UW System Clipsheet

"College students should wait before they transfer, according to University of Wisconsin System data," Wausau Daily Herald, Jan. 2.

Students who start classes at one college and transfer after just one year might harm their chances of graduating further down the road, according to University of Wisconsin System data. UW students who began their studies in fall 2001 had a 68 percent graduation rate if they transferred from a UW college after two years, according to a report released by the UW System Office of Policy Analysis and Research. But their likelihood of graduation dropped to just 38 percent if they transferred to a UW school after one year of classes at another campus...

"UW System diversity plan results show more needs to be done," Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Jan. 3.

At the end point of a 10-year plan the University of Wisconsin System drafted to increase diversity at its 26 public colleges and universities, minority enrollment has crept upward. But the numbers suggest the system remains far from equitable. The final assessment of the program will not be presented to the Board of Regents until March, when the board will be presented with a plan for a new diversity effort. But an analysis of UW System data shows progress on the general goals has been spotty...

"UWGB hires Clayton State president as new chancellor," Green Bay Press-Gazette, Dec. 24.

Thomas Harden said community support for the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay played a major role in his interest in being the school's next chancellor. The UW Board of Regents' Special Committee is recommending Harden, 59, president of Clayton State University in metropolitan Atlanta, to become UWGB's fifth chancellor, UW System President Kevin Reilly said Tuesday...

"Grant to allow 90 University of Wisconsin-Whitewater students study abroad ," Wisconsin State Journal, Dec. 28.

Ninety students from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater will be able to study abroad over the next two years because of a $100,000 grant from the Institute for Study Abroad Foundation. The grants will mostly be given to students from underrepresented populations: students of color, first generation students, students with physical disabilities and LGBT students...

"Dr. Thomas Harden named chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay," Fayette Front Page, Dec. 27.

Clayton State University President Dr. Thomas K. Harden has accepted the position of Chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, starting no later than June 1, 2009...

"UWO exploring emergency notification options," Oshkosh Northwestern, Dec. 31.

Officials at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh want to take steps toward implementing a more inclusive system that would alert students and staff to emergency situations on campus as situations arise...

"End of the road for Thai project?," Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Jan. 5.

Like many idealists, Joseph Quinnell believed he could achieve the impossible. Unlike a lot of dreamers, the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point student actually made it happen. But now, harsh financial reality threatens to dash it all away...The signs plastered all over campus helped launch an unprecedented effort that in August brought two 19-year-old undocumented Thai students from rural villages to central Wisconsin...But the dream could end. Despite efforts, the Thailand Project hasn't raised new donations. And the women will run out of funding in May...

"UW-La Crosse tests out new parking meter technology," La Crosse Tribune, Jan. 2.

Tired of searching pockets, purses and seat cushions for enough coins to fill a parking meter? You may not have to if you park at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. The university is testing new parking meters that accept debit and credit cards, in addition to coins...

"In Person: Eggheads and Cheeseheads," Science, Jan. 2.

...I received the first indication of these differences when one of our outstanding residents returned to Harvard after 2 years of fellowship training at Wisconsin. I asked him to describe the difference between the two institutions. After a few moments of thought, he replied, "The people in Wisconsin are as smart as the people at Harvard, but they put greater emphasis on building collegiality"...(Author: Dan Albert is the Emmett A. Humble Distinguished Director of the Eye Research Institute, Professor and Chair Emeritus, the F. A. Davis Professor, and the Lorenz E. Zimmerman Professor in the Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences Department of the School of Medicine and Public Health at UW-Madison)...

"Experts disclose increase in sexual assault reports," Dunn County News, Dec. 28.

Experts say the number of victims reporting sexual assault is on the rise. They say that's not because the number of sexual assaults is rising, but because victims are becoming more intentional about filing reports...Menomonie Police Department Investigator Brian Hagen investigates the majority of sexual assaults that involve adults. And a majority of those sexual assaults involve the UW-Stout community or people of college age...

"UW Credit Union raises $1.5 million in scholarship fund," WKOW-TV, Jan. 2.

UW Credit Union's scholarship fund raised more than $1.5 million to put towards educating future students in the University of Wisconsin System and Madison Area Technical College...

"Legislators should draw line between higher education-prosperous economy," Column, WisPolitics, Dec. 26.

One of the major efforts for those of us who work in higher education in early 2009 will be to ensure that legislators and the public draw the connection between an adequately funded University of Wisconsin System and the health of our state's economy. Speaking for UW-Stout, our unique mission within the UW System includes a specific charge to offer a distinctive array of programs "leading to professional careers focused on the needs of society"...But we cannot proceed with the planning and implementation of these new majors, or work on increasing the enrollment in the programs we now offer, unless the state of Wisconsin provides us with adequate resources--either through tax dollars or tuition...(Column author: Julie Furst-Bowe, Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs, UW-Stout)...

"Doyle, other governors call for $1 trillion stimulus," Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Jan. 2.

