Affairs)
- Roberto Rengel (facilitator along with Sasaki)
- Lesley Sager (Design Studies - unable to attend)
- Bonniejean Zitske (Centers - unable to attend)
- is file storage more important than printer storage?
- is a wardrobe closet needed?
- are bookcases more important than binder storage?
- how do you like to meet with people -at your desk or at a separate table?
Feedback and Process
Participants went back to their respective groups to get more comments, then reported back to the design team. Comments and adjustments were received until the end of May. From there the layouts were further refined and narrowed into four basic models. Those four models were offered for comment and more feedback received to determine the two basic furniture scenarios - which were then put out for bid.
Four vendors were selected to install a mock-up of an actual desk layout and an invitation to give feedback on the mock-up went to the entire School. Comments were received and two vendors were selected to bid on the project.
"L" Shape" versus P-top: Flexibility
The reason behind these 'L' layouts was actually in an effort to be more customer friendly. Offices in this configuration are also given a mobile table. In the focus group, several people preferred this option because it seemed more congenial to work with a visitor over a table rather than have a formal desk in between them. Also, don't forget these mobile tables have a drop down ledge and can abut or slide beneath the main work surface, giving these users a little more flexibility in their final layout.
Although we have located grommets to allow people to locate their computers where they wish, we have anticipated that most people will have their computers along the side wall where the hutch will be located. This is the case whether the desk is an 'L' or a 'U' shape People will not have their back directly to the door, but will be facing to the side.
Final Selection and Assignment
Last fall each department chair received a floor plan complete with furniture layouts - P-top and "L" shape. While space authority resides with the Dean, each department was asked to provide a recommendation for who would be assigned what office. The School did not prescribe a process but left the selection to each department. The only department that did not have two layout options was Interdisciplinary Studies -their faculty offices are on the north side of the existing building and the constraints on the space are enormous so we could not offer "P" top furniture.
Countdown to the move
I've been working on this project for five years but I didn't want to move into the building without taking a moment to thank you - all of you - for caring so very much. I forget just how much effort each of you has taken to participate in focus groups, test drive chairs, complete online surveys, attend work sessions and so much more. It is the nature of this School to engage students, staff and faculty and the building project is no exception. Nancy Nicholas Hall has a little bit of everyone in it.
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
"Live to the last moment"
Bill's amazing story
Please take a few moments to read Bill's obituary which appeared April 29, 2012.
"Love triumphs over death"
Hah-zah Bill, it sure does.
Please take a few moments to read Bill's obituary which appeared April 29, 2012.
"Love triumphs over death"
Hah-zah Bill, it sure does.
Friday, April 27, 2012
You Load 16 tons....
For anyone who has spent time around me you know I really dig interesting nuggets, factoids, and data about the building project. I know so many people who are gonna smack me if I say "this building is as long as one and a half football fields" one more time because I just can't seem to shut up about it. And yet, when people come back from even a short tour they say "wow, that's a huge building"....I KNOW!
As we end day five of loading new furniture into Nancy Nicholas Hall, let me share one more nugget with you: the good people of Emmons Business Interiors (who are handling the private office and workstation furniture) have moved in more than 75 tons of furniture into the building. They have done it cheerfully, professionally and with great care and as I learned today, members of the firm who worked on the furniture plans and design are Human Ecology grads.
"you load sixteen tons, and what do you get - another floor loaded and we ain't done yet"
My little riff - thanks Tennessee Ernie Ford.
As we end day five of loading new furniture into Nancy Nicholas Hall, let me share one more nugget with you: the good people of Emmons Business Interiors (who are handling the private office and workstation furniture) have moved in more than 75 tons of furniture into the building. They have done it cheerfully, professionally and with great care and as I learned today, members of the firm who worked on the furniture plans and design are Human Ecology grads.
"you load sixteen tons, and what do you get - another floor loaded and we ain't done yet"
My little riff - thanks Tennessee Ernie Ford.
Sunday, April 22, 2012
The Journey Home: Our Friend Bill Aquilino
I have written and erased so many things trying to craft this entry. But the truth is I am weeping. This will not be clever or pithy, not logical and certainly not well-crafted because I want to get this all down and not look back. Last night I received this note, so beautifully and gracefully written by Emeritus Professor Nadine Marks:
"Our beloved colleague and friend, Bill Aquilino, peacefully took in two long-spaced deep breaths and released his mortal frame at about 8:45 this morning in the glow of spring sunshine beaming into the east and south-facing windows of his second-floor bedroom at home. His beloved wife, Linda, was tenderly tending to him, and his beloved daughter, Zoe, was also close at hand.
Amazing all his caregivers--but at the same time, very true to his essence--Bill remained clear and lucid to the very end. Fortunately, he was not in any major pain during these last several weeks of transition. Bill continued to demonstrate great serenity and equanimity, and even spiritual/intellectual curiosity/anticipation, throughout the process of letting his body go. He was focused on the needs of his caregivers as much as his own needs throughout.
Per his wishes, Zoe opened a bottle of champagne to celebrate and toast his liberation."
When I started working for Robin on the building project I had a hard time keeping up - everyone on this team was so freaking smart. To quote my friend Maureen, I had to bring my "A" game every day.
The priorities agreed to by the building committee would provide the road map for designing the physical space. The stakes were extremely high that the group get it right for the next 100 years.
