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MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE BOARD OF REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF
WISCONSIN SYSTEM, 11/10/95
THIS SUBDOCUMENT CONTAINS THE REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE SYSTEM; IT IS
PRECEDED BY THE SUBDOCUMENTS CONTAINING THE REGULAR ACTION OF THE BOARD
AND THE REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF REGENTS.
REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE SYSTEM
President Lyall began her report by welcoming the members of the UW-
Extension Administrative Leadership Program, a program designed to
help faculty and staff from Extension and other UW institutions
develop leadership skills and new professional contacts while they
gain a greater understanding of Extension and the UW System.
Presentation by Glenn Kieckhaefer, of Grant Thornton: "Student
Satisfaction Survey"
President Lyall introduced Glenn Kieckhaefer, managing partner of
Grant Thornton, the company which performed the UW System's first
student satisfaction survey. This survey is one of a cycle of three
performed in rotation as part the UW System's accountability
reporting process. (The other surveys are a survey of Wisconsin
businesses who hire UW graduates and an alumni survey.) Grant
Thorton, an outside firm serving as a disinterested third party,
performed the survey and reported the results to the UW System. The
survey focuses on the students' view of their overall educational
experience and some of the specific aspects of that experience.
Mr. Kieckhaefer began his presentation by discussing the survey
instrument and providing some background prior to presenting the
results of the 1995 Student Satisfaction Survey. The survey was
commissioned in response to recommendations of the Task Force on UW
Accountability Measures; its first objective was to obtain a
system-wide perspective of student satisfaction in a number of broad
areas. (Campus-by-campus information was not collected, since each
campus performs its own detailed surveys.) This survey establishes
a benchmark against which future surveys will be measured. The
final objective is to continue to strive for improving the quality
of students' education experiences by identifying improvement areas
or trends and setting goals for future improvement. UW System
degree-seeking undergraduates were surveyed on a number of factors
defined as key factors in measuring students' overall satisfaction
with their educational experience. These factors include:
* quality of instruction
* accessibility of faculty
* availability and quality of academic advising
* availability of required courses
* responsiveness to student concerns
Grant Thornton, a national public accounting and consulting firm,
and HBRS, a national customer research firm, conducted telephone
interviews during March and April, 1995. They contacted 2,069
students from 14 institutions, sampling the students from each
campus in proportion to the number of students from that campus in
the UW-System. (Based on this sample size, the margin of error is
+/- 2%.)
The first question asked how satisfied students were, overall, with
the quality of instruction received: 95.7% indicated they were
satisfied, and 4.3% indicated dissatisfaction. (Mr. Kieckhaefer
noted that this was the highest level reported by the students in
the survey.) Interaction with Faculty (in classroom and small group
discussions, during office hours, on field trips or during
internships, or through clubs and organizations) elicited a response
of 91% satisfied (7% were somewhat dissatisfied, 1% were very
dissatisfied, and 1% didn't know). Regarding the availability of
academic advising, 73% of the students indicated that academic
advising was always or usually available, 23% said that it was
sometimes available, and 2% stated that it was never available (the
remainder had never sought advising). When asked about the overall
quality of academic advising (when it was sought), 75% of the
students were somewhat or very satisfied with the quality, and 23%
were somewhat or very dissatisfied with the academic advice
received. Two thirds of the students indicated that they were
always or usually able to register for the courses they needed in
order to meet their degree requirements; 32% indicated that they
were only able to do so sometimes, and 1% stated that they were
never able to do so. (This was the area where students rated the UW
System the lowest, according to Mr. Kieckhaefer.) Regent Lubar
inquired whether the measure of "availability" was able to
distinguish between actual availability and availability of classes
at requested times; he was informed that the question combined these
details, noting a class could be considered unavailable for either
reason.
Student involvement outside the classroom is also considered a key
component of the educational experience, and nearly 85% of the
students surveyed indicated that they were satisfied with the
availability of university sponsored activities outside of class,
while 7% were somewhat dissatisfied. In this area, 8% of students
indicated that they did not know about UW-sponsored actities, which
may be an area for improvement. Students were asked about the
availability of student services (including housing, financial aid,
admissions, counseling, health services and career services, and
recreation); over 80% indicated that they are always or usually
available, and 14% responding that they were only sometimes
available. When the quality of these services was assessed, 92%
indicated that they were very or somewhat satisfied with the
quality.
Questions concerning facilities, campus safety, and the diverse
university community were also asked. When satisfaction with
facilities was assessed, over 95% responded that they were very
(56%) or somewhat (38%) satisfied. Campus safety and security was
also evaluated highly, with (92%) indicating that they were very or
somewhat satisfied. Mr. Keickhaefer said that a question had been
formulated to ask how satisfied students are with the university's
ability to foster understanding and repect for differences among
members of the multi-cultural university community. 87% of the
students surveyed showed that they were satisfied, with 11%
indicating dissatisfaction.
The final question asked students about their satisfaction with
their overall experience with the University of Wisconsin. Mr.
Kieckhaefer noted that a "very significant" portion (95%) indicated
that they were satisfied, with over half of the respondants
indicating that they were very satisfied. (Of the dissatisfied
students, 5% indicated that they were somewhat dissatisfied.) In
comparison to other institutions, Grant Thornton discovered that the
95% satisfaction level was unusually high. In breaking down the
survey components by category, students were "most satisfied" with
the quality of instruction (95.7%), facilities (94.4%), quality of
student services (92.1%) and campus safety (91.7%); they were "least
satisfied" with course availability (66.2%), academic advising
availability (73.5%), and the quality of academic advising (75.3%).
