Universty of Wisconsin Platteville Intership OpportunityMasterpiece on the Mississippi
TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
SUBJECT: University of Wisconsin Platteville Internship Opportunity
DATE: June 16, 2011
Chief of Police Mark Dalsing is recommending the addition of a grant funded paid
internship position to the Police Department.
I concur with the recommendation and respectfully request Mayor and City Council
approval.
MCVM:jh
Attachment
cc: Barry Lindahl, City Attorney
Cindy Steinhauser, Assistant City Manager
Mark Dalsing, Chief of Police
Randy Peck, Personnel Manager
Jennifer Larson, Budget Director
Michael C. Vaa Milligen
Dubuque
All- America City
2007
Masterpiece on the Mississippi
TO: Michael C. Van Milligen
City Manager
FROM: Mark Dalsitl
Chief of Polic�l
INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND
DISCUSSION
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MEMORANDUM
RE: University of Wisconsin Platteville Internship Opportunity
June 15, 2011
The Dubuque Police Department has an opportunity to take advantage of the Pioneer
Academic Center for Community Engagement (PACCE) program offered through the
University of Wisconsin — Platteville (UWP). The purpose of this program is to provide
funding to businesses or organizations that do not have the financial capacity to pay for
the employment of an intern from the university.
Elizabeth Sedgewick, a student currently enrolled at UWP, began an unpaid internship
in May 2011 doing historical research for the Dubuque Police Department, as well as
other related duties, under the supervision of the Community Policing Unit, with the
intent to earn credit towards her degree.
After Sedgewick began her internship, the Dubuque Police Department was made
aware of the existence of the PACCE program offered through UWP. It is a student
program funded through tuition proceeds and is set aside for organizations that have
not budgeted funds for all internships. The program wage is not to exceed $10 per
hour, with a cap of 480 hours, or $4800 per student.
The program requires that the intern be paid as an employee of the organization, and
then the organization is reimbursed by the university. The employer share of social
security and Medicare would be approximately $387 (if the entire $4800 was spent),
and is the only portion of wages for the student which is not eligible for reimbursement.
The Dubuque Police Department has available funds through the Department of Justice
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2009 Law Enforcement and Prevention grant, which includes the funding for our other
student internships, and will be the source to cover the $387 in other employer
expenses. By utilizing this grant funding and being reimbursed by the university, the
internship is then 100% funded. We may or may not reach the program limit of $4,800,
depending on the workload and tasks that are assigned by the Community Policing
Division, so our final expenses are not known but should not exceed the $387.
Sedgewick will remain in the intern position regardless of whether or not we enter into
this agreement with the PACCE program; however it would be beneficial to her to
receive financial compensation as well as credits for her hard work.
RECOMMENDATION
I recommend that the application for the Pioneer Academic Center for Community
Engagement, or PACCE, program offered through the University of Wisconsin —
Platteville be completed and submitted to the college. This is an opportunity for the
Dubuque Police Department to utilize a needed intern position, and participate in the
PACCE program, which provides the intern with income while earning college credit.
I would also recommend that Sedgewick be hired as a temporary employee /intern, with
her salary to be reimbursed by the PACCE program. She will remain an employee until
the completion of her assigned duties or until the program limit of $4,800 is met.
ACTION REQUESTED
City Manager approval and any other necessary actions needed for the above
recommendation of hiring Sedgewick as a temporary employee and entering into an
agreement with the University of Wisconsin - Platteville for PAACE program
reimbursement
cc: Randy Peck, Personnel Director
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