THEUWMPOST est. 1956
September 6, 2011
the student-run independent newspaper
Issue 2, Volume 56
Leader of the Learning Laboratory
RETIRES
Post photo by Sierra Riesberg
Scott Gore retires as UWM Union director after 30 years By Steve Garrison News Editor news@uwmpost.com
Campus life would be almost unrecognizable without the efforts of Scott Gore, who, after almost 30 years of service to the UW-Milwaukee campus, announced his retirement as Student Union Program Director this summer. The architect behind such events as Campus Kick-off Week, Pantherfest, the Distinguished Lecture Series and Family Weekend will serve an advisory role for the foreseeable future as a special
assistant to the chancellor. Gore said that the biennial budget published last spring and the financial impact it may have was part of the reason he chose to leave, but he also felt that after 30 years, it may be time for a change, both for him and for the organization. “It is kind of my time … to retool in some shape or form,” he said. Scott Peak, formerly the university’s housing director, will serve as the interim union director until a replacement is found. Gore began mopping floors and serving drinks as a student employee in
the reservations department in 1972, a position referred to him by a friend. Originally a theater major, Gore said he had “highfalutin’” ideas about what he wanted to do after graduation, but was intrigued by the possibility of beginning a career at UWM. “My experiences here on campus and the opportunities provided have helped me find my passion in many ways,” he said. Gore said he probably worked in every single department in the student union before he was offered the opportunity to serve as the active programming director.
In the early 1970s, the union was a far cry from what it is today. Campus programs and events were often organized by external groups and individuals independent of the university who received funding from the federal government. As such, union activities were mostly business-minded, serving the greater community surrounding UWM with student activities serving a peripheral role. However, in 1975 federal funds dried up, and the Union Activities Board was created to allocate student segregated fees for union events.
The UAB, still in existence today, is a student organization that provides support for speakers, events and programs with the intent to have an impact on the university, community and culture of Milwaukee, according to the UWM website. While the UAB allowed students greater control over campus events, it also brought problems. “[The UAB] was self-elected, and depending on what was happening, it was either going to be productive or not productive,” Gore said.
See GORE page 2