Reiterating that this survey serves as a benchmark, Mr. Kieckhaefer
noted that it will be used to track trends in key areas and to
establish improvement objectives rather than allow comparisons
between UW institutions or other university systems. When asked by
Regent Gelatt how the survey could be made to be more valuable to
the UW System, he responded that some items could be made more
specific. He noted that, at this point, the survey has been
designed to evaluate the entire UW System on a number of broad
issues; when a problem or area for improvement has been identified,
it will be a greater challenge to analyse how improvements can be
made. (This is an area where the surveys performed by individual
campuses can be of some use.) Regent Gelatt then asked who
determined that the survey encompass the whole system; President
Lyall replied that System Administration requested this, in response
to the initial Task Force recommendation. When Regent Gelatt
questioned the utility of an instrument which doesn't allow inter-
campus comparisons, Mr. Kieckhaefer replied that when another
institution had performed a similar survey which did not have the
objective of making inter-campus comparisons but from which they
were extracted, comparisons were used "inappropriately" by high
school guidance counsellors to steer students to particular
campuses. Commenting that such information might be useful, Regent
Krutsch then questioned whether the aggregate information this
survey provides will be useful for planning improvements. She felt
campus by campus information is needed. She added that adding
details, such as determining the difference between general course
availability and the convenience of a course's availability in the
schedule, would also be helpful.
Chancellor Kuipers observed that aggregate data can provide helpful
data. Observing that it is unusual for such data on so many
variables to be so positive, she noted that this overall data is
useful in that if a factor were to be rated unusually low, it would
alert the whole system to a problem. She added that data
individualized by campus can be misinterpreted if the methodology
and complexity of the data is not well understood. Regent MacNeil
asked whether and when a survey of this magnitude had been
previously performed; President Lyall replied that the system-wide
survey of Wisconsin employers had been performed last year. This is
the first system-wide survey of student satisfaction, and will be
done on a three year cycle; however, individual campuses have
frequently done student surveys. Regent MacNeil noted that
modifications could be made as follow-up surveys are performed.
President Lyall agreed, observed that changes to include campus-by-
campus comparisons would increase the costs of the survey, and
suggested that it is appropriate to evaluate the utility of the
information gained in the first cycle of surveys in order to
establish future direction. Regent Hempel concluded the discussion
by reasserting that the overall positive response is worthy of
considerable pride, and she congratulated the Chancellors.
-
Good News Items
Chronicle of Philanthropy Ranking of UW-Madison
The November 1995 issue of the Chronicle of Philanthropy reported
that UW-Madison raised $147 million in private gifts for the year
ending June 1994, placing UW-Madison first among all public
universities and eighth among all universities nationwide in private
support. President Lyall credited Chancellor Ward and the UW
Foundation with this "extraordinary achievement," and noted that UW
System institutions enjoy a high level of private support, from
donors who expect their gifts to make the margin of excellence for
UW students rather than substitute for state support for basic
instructional needs.
*
1995 Wisconsin Professor of the Year: Dr. William Frankenberger
Dr. William Frankenberger, Professor of Psychology at UW-Eau Claire,
has been named 1995 Wisconsin Professor of the Year by the Carnegie
Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. The award recognizes
the country's outstanding undergraduate instructors who excel as
teachers and influence the lives and careers of their students. Dr.
Frankenberger, a UW-Platteville graduate, is known for involving his
students in collaborative research, and active outreach projects in
the community. His students wrote letters citing both this
opportunity to be involved in research projects and his confidence
that they would succeed at assigned tasks as important to their
success.
*
UW-Stevens Point: Center for Environmental Education
UW-Stevens Point's Center for Environmental Education, established
in 1990, received the 1995 Outstanding Service to Environmental
Education Award from the North American Association for
Environmental Education. Two similar awards were given to the
Center last year by the Wisconsin Conservation Congress and the
Wisconsin Wildlife Federation. During Summer 1995, 1,200 visitors a
month (student teachers, environmental educators, DPI and DNR
personnel, business and industry educators, and educators from
around the world) participated in the Center's offerings.
*
UW-Parkside Partnership
UW-Parkside developed a partnership with the Racine Correctional
Institute last semester to provide inmates with a 12-week non-credit
reading and writing workshop supported by the Wisconsin Humanities
Council and faculty who donated their time. The workshop, "Myths and
Other Explanations of Life," was designed to help inmates reflect on
their lives and their experiences in a more productive light.
*
UW-Whitewater: Wisconsin's NCAA Woman of the Year, Cindy Paplham
Cindy Paplham, a 1995 UW-Whitewater graduate, has been named the
NCAA "Woman of the Year" for Wisconsin, an award that recognizes
three-way achievement in athletics, academics, and community
leadership.
*
UW-Milwaukee: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Grant
UW-Milwaukee received a $500,000 grant from the U.S. Department of
Housing and Urban Development to establish the Milwaukee Community
Partnership Initiative. This collaboration between the university,
community-based organizations and residents of the city's
empowerment zones will undertake broad-scale neighborhood
revitalization by integrating organizations that address economic
development, job training, access to financial capital for
investment, affordable housing, and community redevelopment.
President Lyall noted that this is a fine example of the kind of
activism Dennis Jones had commented on in his presentation before
the Board of Regents (October 1995) as part of the Board's Study of
the UW System in the 21st Century.
*
Partnership: The Wisconsin Center for Manufacturing and
Productivity
A partnership among five institutions of the UW System, the
Wisconsin Technical College System, the State Department of
Development, private industry, and two of Wisconsin's private
colleges has produced a non-profit corporation to deliver technical
assistance to Wisconsin's small- and medium-sized businesses. UW-
Extension Chancellor Don Hanna and Dwight York, Director of WTCS,
led the formation of the Wisconsin Center for Manufacturing and
Productivity; participating institutions include UW-Madison, UW-
Milwaukee, UW-Platteville, UW-Stout, and UW-Extension. These
centers will work in partnership with federal, state, local
governments, industry, and educational institutions to extend the
kind of technical assistance which has been offered to agriculture
to manufacturing businesses--President Lyall suggested that this is
a modern-day version of the Wisconsin Idea. The center is supported
by the Department of Commerce with a grant of $15 million over five
years, with additional matching funds for 1996 provided by a number
of the partners.
*
National Endowment for Children's Programming: Get Real! Grant
President Lyall concluded her report by noting that the National
Endowment for Children's Programming has awarded a $150,000 grant to
Get Real!, an award-winning children's educational program that is a
joint effort of UW-Extension and the Educational Communications
Board.
