Department Banquet

Friday, April 12, 2024
5 - 8 p.m.
Junior's Restaurant and Tap House
414 S. Main Street
River Falls, WI 54022

5 p.m. Social Hour (light hors d'oeuvres and cash bar)
6 p.m. Dinner
6:45 p.m. Program and Guest Speaker following dinner

Come and join in fellowship and community with students, alumni, faculty, staff and friends of the Department of Politics, Geography and International Studies at UW-River Falls. 

We will also be celebrating political science faculty member, Dr. Davida Alperin, who will retire this May after 33 years of service to the department and university.  Please help us to honor her and send her off with well wishes!
 

---

Guest Speaker

Ryan Weichelt, Ph.D.
"Why Geography is More Important Than Ever in Redistricting"

In the fall of 2023, the Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled that state Assembly and Senate Districts had to be redrawn.  In their decision, they identified the current districts violated contiguity standards and in the drawing of new districts currently accepted redistricting standards should be adhered to.  One of their criteria related to maintaining Communities of Interest (COI).  Unfortunately, COI is a vague term, but is playing an increasingly important role in redistricting cases across the United States. While geographers are often seen as solely map makers, COIs and defining COIs opens the door for geographers to truly make their mark in current redistricting studies.  This talk will explore what COIs are using the most recent “Wisconsin Redistricting Battle” to demonstrate the importance of geography in redistricting.  

Ryan Weichelt is a Professor of Geography and Department Chair at the University of Wisconsin –Eau Claire. His research has been focused on the electoral geography of Wisconsin, with an emphasis on rural studies, and redistricting studies. Highlighting these issues are recent publications of the Atlas of the 2020 Elections (contributor and co-editor) and a chapter in the Handbook of the Changing World Language Map, titled “The Language of Reorganizing Electoral Space” with co-author Gerald Webster.  He has also assisted in several redistricting cases as an expert witness, including the most recent redistricting case in Wisconsin.  

 

---

Reservations
 

All are welcome to attend! Reservations are required by Friday, March 29, 2024.

Student Reservations

• The department will cover the cost for department students to attend the banquet. Please complete the Banquet Reservation Form.

General Reservations

Please use one of the following methods:

• Make reservations online at the link here (please note: a convenience fee will be charged based on charges the department incurs for credit card processing and sales tax),
  or
• Complete the Banquet Reservation Form at the link here, and send a check for $30 per person, payable to UW-River Falls to:

     UWRF Geography
     410 S. 3rd Street
     River Falls, WI 54022

     Please note "PGIS Banquet" in the check memo.

---

Donations

Contributions of any size to department Foundation funds are greatly appreciated and will be used, in part, to defray the cost for UWRF students to attend the banquet. These funds support student activities, future events and department resources.

A list of funds may be found below. To make a donation, please visit the University Advancement page, or
mail a check payable to UWRF Foundation to:

UW-River Falls Foundation
118 North Hall
410 S Third St
River Falls, WI 54022

Please include the designation of your gift in the check memo line.

Department Foundation Funds

Geography Department Fund supports department events and associated expenses, guest speakers, resources, supplies, equipment, student awards and other department expenses.

International Studies Fund supports international programs on campus, study abroad opportunities and internationalization of the university

Political Science Department Fund provides supplemental assistance to the students and faculty of Political Science

Political Science and International Studies Internship Fund supports students pursuing a political science or international studies internship

Scott Nelson Memorial Fund supports the funding of department resources, equipment, student awards, guest speakers, events and activities, benefitting students and alumni.

Tracey Gladstone-Sovell Memorial Fund supports the Political Science program

Thank you for supporting Geography, International Studies and Political Science programs at UWRF!