UW–Madison accepting applications for five online undergraduate degrees

Great news: The University of Wisconsin–Madison is accepting applications for its new online undergraduate degrees in Management, Marketing, Human Resources, Personal Finance, and Consumer Behavior & Marketplace Studies.

Designed for people who have completed some college, these online degrees are built around a practical, hands-on curriculum. You can learn new skills one day and integrate them into your work the next. The flexible, online format allows students to balance progress toward a degree with work and family responsibilities.

Achieve your goals with a bachelor’s degree from UW-Madison, ranked 13^th among public universities nationwide. They will challenge you!  But you will rise to the occasion, and the results will be worth it.  You will get to know award-winning faculty and outstanding students and staff.  The same world-class faculty who teach on campus also teach these online programs.

Click the link below to see all the five online degrees and to get in touch with an enrollment coach who will help you determine if the new UW-Madison Online degrees are right for you.

go.wisc.edu/start-today

Applications are open now.  Get started today!

Trox and Tierney Unite to Broaden Opportunities to Expand Educational Access and Improve Learning Outcomes

MERGER ESTABLISHES THE MOST EXPERIENCED EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS PROVIDER IN NORTH AMERICA

Education is a powerful agent of change and access is key. That’s the vision that is uniting Trox and Tierney as they announced a merger of the two companies today. The merger positions the joint organization as the most prominent and experienced education technology solutions provider in North America.

With over 80 years of collective experience in the education sector and more than 750 talented associates, Trox + Tierney will be primarily focused on providing technology to the K-12 market and addressing some of K-12’s most pressing challenges – providing access to learning for students and easing the burden on educators and students when it comes to effectively communicating and collaborating in any setting. The combined organization will be led by Erez Pikar, CEO of Trox. Rob Gag, CEO, Tierney, will lead its sales organization.

“We were looking for a partner to help us better address the new and future challenges faced by educators and students and Tierney was the ideal choice,” said Erez Pikar, CEO, Trox. “As a joint company with unparalleled scale, Trox + Tierney will be able to offer new skills, greater value, and improved purchasing efficiencies to districts and other organizations, as well as access to a larger network of vendors, products, and geographies.”

Given the complementary geographic footprints between Trox and Tierney, the combined organization can now cover the entire U.S., Puerto Rico and Canada to better serve the education sector. Its comprehensive portfolio of products and services will provide greater selection, service and convenience in support of educators in K-12 and higher ed.

“Both Trox and Tierney share strong, values-driven cultures, which we will build upon as a unified organization,” said Rob Gag, CEO, Tierney. “Our customer-first approach and deep market knowledge will enable us to bring new and innovative services and offerings to market faster, helping our customers better leverage technology to address their toughest challenges.”

The Trox + Tierney merger combines two formidable and complementary technology portfolios and creates a complete suite of education-specific services, including design and installation, IT asset disposition (ITAD) and product lifecycle management, professional development, and pre- and post-deployment technical support.

Pikar said, “Together, we will make the process of operating a district or school considerably easier and enable educators to focus on what they do best – providing all students with an opportunity to succeed.”

For more information about Trox, visit www.trox.com. For more information about Tierney, visit www.tierney.com.

ABOUT TROX

For nearly 40 years, Trox has championed the use of technology to broaden access and improve learning. As North America’s leading education technology provider, the company empowers educators to confidently purchase, implement, use, and manage technology resources by using technology to address their challenges and improve the learning landscape. Trox’s expansive product portfolio, combined with its deep understanding of how technology can be used to manage, teach, and learn, makes the company a beloved partner to tens of thousands of districts across the U.S. and Canada. Providing technology that is in use by over 20 million students daily, Trox is committed to driving transformative change in education by enabling learning without limits. Learn more at www.trox.com or follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

ABOUT TIERNEY

Tierney has been a leading provider of technology solutions for K-12 schools, higher education institutions, government organizations, and corporate businesses for over 40 years. With a focus on the customer, helping teachers teach, students learn and workers work, Tierney provides a line of products and services to support projects of any size from start to finish. Learn more at www.tierney.com or follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

Media Contact
Jenni Ottum
Public Relations and Communications Manager
O: 602-437-7420, x1709
C: 480-231-4887
Jenni.ottum@trox.com

Derek Burns
Chief Marketing Officer
Phone: 612-455-3606
dburns@tierney.com

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WPS Health Solutions outlines plan for more workers to return to the office

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
DeAnne Boegli
Vice President of Communications
608-977-7343
deanne.boegli@wpsic.com

WPS Health Solutions outlines plan for more workers to return to the office

MADISON, Wis.—May 6, 2021—WPS Health Solutions is developing a plan that envisions how the work environment will change as more people are vaccinated against COVID-19. When the pandemic was declared in March 2020, WPS rapidly deployed remote technology so approximately 93% of employees could work from home to reduce the spread of the virus.