- - -
President Grebe took a moment to thank the members of the UW-Madison
faculty and academic staff who had entertained members of the Board
the previous evening.
REPORT OF THE BUSINESS AND FINANCE COMMITTEE
Regent Gelatt, Chair, provided the report. He began by noting that
Resolution 7062 had been adopted by the committee, and moved its
adoption by the full Board as a consent agenda item. Regent Hempel
seconded his motion. The item was removed from the consent agenda
at the request of Regent Lubar. The resolution was unanimously
adopted following discussion.
Class Audit Policy
Resolution 7062: That, upon recommendation of the President of the
University of Wisconsin System and the Regent
Business and Finance Committee, the current Class
Audit Policy be maintained except that the
provisions for disabled students be amended to
read "Audit fees shall be removed for all disabled
Wisconsin residents receiving disability benefits
under the Social Security Disability Insurance
(SSDI) or Supplemental Income Program (SSI)".
Regent Lubar expressed his reservations about this policy, noting
that he perceives empty seats in the classroom as "an expiring
asset," and that making those seats available to resident seniors is
a gesture of good will that benefits both them and the other
students. Citing discussions with faculty who have had seniors in
their classes, he reported that the presence of seniors in the
classroom is "stabilizing," creates a mentorship relationship with
the younger students, and enhances the classroom atmosphere, and he
reminded the Board that the previous policy had allowed the
attendance of seniors without charge. Regent Gelatt summarized the
committee's previous discussions regarding this point by first
observing that, in a period of fiscal constraint, it is difficult to
choose one group over another in providing special breaks. He also
noted that there are costs associated with filling each seat and
that, if measures of quality of instruction focus on the ratio of
students to faculty, each additional student "dilutes" the attention
of the instuctor. Regent Brown asked whether a student who needed
the class could add it if it were filled by auditing seniors; Vice
President Ward replied that if there were no room, students could
not be added, since auditors are not removed. When Regent Lubar
suggested charging auditors a marginal cost, Regent Gelatt pointed
out that the current plan is intended to charge only 10% of the cost
of instruction. Regent Lubar agreed that this was acceptable;
Regent De Simone expressed his opinion that seniors are willing to
pay a share of the costs. Regent MacNeil observed that providing
special considerations for this group could lead to requests from
other groups, but that she believes this resolution to be "properly
structured;" Regent Smith agreed.
Noting that persons with disabilites can take advantage of classes
for no cost, Regent Randall expressed his concern that, in light of
the large SSI and SSDI rolls, this part of the policy might
eventually be over-utilized and tax the system. Regent Gelatt
recalled that the policy had been changed because of a Physical
Therapy class offered at the UW-Madison Natatorium, in which the
paying students in the PT program benefitted from the presence of
persons with disabilities on whom they could practice. Regent Grebe
noted that since this policy has been in effect for several years,
the issue can be studied. Regent Budzinski asked whether the
Americans with Disability Act has any affect on the policy, which
was also referred for further study.
Regents Gelatt and Hempel added that this Resolution merely makes
formal what had been the practice at campuses affected by it.
Regent Grebe noted that his preference would be, since no actual
change in policy was recommended, to refer this issue for further
study.
-
Annual Sick Leave Policy Report
Regent Gelatt reported that Associate Vice President Wright
presented the annual report on sick leave usage, noting that faculty
and teaching academic staff use an average of 1.2 sick leave days
per year, and nonteaching academic staff use an average of 4.1 sick
leave days per year. Over the period that these reports have been
presented, starting with fiscal year 1991, the variance for faculty
and teaching academic staff use has been within one-tenth of one
day, and for nonteaching academic staff it has been within three-
tenths of one day. Testimony was recently presented to the
Assemblyžs Colleges and Universities Committee in support of a
statutory change which would eliminate the requirement for this
report, and Mr. Wright indicated the testimony was favorably
received.
-
Presentation: UW-System's WWW Site
Associate Professor Mark Fedenia presented an overview of the World
Wide Web site which is being established for security analysis of
the UW Trust Funds.
-
Trust Fund Guidelines
The committee approved technical changes to the Principle Fund.
-
Gifts, Grants and Contracts
Vice President Marnocha reported to the Committee that total gifts,
grants and contracts for the three-month period ended November 10,
1995, were $259.3 million, an increase of $.4 million over the
previous year. Federal awards increased by $7.3 million, while non-
Federal awards decreased by $6.9 million.
-
Audit Subcommittee
Regent Gelatt noted that the Business and Finance Committee
adjourned at 10:18 a.m., and Audit Subcommittee Vice Chair Steil
called the Audit Subcommittee to order. Vice President Marnocha
presented the First Quarter Internal Audit Report to the
Subcommittee, noting the findings of a number of recently-completed
audits. He concluded his report by noting that Regents had
expressed concern over the apparent lack of compliance on the UW-
Madison campus in providing an effective means of accountability and
control of fixed assets and personal property.
REPORT OF THE EDUCATION COMMITTEE
Regent Krutsch, Chair, provided the report, stating that Resolutions
7039-7054 had been adopted by the Committee as consent agenda item.
Her motion to adopt them by the full Board was seconded by Regent
Mac Neil, and the resolutions passed unanimously.
Report on Industrial and Economic Development Fund
Resolution 7039: That the report on projects undertaken in the UW
System during fiscal years 1993-94 and 1994-95 and
supported by Industrial and Economic Development
Funds be received and approved for transmittal to
the Joint Committee on Finance, in accordance with
s.36.25(25)(c), Wis. Stats.
Authorization to recruit: Dean, School of Pharmacy, UW-Madison, (at
a salary that may exceed the Executive Salary Group Six maximum)
Resolution 7040: That upon recommendation of the Chancellor of the
University of Wisconsin-Madison and the President
of the University of Wisconsin System, the
Chancellor be authorized to recruit for a Dean of
the School of Pharmacy at a salary that may exceed
the Executive Salary Group Six maximum.