I had known Bill Aquilino just by face and name as a faculty member of HDFS and I knew he was the Associate Dean of Graduate Education and Research, but that's about it. Over the course of a year working with the building committee I learned so much more. Bill is generous with his experience and intelligence, wicked funny and always one of the smartest people in the room. He is passionate about the graduate student experience. Because of his tenacity and vision the new building includes a glorious lounge exclusively for graduate students and private space for graduate students to work including a studio for design students. Bill knew the future of the School was dependent on attracting top notch graduate students but here's a twist I never saw coming...faculty recruitment.
Over the past months I have had the pleasure of taking faculty candidates on tours of the new building and invariably when we hit the graduate student lounge their faces light up. People have said "I never had a place like this when I was a grad student....we were shoved in the basement....we were housed in the attic....we never saw daylight..." Bill Aquilino's fingerprints are everywhere.
On March 14, 2012 Dean Robin Douthitt took Bill on a tour of the building and unveiled for him a Diego Rivera print installed in the Graduate Student Lounge, with the following dedication:
"This Diego Rivera print entitled,"Detroit", was presented by the School of Human Ecology in honor of Associate Dean and Emeritus Professor William (Bill) Aquilino in recognition of his abiding commitment to graduate education and the role he played in fostering a climate of mutual respect and collaboration between faculty and their proteges. Dr. Aquilino, an Emeritus Professor of Human Development and Family Studies ensured that the 2012 facilities expansion included this space for the exclusive use by all Human Ecology graduate students to build their own interdisciplinary, collaborative academic community."
"Our beloved colleague and friend, Bill Aquilino, peacefully took in two long-spaced deep breaths and released his mortal frame at about 8:45 this morning in the glow of spring sunshine beaming into the east and south-facing windows of his second-floor bedroom at home. His beloved wife, Linda, was tenderly tending to him, and his beloved daughter, Zoe, was also close at hand.
Amazing all his caregivers--but at the same time, very true to his essence--Bill remained clear and lucid to the very end. Fortunately, he was not in any major pain during these last several weeks of transition. Bill continued to demonstrate great serenity and equanimity, and even spiritual/intellectual curiosity/anticipation, throughout the process of letting his body go. He was focused on the needs of his caregivers as much as his own needs throughout.
Per his wishes, Zoe opened a bottle of champagne to celebrate and toast his liberation."
When I started working for Robin on the building project I had a hard time keeping up - everyone on this team was so freaking smart. To quote my friend Maureen, I had to bring my "A" game every day.
The building committee was extremely diverse. Members included academic staff, deans and faculty with deep experience and strong opinions including Bill Aquilino. And he didn't hold back. My role was more a "wrangler" than anything thing else in those meetings. Everyone knew we didn't have the budget or real estate (we are landlocked to the west by CALS, to the north by Washburn Observatory, and to the east by Van Hise) to build everything so the committee had to make tough choices and set clear priorities. During one particularly tough cycle I was talking to Professor Mark Nelson about how wrenching the meetings were and he said "it's like trying to decide which puppy to toss out of the lifeboat" - vivid expression of just how hard this process was going to be for everyone.
The priorities agreed to by the building committee would provide the road map for designing the physical space. The stakes were extremely high that the group get it right for the next 100 years.
I had known Bill Aquilino just by face and name as a faculty member of HDFS and I knew he was the Associate Dean of Graduate Education and Research, but that's about it. Over the course of a year working with the building committee I learned so much more. Bill is generous with his experience and intelligence, wicked funny and always one of the smartest people in the room. He is passionate about the graduate student experience. Because of his tenacity and vision the new building includes a glorious lounge exclusively for graduate students and private space for graduate students to work including a studio for design students. Bill knew the future of the School was dependent on attracting top notch graduate students but here's a twist I never saw coming...faculty recruitment.
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| View from the Link |
On March 14, 2012 Dean Robin Douthitt took Bill on a tour of the building and unveiled for him a Diego Rivera print installed in the Graduate Student Lounge, with the following dedication:
"This Diego Rivera print entitled,"Detroit", was presented by the School of Human Ecology in honor of Associate Dean and Emeritus Professor William (Bill) Aquilino in recognition of his abiding commitment to graduate education and the role he played in fostering a climate of mutual respect and collaboration between faculty and their proteges. Dr. Aquilino, an Emeritus Professor of Human Development and Family Studies ensured that the 2012 facilities expansion included this space for the exclusive use by all Human Ecology graduate students to build their own interdisciplinary, collaborative academic community."
With a huge smile and clasping Robin's hand in his left, Bill pumped his right fist into the air and said "YES"
Welcome home Bill.
xoxo-Zwick
Monday, April 9, 2012
Move Specifics: FAQ
Is it true we will have a shower in the building? That is so great because I ride my bike to work!
Yes, the building has (2) showers available exclusively for faculty and staff use. Contact Miranda Hofmann via email at mohofman@wisc.edu to learn more about access.
I want to host an event this summer in the new building – what should I do?
Unfortunately we are not able to host external groups, guests or special events this summer; the staff will be working hard to get processes and operations running smoothly and efficiently for the fall. That being said, of course, regular Human Ecology meetings (i.e. staff meetings, department meetings, etc.) may be held in the new building. Please send your meeting requests to roomrequest@mail.sohe.wisc.edu
Do I have to move my cruddy wastebasket?
No you won’t have to move those nasty things, new recycle and wastebaskets are provided for you as part of the project.
Will I have help packing?
Everyone is responsible for packing their own office or workstation. Please work with your department chair or unit supervisor to determine strategies for packing shared spaces such as department offices, storage rooms or reception areas.
What if I’m away and can't get packed, will someone pack for me?
If you are away it’s best to pack early or bake some really tasty cookies to get someone to help you. Everyone is responsible for their own space.
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