Monika Leininger
Mleinin1@uwyo.edu
Wyoming budget update
UW President Richard McGinity sent out an email addressing the Wyoming fiscal state issue and giving notice of additional measures to be implemented at UW to control spending on Friday.
The first will be implemented after the October 2015 payroll cycle is finalized. With respect to state aid, any remaining spending authority in Personal Services will be taken and transferred to a reserve account held centrally by administration until further notice. Remaining spending authority is the amount available after expenditures and impediments. In other words, funds that have been encumbered for future salary and benefit expenditures will not be captured and held in reserve. The second measure is a freeze on budget transfers from state aid, Section I Fiscal Year 2016 Personal Services budgets. Budget transfers of remaining spending authority to Support Services or Grant & Aid budgets will not be allowed again until further notice.
Museum theft
A former Fremont County Pioneer Museum director has been sentenced to 120 hours of community service for taking artifacts from the institution she oversaw. Carol Thiesse was sentenced on Friday. She was convicted of theft in August for stealing a series of items that were reported missing from the museum after she was fired in 2012. Investigators said they found the objects in Thiesse’s home during her 2014 arrest. Her attorney argued she brought the artifacts home from work and forgot about them. The items include: four miniature saddles, a rolling cart, a set of about 800 photographs from the early 20th century, about 20 kits to make journal-style books, a set red-handled flatware, a Kodiak video camera and about 150 brochures.
Two found dead in Lander home
Authorities are investigating the deaths of a woman and juvenile whose bodies were found in a Lander home. Lander police have not released the names of the victims. They say autopsies are being done to determine the cause of death. Sheridan Media reports the woman was 41 years old and the juvenile was a 5-year-old boy. Police said they were called to the residence Saturday evening by neighbors who had not seen the two in several days. Police said there is no threat to the community.
Infant survives car rollover
A 27-year-old Casper woman died in a single vehicle rollover in Fremont County, but a 6-month-old infant survived after spending about 11 hours alone before the wreck was found. The Fremont County Coroner’s office identified the victim as Katie Graveman. A 6-month-old infant was secured in an infant car seat and survived. The Wyoming Highway Patrol estimates the crash occurred about 8:30 p.m. Friday and was not discovered until about 7:30 a.m. Saturday. The accident remains under investigation.
UW celebrates diversity
Diversity awards were given out to students and faculty to show appreciation for their passion and achievement. Awards were presented during the Celebrating Diversity dinner were sponsored by the Committee on Women and People of Color (CoWPoC.) Awards for academic professionals, faculty and administrators were categorized in three groups: research, service, and teaching.
“The awards are to recognize the stellar achievements and contributions of diverse faculty, staff and students at UW. They were nominated by someone at UW and selected by a CoWPoC subcommittee,” Co-chair Jacqueline Leonard, said.
Women’s leadership conference this week
The UW Women’s Leadership Conference begins on Friday and Saturday. This year the conference is titled “Breakin’ Through, Find Your Voice, Share Your Voice.” Registrations are being accepted. The conference will begin at 5 p.m. Friday with registration at 4:30 p.m. Registration for the conference is free, and individuals can register the day of the event. Activities Friday evening will include dinner, entertainment, a talk from keynote speaker Wagatwe Wanjuki (discussing sexual assault issues and Title IX) and opportunities for participants to meet one another.
UW hydrology professor recognized
A UW Professor received a young research award for his work in the field of hydrology and health. Evan Johnson, assistant professor in the College of Health Sciences Division of Kinesiology and Health, received the 2015 Hydration for Health (H4H) Initiative Young Researcher of the Year Award. The H4H Initiative is a global health initiative that shares science and knowledge on healthy hydration with health care providers and consumers. Each year it recognizes a young investigator whose research has made a significant impact in the field of hydration as it relates to health.