Authorization to recruit: Associate Dean for Students, Medical
School, UW-Madison, (at a salary that may exceed the Executive
Salary Group Six Maximum)
Resolution 7041: That upon recommendation of the Chancellor of the
University of Wisconsin-Madison and the President
of the University of Wisconsin System, the
Chancellor be authorized to recruit for an
Associate Dean for Students, Medical School, at a
salary that may exceed the Executive Salary Group
Six maximum.
Authorization to recruit: Associate Dean/Director of Clinical
Affairs, Medical School, UW-Madison (at a salary that may exceed the
Executive Salary Group Six Maximum)
Resolution 7042: That upon recommendation of the Chancellor of the
University of Wisconsin-Madison and the President
of the University of Wisconsin System, the
Chancellor be authorized to recruit for an
Associate Dean/Director of Clinical Affairs,
Medical School, at a salary that may exceed the
Executive Salary Group Six maximum.
Authorization to recruit: Professor and Chair, Department of
Pediatrics, Medical School, UW-Madison, (at a salary that may exceed
the Executive Salary Group Six Maximum)
Resolution 7043: That upon recommendation of the Chancellor of the
University of Wisconsin-Madison and the President
of the University of Wisconsin System, the
Chancellor be authorized to recruit for a
Professor and Chair, Department of Pediatrics,
Medical School, at a salary that may exceed the
Executive Salary Group Six maximum.
Authorization to recruit: Department of Medical Sciences, Veterinary
School, UW-Madison, (at a salary that may exceed the Executive
Salary Group Six Maximum)
Resolution 7044: That upon recommendation of the Chancellor of the
University of Wisconsin-Madison and the President
of the University of Wisconsin System, the
Chancellor be authorized to recruit for a
Professor or Associate Professor, Department of
Medical Sciences, Veterinary School, at a salary
that may exceed the Executive Salary Group Six
maximum.
Authorization to recruit: Chancellor, UW-Stevens Point
Resolution 7045: That the President of the University of Wisconsin
System be authorized to recruit for a Chancellor
of the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.
ACIS-1, (revised): Academic Planning and Program Review
Resolution 7046: That, upon recommendation of the President of the
University of Wisconsin System, the Board of
Regents adopts ACIS-1. (revised): Academic
Planning and Program Review (October 1995).
New Program Authorization: B.A./B.S., American Indian Studies, UW-
Eau Claire
Resolution 7047: That upon recommendation of the Chancellor of the
University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and the
President of the University of Wisconsin System,
the Chancellor be authorized to implement the
B.A./B.S., American Indian Studies.
New Program Authorization: B.S., Computer Science, UW-Green Bay
Resolution 7048: That upon recommendation of the Chancellor of the
University of Wisconsin-Green Bay and the
President of the University of Wisconsin System,
the Chancellor be authorized to implement the
B.S., Computer Science.
New Program Authorization: B.B.A., International Business, UW-
Madison
Resolution 7049: That upon recommendation of the Chancellor of the
University of Wisconsin-Madison and the President
of the University of Wisconsin System, the
Chancellor be authorized to implement the B.B.A.,
International Business.
New Program Authorization: B.A./B.S., Marketing Communications, UW-
River Falls
Resolution 7050: That upon recommendation of the Chancellor of the
University of Wisconsin-River Falls and the
President of the University of Wisconsin System,
the Chancellor be authorized to implement the
B.A./B.S., Marketing Communications.
New Program Authorization: B.S., Graphics Communications Management,
UW-Stout
Resolution 7051: That upon recommendation of the Chancellor of the
University of Wisconsin-Stout and the President of
the University of Wisconsin System, the Chancellor
be authorized to implement the B.S., Graphics
Communications Management.
New Program Authorization: B.S., Telecommunication Systems, UW-Stout
Resolution 7052: That upon recommendation of the Chancellor of the
University of Wisconsin-Stout and the President of
the University of Wisconsin System, the Chancellor
be authorized to implement the B.S.,
Telecommunication Systems.
New Program Authorization: M.S., Applied Psychology, UW-Stout
Resolution 7053: That upon recommendation of the Chancellor of the
University of Wisconsin-Stout and the President of
the University of Wisconsin System, the Chancellor
be authorized to implement the M.S., Applied
Psychology.
John T. Sobota and Magdelan L. Sobota Chair in Chemical Engineering,
UW-Madison
Resolution 7054: That, upon recommendation of the Chancellor of the
University of Wisconsin-Madison and the President
of the University of Wisconsin System, Professor
Charles G. Hill, Jr., be appointed to the John T.
Sobota and Magdelan L. Sobota Chair in Chemical
Engineering, College of Engineering, effective
immediately.
Regarding Resolution 7046, Regent Krutsch commented that the
resolution had generated a very good discussion which had prompted
changes responsive to the committee's concerns about the lack of
focus for the lateral review process. The new version of ACIS-1
should reduce the time required for the program approval process.
Regent Gelatt inquired whether the Indian Studies program at UW-Eau
Claire and the International Business program at UW-Madison,
approved in Resolutions 7047 and 7049, duplicate other programs or
if they make a committment to programs at these campuses despite
other campuses' interest in establishing similar programs. Senior
Vice President Ward responded, noting that other campuses only offer
American Indian Studies at the minor level, and that he does not
believe that they were interested in offering the program as a
major. Regarding the second program, Regent Smith pointed out that
the intensive foreign language and study components of the Madison
program make it unlikely that other campuses will seek to duplicate
this highly specialized program in international Business.
-
Report of the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs
Continuing with her report, Regent Krutsch stated that Senior Vice
President Ward reported on the following items:
Pilot Study: Competency-Based Admission (CBA)
The UW System is conducting a pilot study of a process called
Competency-Based Admission (CBA) as an alternative to the current
university admission requirement of 17 Carnegie units of study,
which may no longer be well suited to describing students as many
high schools (nationally and within Wisconsin) revise and
restructure their programs. During this past year, faculty and
staff from eight high schools have worked with UW System faculty and
staff to prepare and submit application materials for their students
including both traditional and CBA transcripts. Since it would be
of great value to have a second year of pilot experience data and an
increased number of schools involved, Vice President Ward has sent a
letter to all District Administrators and High School Principals in
the state inviting them to consider being a pilot site, and as a
result, eight more schools will be added to the project. Regent
Krutsch noted that she had expressed her reservations concerning the
design of this study, recommending assessment by an independent
agent.