Gov. Jim Doyle joined four other Democratic governors Friday in calling for a $1 trillion federal economic stimulus package that would include $250 billion for education..."If we have to make (deep) cuts in education, we will see a great falloff in the quality of our schools," Doyle said. "If we have to make similar kinds of cuts to our university systems, we will either see a great restriction of university education for people or such a soaring tuition level that ordinary, hardworking families will be unable to afford college education for their children"...

"Doyle: Budget, stimulus spending will be top concerns next year," WISC-TV, Dec. 30.

Gov. Jim Doyle said he has two major jobs to do in the coming year -- balance the state's budget and find ways to spend federal stimulus money effectively...Doyle said that among his major priorities were to protect the state's education system, including K-12 education and the University of Wisconsin system. He said some states are cutting their education systems by 15 to 20 percent, and those weren't cuts he was prepared to make in Wisconsin...

Watch: http://www.c3ktogo.com/news-video/?mgid=20304

"Beloit College may turn away students requiring significant financial aid," Wisconsin State Journal, Dec. 26.

In a quiet change to its admissions policy, Beloit College may turn away some potential students if they require significant financial aid packages. The strategy -- called "need-sensitive admissions" -- may sound cruel, but college officials say it actually works to keep the college affordable for most students. Financial need will only become a factor when a student's academic record makes them borderline admissible, said director of enrollment Nancy Benedict, ensuring there is enough aid for those who are fully qualified for the private college...

"New scholarships aid students committed to service," USA Today, Jan. 4.

...Ask college administrators about what sets this generation of current and aspiring college students apart and they'll quickly bring up their volunteer spirit. An estimated three-quarters of high school students do some volunteering, and the rapidly growing number of college students who volunteer is estimated at around 3.3 million...But longer-term, service-based merit aid looks like an idea with momentum. Colleges are catching up to the interests of an especially civic-minded generation of students, building curricula around service-learning and eager to attract the most ambitious students. And backers are excited about the election of Barack Obama, who made federal financial aid in exchange for community service his centerpiece college affordability campaign proposal...

"Economy dominated higher ed news in 2008," USA Today, Dec. 30.

The economy overshadowed just about everything else this year in the world of higher education, and no sector was spared...

"Colleges profit as banks market credit cards to students," New York Times, Dec. 31.

...Bank of America's relationship with the university extends well beyond marketing at sports events. The bank has an $8.4 million, seven-year contract with Michigan State giving it access to students' names and addresses and use of the university's logo. The more students who take the banks' credit cards, the more money the university gets. Under certain circumstances, Michigan State even stands to receive more money if students carry a balance on these cards. Hundreds of colleges have contracts with lenders. But at a time of rising concern about student debt -- and overall consumer debt -- the arrangements have sounded alarm bells, and some student groups are starting to push back...

"Applications for colleges clog system," New York Times, Dec. 31.

It is crunch time for college applications -- and for the computer system that handles the flood of last-minute applications. On Tuesday, from 6:30 to 6:50 p.m., and on Wednesday from 9:45 to 10:45 a.m., there was a slowdown at the Common Application Web site, which handles online applications for some 350 colleges and universities...

"SAT changes policy, opening rift with colleges," New York Times, Dec. 30.

This March, high school juniors taking the SAT will have the option of choosing which scores to send to colleges while hiding those they do not want admissions officials to see. The new policy is called Score Choice, and the College Board hopes it will reduce student stress around the SAT and college admissions...

"A rust belt oasis, the University of Michigan is spending billions to grow," New York Times, Dec. 30.

An army of ironworkers, masons, carpenters and laborers are swarming the campus of the University of Michigan these days, as the university undertakes a construction campaign budgeted at $2.5 billion, ranking it among the largest university building programs in the United States...University administrators here and in other states say the burst of construction, which began at the start of the decade and accelerated in recent years, has enabled campuses to catch up with years of deferred maintenance and to add new installations that respond to fast-evolving economic priorities and markets...

"Colleges protect workers and cut elsewhere," Chronicle of Higher Education, Jan. 9.

Most colleges have steered through the first jolts of the recession without resorting to layoffs, cutting employee benefits, or imposing across-the-board freezes on hiring. But the economic pain is afflicting campuses in many other ways, according to the findings from a new survey of chief business officers conducted last month by The Chronicle and Moody's Investors Service... (paid subscription required)

"Colleges offer extra aid to strapped students," Chronicle of Higher Education, Jan. 9.

Among all the uncertainty colleges face in this recession, they are sure of one thing: Families are feeling less than confident about their ability to pay for higher education. And many colleges are not sitting idly by. Colleges are creating more student-aid programs or expanding existing ones. Others are offering students additional counseling or a grace period for paying their tuition bills. And even some that haven't seen an increase in student need are preparing for one next year... (paid subscription required)

"Economist describes a missing pool of low-income college applicants," Chronicle of Higher Education, Jan. 5.

Each year thousands of high-achieving students from low-income families do not apply to selective colleges that would almost certainly accept them, according to a paper presented here on Saturday during the annual meeting of the American Economic Association... (paid subscription required)