Child-care centers give
parents peace of mind
By Jenny Price
Ten years ago, professors, research assistants and students had no options for infant care on campus to help them stay on the path to tenure, return to the lab or continue their studies after having a baby.
“When I came there was no infant care,” says Lynn Edlefson, director of the Office of Child Care and Family Resources.
The No. 1 challenge when Edlefson took over the post in September 1997 was finding adequate space on campus for child care. Although there were many campus centers, none at the time provided care for infants. She discovered quickly that it was critical to act fast when opportunity knocked and explore all options in the quest to provide parents with quality care and close proximity to their children while they work or study.
UW-Madison names vice provost for diversity, climate
Damon Williams has been named vice provost for diversity and climate, the University of Wisconsin-Madison's chief diversity officer. He will start on Aug. 1.
Williams comes to the university from a position as assistant vice provost in the Office of the Vice Provost for Multicultural and International Affairs at the University of Connecticut-Storrs. There, he led initiatives, provided guidance, and consulted with the campus on issues of diversity and learning, recruitment and retention, strategic planning and enhancing campus climate.
He holds a doctorate in organizational behavior and management from the University of Michigan Center for the Study of Higher and Post-Secondary Education and is nationally recognized in the areas of diversity, leadership and organizational change. He has served as a scholar in residence for the Association of American Colleges and Universities and recently published a monograph with the American Council on Education (ACE) titled "The Chief Diversity Officer: A Primer for Presidential Leadership."