*
Senate Bill 184
Senate Bill #184, which would increase the number of university
credit hours required to sit for the State of Wisconsin CPA exam,
has been introduced in this legislative session. Regent Krutsch
noted that this is an example of the counter-currents affecting
education today -- on the one hand, there is pressure to reduce the
total credits needed to graduate, while, on the other hand, there is
pressure to require more credits to qualify for entry-level
admission to professions. Thirty-four states have adopted a bill
similar to this one; after the year 2000, twenty-six will require
CPAs to have a minimum 150 credit hours (as SB 184 requires) to
practice. Senior Vice President Ward had cautioned that, regardless
of conflicting interests in establishing the number of credits
required for graduation, the best interests of the students and the
need to ensure that they are prepared to compete and are qualified
to practice in their chosen professions are the most important
concerns. In his opinion, whether or not SB 184 is passed, students
will have to meet the higher standards set in other states if they
want to practice as CPAs in a national market. Regent Krutsch noted
that, since the majority of UW System students may not need to meet
this requirement, there can be continuing pressure to reduce the
total number of credits needed for them to graduate.
*
Good News Items
Vice President Ward concluded his report with some "good news"
items:
* The Northwest Wisconsin Manufacturing Outreach Center, which
is administered by the UW-Stout Technology Transfer Institute,
has won second place in the business assistance category of a
competition conducted by the National Association of
Management and Technical Assistance Centers. NWMOC won the
award for its efforts to help a local manufacturer, Tiffany
Fine Woods, improve operations and shore up declining profits.
* Michael Reddy, an Assistant Professor of chemistry at UW-
Milwaukee, has been awarded a Faculty Early Career Development
Grant from the National Science Foundation -- one of a select
group of 24 scientists nationwide to receive this award in
1995.
* James Jaffe, a History Professor at UW-Whitewater, has been
elected a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, a premier
professional organization of historians in the United Kingdom.
-
Presentation: "Guaranteed Four Year Degree," by Barbara Cambridge,
Associate Dean, Indiana University-Purdue University at
Indianapolis; and John Folkins, Associate Provost, University of
Iowa
The presenters described the programs at their institutions. Prior
to their presentation to the Committee, Regent Krutsch had stated
that she believes this is an extremely important issue with a direct
impact on both access and affordability. She asserted the potential
of four year agreement arrangements to direct the energy and
attention of both the institution and the student as both focus and
plan for four year completion. This focus produces better advising,
closer attention to course availability and course sequencing, and
makes explicit the possibility of a four year degree as the student
and the institution become goal oriented and take steps to achieve
that goal. Regent Krutsh then introduced Dean Barbara Cambridge,
who made a short presentation to the Board.
Dean Cambridge began by noticing that, like the University of
Wisconsin, Indiana University is engaging in a long-range planning
process, "Strategic Directions," also composed of working groups.
At this point, a charter has been proposed for discussion and
presentation to the board of trustees next month; in that charter,
under the rubric of accountability and best practices, several goals
have been defined and require specific initiatives for achievement.
One of these involves two programs, "Grad Pact" (at IU-Bloomington)
and the "Personal Completion Compact" (at IU-Indianapolis) both of
which are aimed at facilitating the completion of the undergraduate
degree in four years. The former program states that "IU recognizes
that earning an undergraduate degree in four years is a
responsibility that is shared between the University and the
student." The four central features of the pact, which is made
between IU and those students who choose to participate, are:
* The university will provide the courses students need for
their degrees when they need them (in terms of the sequence of
the degree program);
* The university will make available advising and other means by
which students can monitor their progress;
* Students accept responsibility for monitoring their progress
toward degrees and for making choices that will take them to
graduation within 128 hours or 8 semesters of full-time study;
and
* IU will pay the tuition for courses still required for
graduation by any participating student who has earned 128
hours on the campus and has satisfied certain other conditions
set by individual schools.
She noted that this program fits well for some students, and that IU's
many non-traditional students have legitimate reasons for not choosing to
complete their degrees in four years. To address their concerns, the
"Personal Completion Compact" at the IU Indianapolis campus has been
developed and is still undergoing review; however, a pilot program will be
running this Fall. This program was developed to ensure that all students
have the opportunity for an individualized appropriate education. It will
provide a complete comprehensive plan for student development that
includes coursework required for graduation as well as other activities
designed to enhance the student's educational goals. (The IU-Indianapolis
campus has established a set of undergraduate learning principles which
students may achieve through coursework as well as other activities.) The
compact is designed to meet the individual student's goals to obtain an
Associate or Baccalaureate degree, or to complete certificate or transfer
requirements; it is developed by the student and advisors who work
together to outline the responsibilities of the student and the university
in the pursuit of the student's goal. In designing the compact, attention
is given to timely completion of the personal and/or professional plans of
the student while assuring a high level of accountability on the part of
both the University and the student.
Dean Cambridge noted that the implications of these commitments are
high, and she anticipated a number of areas which require further
attention: improving technological support for this program,
including program templates, guided decision-making programs,
assessment measures, and a more useful transcript; improving
advising and mentoring programs; and developing better teamwork
between non-faculty members and faculty advisors and mentors. There
are also implications for the faculty reward systems and how these
responsibilities will be factored into teaching responsibilities and
the faculty workload. She concluded that the goals of this program
are best expressed by the charter's statement that "student
learning, intellectual exploration, persistence and attainment"
should be placed "at the center of the University's mission."
Regent Gelatt asked what fraction of IU students are expected to
make use of this opportunity. Replying that she did not know, Dean
Cambridge stated that she had learned from Associate Provost Folkins
of the University of Iowa that a very high percentage of its
students (52%) take advantage of a similar program; she added that a
UW chancellor reported that he had found campuses with similar
programs that had participation as low as 10%. Chancellor Grugel
noted that about 25% of the students in the University of Wisconsin
System are transfer students, and asked how this program might
affect them. Dean Cambridge replied that Grad Pack does not make a
provision for transfer students, since the Bloomington Campus does
not have the percentage of transfer students that any of the other
campuses do in the Indiana University System; on the other hand,
concern for the many transfer and non-traditional students at the
Indianapolis Campus prompted the development of the Personal
Completion Compact.