More than 350 employees currently are working on-site in WPS facilities across five states. As of May 1, WPS had a total of 3,586 employees and contract workers.

Now, WPS leaders are talking about the “New WPS Workplace,” which includes a return to the office for some, while others continue working from home or use a combination of the two options. In addition, geographic limitations on new hires have been reduced, allowing for candidates to be permanently remote from many states.

“Our return to using WPS office facilities will be a process, not an event,” says President and CEO Mike Hamerlik. “The safety of our employees remains our number one priority. As more and more people receive the vaccines and restrictions in office settings are relaxed, WPS will start bringing employees back. We are preparing our facilities and working toward the date of Sept. 7 to have operations functioning at new, on-site levels.”

The decision process on who returns to a WPS facility starts with a discussion between employees and supervisors.

“The September date allows the company, you and your supervisor, and your families time to plan whether and how you might return to a WPS office,” Hamerlik said in an April message to employees.

He also urged all employees to get vaccinated. “I ask that you do your part and get fully vaccinated as soon as possible. Even if you continue to work from home, you may at some point be called into the office for meetings or temporary duty. We want to make sure that everyone is as safe as possible in the workplace.”

WPS leaders anticipate that up to 60% of the WPS workforce will be remote after the pandemic. As a result, the company is reducing office space and reevaluating real estate plans. As announced in March, WPS signed a letter of intent with One City Schools for purchase of the Nordby Building located on WPS’ campus in Monona. Leased office space has been reduced or consolidated in other WPS locations.

“We will be changing how we design our offices, with fewer cubicles and more collaborative spaces. There will be more ‘hotel’ desks and offices, which will be available for remote workers who no longer need their own dedicated space,” says Andrew McCready, Director of Facility Operations.

Steps have been outlined for those who are ready to return to the office. Employees start with a conversation with their supervisor to define work schedule, location, and equipment needs. Return-to-office applications are reviewed by various teams, including Human Resources, Facility Operations, and Information Technology.

Once a return date is approved, the employee must follow current COVID-19 protocols, including wearing a mask, appropriate social distancing, and completing a wellness survey upon entry.

About WPS Health Solutions

Wisconsin Physicians Service Insurance Corporation is a nationally regarded benefits administrator for a variety of U.S. government programs and a leading not-for-profit health insurer in Wisconsin. Wisconsin Physicians Service Insurance Corporation utilizes “WPS Health Solutions” to refer to our entire enterprise. Within our enterprise, there are three divisions, including Government Health Administrators, Military and Veterans Health, and WPS Health Insurance/WPS Health Plan/EPIC Specialty Benefits. WPS Government Health Administrators manages Medicare Part A and Part B benefits for millions of seniors in multiple states, and WPS Military and Veterans Health serves millions of members of the U.S. military and their families through TRICARE and Veterans Affairs programs. Wisconsin Physicians Service Insurance Corporation has been based in Madison, Wis., for 75 years. For more information, please visit wpshealthsolutions.com.

Agrace Seeks Hospice Volunteers in Dane County, Offers Virtual Grief Support

Volunteers are needed to assist customers, operate the cash register and sort donations at the Agrace Thrift Stores in Madison, pack donated merchandise in donors’ homes, or make companionship visits to local Agrace hospice patients in patients’ homes, nursing homes or assisted living centers.

Agrace will host volunteer orientation Thursday, June 3 or Monday, June 14, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at its Madison campus. Pre-registration is required for either session. Call (608) 327-7163 or visit agrace.org/volunteer to fill out an application.

In addition, Agrace is offering a professionally led, virtual (accessible with a tablet, computer or smartphone) grief support group in June. Bridges Support Group is for adults grieving the death of any loved one. It meets June 9 and June 23, from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. Pre-registration is required.

Bridges meets online and is open to the public. There is no fee for people whose family member was in hospice care in the past 12 months; fees for others can be lowered or waived, if needed. Call (608) 327-7118 with questions or to register