Regent Krutsch added that Provost Folkins had noted that having the
mechanisms in place to address the demands of the large number of
students who were accepting these programs would benefit others.
She stated that Regent Lubar had asked whether, if two students
signed up for the same program at the same time, one who did not
sign the pact would necessarily take more time to complete the
program than one who did; Provost Folkins replied that would not be
the case.
-
Panel Response to the Presentation
Regent Krutsch reported that, following the presentation by Dean
Cambridge and Provost Folkins, Senior Vice President Ward introduced
a panel of representatives from UW institutions who responded and
continued the discussion. The panel members were: Larry Davis,
Associate Chancellor, UW-Whitewater; William Mayrl, Assistant
Chancellor for Student Affairs, UW-Milwaukee; Howard Thoyre,
Interim Chancellor, UW-Stevens Point; and Gary Sandefur, Associate
Vice Chancellor, UW-Madison. She reported their consensus that
these ideas warrant consideration, and that many of the institutions
they represent are considering them. While they liked the
comprehensive approach represented by the presenters, they cautioned
that the number of students who would be interested, or whose
curricular plans would qualify for such a four-year guarantee, must
not be over-estimated, since there are many complex reasons why
students do not graduate within a four-year time frame. Regent
Krutsch concluded that the goal must be to help students to finish
in a timely manner, and that responsibility for achieving that goal
must be shared by the student and the institution.
REPORT OF THE PHYSICAL PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
Regent Budzinski provided the report in the absence of Regent
Dreyfus, Chair. He began by stating that Resolutions 7055 - 7061
had been adopted as consent agenda items, and moved their adoption
by the full board. The motion was seconded by Regent Lubar and
passed unanimously.
Authority to purchase and install digital radio and television
broadcasting and production equipment at UW-Stout and UW-Extension
Resolution 7055: That, upon the recommendation of the UW Extension
Chancellor and the President of the University of
Wisconsin System, authority be granted to:
(a) purchase and install digital radio and television
broadcasting and production equipment at Vilas
Communication Hall (UW-Madison), $516,600, General
Fund Supported Borrowing - Capital Equipment
Funds, and
(b) purchase and install distance education equipment
and upgrade distance education infrastructure at
UW-Stout, at an estimated cost of $256,000 of
General Fund Supported Borrowing - Capital
Equipment Funds.
UW-Green Bay: Approval of Three Parking Lots Reconstruction Project
(Lots 12, 10, and 3)
Resolution 7056: That, upon the recommendation of the UW-Green Bay
Chancellor and the President of the University of
Wisconsin System, a Three Parking Lot
Reconstruction project be approved (Lots 12, 10
and 3), at a total cost of $497,800, using Program
Revenue Borrowing - Parking Utility Funds.
UW-Milwaukee: Authority to Construct Chemistry Room B70 Research
Remodeling project
Resolution 7057: That, upon the recommendation of the UW-Milwaukee
Chancellor and the President of the University of
Wisconsin System, authority be granted to
construct a Chemistry Room B70 Research Remodeling
project at a cost of $200,000 using General Fund
Supported Borrowing - WISTAR Funds.
UW-Milwaukee: Authorization to Construct Engineering and
Mathematical Sciences Computer-Aided Engineering Laboratory
Remodeling Project
Resolution 7058: That, upon the recommendation of the UW-Milwaukee
Chancellor and the President of the University of
Wisconsin System, authorization be granted to
construct an Engineering and Mathematical Sciences
Computer-Aided Engineering Laboratory Remodeling
project at a cost of $235,000 using General Fund
Supported Borrowing - WISTAR Funds.
UW-Eau Claire: Approval of Towers Residence Halls North and South
Wings Passenger Elevators Renovation
Resolution: 7059: That, upon the recommendation of the UW-Eau Claire
Chancellor and the President of the University of
Wisconsin System, approval be granted to construct
a Towers Residence Hall North and South Wings
Passenger Elevators Renovation project at a cost
of $429,000 using Program Revenue Cash (Housing).
UW-La Crosse: Approval of Budget Increase for Major Project (Student
Life Center)
Resolution 7060: That, upon the recommendation of the UW-La Crosse
Chancellor and the President of the University of
Wisconsin System, a $1,575,100 budget increase
($706,100 Program Revenue Supported Borrowing and
$869,000 Program Revenue-Segregated Fees) be
approved for the Student Life Center project, from
$8,542,900 to a revised total project cost of
$10,118,000 ($6,149,000 Program Revenue Supported
Borrowing and $3,969,000 Program Revenue -
Segregated Fees) and authority granted to use
bonding before cash.
UW-Parkside: Approval of Design Report and Authority to Construct a
Residence Hall Project
Resolution 7061: That, upon the recommendation of the UW-Parkside
Chancellor and the President of the University of
Wisconsin System, the Design Report be approved
and authority granted to construct a Residence
Hall project at a cost of $8,818,000 of Program
Revenue Supported Borrowing.
Regent Gelatt noted that Resolution 7060 entailed an increase of
nearly 20% in the construction budget, and asked whether it resulted
from a mistake on the part of the architect, a change in the plan
for the building or inflation in the building trades. Vice
President Paul Brown noted that the actual bids that came in were
higher than the architect's estimate; Regent Gelatt asked whether
the architect made a mistake in estimating the cost, and if so,
whether the Board simply agrees to pay more than was initially
approved. Vice President Brown noted that, normally, the process
would involve redesigning and soliciting new bids; however, in this
case, the issue was brought before the students who elected to pay
the difference through the use of segregated fees.
-
Report of the Vice President for Physical Planning and Development
Deferred Maintenance Backlog
Regent Budzinski reported that Vice President Brown reviewed a
quarterly progress report on reduction of the deferred maintenance
backlog for the committee. The September report indicated that a
total of $134.9 million had been received through June 30, 1995. An
additional $12.7 million has been received in the July-September
1995 quarter. This means that approximately $147.6 million has been
applied toward the deferred maintenance backlog, leaving a current
balance of $216.5 million. The 10-year schedule at $36 million per
year would anticipate expenditures totaling $153 million at this
date. Consequently, we are about $5.4 million below our target.
The Report shows that, while we are ahead of schedule on utilities
and health and safety projects, we are behind schedule on facilities
repair and renovation.
He noted that committee members had expressed concern about adverse
ramifications resulting from misinterpretation of this report, which
could incorrectly imply satisfactory progress on addressing the
System's deferred maintenance backlog. It should not be concluded
that current maintenance needs are being adequately funded, when, in
fact, a new backlog is developing at a rate of about $40 million per
year.
CLOSED SESSION
At 2:05 p.m., the Board recessed for five minutes. Upon
reconvening, Regent Lubar read Resolution 7063, which was adopted by
unanimous roll call vote, with Regents Brown, Budzinski, De Simone,
Gelatt, Grebe, Hempel, Krutsch, Lubar, MacNeil, Randall, Smith and
Steil (12) voting in the affirmative. There were no dissenting
votes and no abstentions.
Resolution 7063: That the Board of Regents recess into closed
session to consider personal histories relating to
UW-Madison honorary degree nominations, to
consider naming a roadway at UW-Platteville after
a person, and to consider whether to grant a
request for review of a decision on a grievance at
UW-River Falls, and to consider naming an addition
after a person at UW-Stout, all as permitted by
s.19.85(1)(f), Wis. Stats.; to consider
appointment of a Vice Chancellor and personnel
evaluations, and to approve a salary increase
above the Executive Salary Group Six Maximum, UW-
Madison, as permitted by s.19.85(1)(c), Wis.
Stats.; and to confer with legal counsel, as
permitted by s.19.85(1)(g), Wis. Stats.
At 3:30 p.m., the Board arose from closed session and announced the
adoption of the following resolutions.
UW-Madison: Approval of a salary increase above the Executive Salary
Group Six Maximum
Resolution 7064: That, upon recommendation of the Chancellor of the
University of Wisconsin-Madison and the President
of the University of Wisconsin System, a base
salary adjustment of $13,000 and a temporary base
salary adjustment for service as a chair,
resulting in a new base salary of A$115,158,
effective Semester II, 1995-96, be approved for
Professor David DeMets, Professor and Chair,
Department of Biostatistics, Medical School, and
Professor, Department of Statistics, College of
Letters and Science, to counter a competitive
offer.
UW-Madison: Approval of a salary increase above the Executive Salary
Group Six Maximum
Resolution 7065: That, upon recommendation of the Chancellor of the
University of Wisconsin-Madison and the President
of the University of Wisconsin System, a base
salary adjustment of 10%, resulting in a new base
salary of A$122,977, effective January 1, 1996, be
approved for Professor C. Richard Hutchinson,
School of Pharmacy, to counter a competitive
offer.
UW-River Falls: Approval of Vice Chancellor appointment
Resolution 7066: That, upon the recommendation of the President of
the University of Wisconsin System and the
Chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-River
Falls, as part of a planned administrative
restructuring initiative, the Chancellor of UW-
River Falls is authorized to create a position of
Vice Chancellor of Administration and Finance in
Executive Salary Group 6, and the Chancellor is
authorized to appoint to that position Virgil C.
Nylander, with no change in his current annual
salary of $90,118, effective immediately.
UW-River Falls: Request for review of a decision on a grievance
Resolution 7067: That, upon the recommendation of the Personnel
Matters Review Committee, the Board of Regents
denies the request for Regent review of a UW-River
Falls decision on a grievance.
The meeting was adjourned at 3:30 p.m.
REPORT ON THE STUDY OF THE UW SYSTEM IN THE 21ST CENTURY
President Grebe stated that the five working groups for the Sutdy of
the UW System in the 21st Century had met the previous day. He
noted that this meeting of the groups, composed of regents,
chancellors, vice presidents, faculty, staff, students, and
community representatives, had met for the first time with the
faculty, staff, students, and community representatives. He
expressed appreciation on behalf of the Board to those individuals
serving on these working groups, noting that their service would
require time and effort over the course of the next several months.
The groups held preliminary meetings in October and met again on
November 9, 1995; President Grebe stated that they will continue to
meet at least monthly over the course of the remainder of the
academic year. Reports by the chairs of those working groups will
be a regular item on the Board meeting agendas so that all members
of the Board will be informed as the groups move toward policy
recommendations in the five areas of the study.
*
Working Group on Access and Affordability
Regent Hempel, Chair, provided the report, noting that this group
met three times the previous day: in joint session with the Working
Group on Future Funding and Revenue Structures, then in a separate
session, and finally, in a meeting with members of the Legislature.
The first of these meetings addressed financial aid and involved a
presentation; group members learned about the composition of
financial aid available to students today, trends, and what is
happening at the federal level, since about 84% of the aid received
by UW students comes from federal sources. In the next meeting, the
group discussed feedback received since the study of Access and
Affordability was initiated. Regent Hempel's sense of that feedback
is, first, that people are proud of the high access rate to the UW
System and they would like to maintain high access; at the same
time, there are strong reservations about compromising gains in
educational quality that were generated by the success of enrollment
management. Second, there is uncertainty about future state funding
levels available to support the incremental 10,000 students that the
system will be asked to educate if the high (31%) access rate for
recent Wisconsin high school graduates is maintained. Third, if
resources are constrained or only partially available to support
these incoming students, the Board needs to understand what it,
System Administration and the faculty can do to address that
challenge.
Regent Hempel noted that to address these concerns, the group has
chosen to focus on technology so that the use of distance learning
can increase capacity; she added the caveat that this solution will
have significant up front costs, a detail the group raised in its
discussion with the Legislature. Second, since capacity for
incoming students can be increased by moving existing students
through the system faster, the group will look at the issue of time
and credits to degree. Third, coordination and communication among
the various educational assets represented in the state could be
improved to help students determine whether they're making the
correct choice when they decide to enter the university system
rather than the technical college system. Finally, the working
group will look at whether productivity enhancement can be used to
expand capacity.
In the next meeting, the working group received feedback from more
than a dozen Legislators who, when asked directly about how often
they heard that access is a problem, responded that they generally
don't. Regent Hempel suggested that there is concern about what
might ensue if access becomes limited, but that it is not an issue
of particular concern now. She expressed concern that some
respondents who might not recognize the economic benefits derived
from the higher rate of tuition for non-resident students.
Legislators expressed their desire to keep resident tuition low but
did not support increasing taxes to support increased access. When
the issue of management flexibility was raised--i.e., that the
System might become more productive if the System were more flexible
and able to be more responsive to the needs of students--the
Legislators' response indicated the subject was one which would
require close work with them if gains are to be made.
At the conclusion of her report, Regent Gelatt referred to an
interesting detail he had gleaned from the presentation on financial
aid, which compared total financial aid from all sources distributed
to UW Students (about $340,000,000 a year) and the cost of the total
tuition raise they experienced -- $350,000,000. He noted the close
match between financial aid and tuition.
*
Working Group on Future Funding and Revenue Structures
Regent Gelatt, Chair, discussed the three areas on which his working
group chose to focus: comparison of funding sources for the UW
System with peer institutions; an examination of the likely gap
between revenues and expenditures in the year 2005; and preliminary
discussion about potential sources for filling the anticipated gap.
The group reviewed revenue structures of UW-Madison and UW-Milwaukee
with peer institutions Ohio State and Ball State. Tuition as a
percentage of the total revenues is lower in Wisconsin and,
generally, auxiliary earnings of other institutions were higher as a
share of the total than in Wisconsin. At the next meeting the group
will look at data for peers of the comprehensive institutions. In
the discussion of various scenarios of expenses, tuition revenue and
state support for the years between now and 2005, if tuition
increases are held to inflationary percentages, the rate of growth
of expenditures is reduced to no less than inflationary increases,
and the UW must fund 10,000 additional students, in the year 2005 a
revenue gap between $150,000,000 and $200,000,000 is produced. To
put that in perspective, Regent Gelatt noted that these figures are
equal to closing 6 comprehensive campuses. Attempting to fill that
gap simply by restricting the number of students will not fully
address it; the committee feels the situation will require a
significantly greater response over the next 10 years. This
projection assumes that state budget continues to increase at the
same rate it has for past biennia, or 1% to 1.5% He noted that
it's not clear whether even this modest increase will be
forthcoming, based on the experience of the current biennium.
Regent Gelatt suggested that the Board and the System have a
responsibility to make the point to the Legislature that, in the
midst of other priorities, "we can't go back on the support for
higher education in Wisconsin." These projections highlight the
difficulty of the task ahead, and the working group's next meeting
will look at how to fill the gap: they will look at whatever means
are available, including tuition increases, previous calculations of
savings that result from closing campuses, and the responses of
chancellors and system administration as to savings incurred by a
substantial restructuring. In later discussion, Regent Gelatt noted
that it would be unwise to take all 10,000 additional students
without additional state revenues. Suggestions for increasing
revenue include attracting additional non-resident students at the
comprehensive universities, having auxiliearies make a profit, and
increasing the focus on fundraising.
*
Working Group on Mission and Roles
Regent Lubar, Chair, reported that Senior Vice President Sanders
presented a paper on the evolution of the systems of higher
education throughout the country. That paper provided the group
with an overview of different types of coordinating structures;
among these, Vice President Sanders noted that the UW System
structure had served well, earning the System a reputation for
quality, high access, and low cost to students and to the State.
The presentation concluded that the UW System has become a national
leader for a number of reasons: the single Board of Regents with
the authority to coordinate and govern, the tradition of shared
governance, open Regent deliberations, respect for institutional
autonomy for each university, and diversity of institutional
missions and program array. Four opportunities for improvement then
became group's focus: first, to further clarify the roles of the
Board, System Administration and the individual institutions;
second, to work with the institutions to reassess missions and to
make necessary changes; third, to establish a fund for innovation;
and finally, to strengthen each institution's managerial autonomy to
improve accountability and effectiveness while eliminating barriers
to good management.
Regent Lubar then reported that the group discussed the papers which
were provided prior to the meeting. These included the history of
the UW System before and after merger, a summary of the findings
detailed in the 1994 Environmental Scan of the UW System
Administration and the conflicting themes of centralized leadership
and accountability verses institutional autonomy and flexibility.
In discussion, the group saw within the statutes the direction for
institutional autonomy and flexibility; they also saw that the State
Administration tends to want more centralized direction. The
general suggestion was that System Administration services be
directed to those areas where they can justify the greatest value
added. The group also discussed the UW News and World Report's
recent ranking of colleges and universities: the top institutions
are private with the flexibility that accompany that status. The
group also discussed an article on the state of higher education in
the United States, its constituents' perceptions of its ills and
deficiencies, and suggestions offered to bring it back to its core
values, goals and missions. Two policy papers on the ways in which
Regents and institutions share authority were also provided. Regent
Barry described the incentive grants program guidelines used by the
Wisconsin Technical College System; the program enables the State
Board to provide incentive financing to support the development of
programs tied to the core mission of the WTCS.
There was extensive discussion of what the group's approach should
be to clarifying institutional roles, and the group has asked the
chancellors to address the following questions in the December
meeting:
* What changes if any should be made in the role of the Regents
and System Administration?
* What changes, if any, should be made in the mission of your
university?
* Do you favor a system wide incentive fund which would provide
dollars to encourage the implementation of system goals such
as increased use of instructional technology, strategic
alliances with other UW institutions and outside entities?
* How do you plan to deal with the following problems within in
your current or changed mission:
a. A fiscal climate in which your budget may be flat or
reduced;
b. The need to increase professional development
opportunities for your faculty and staff; and,
c. The implementation of new instructional technology?
* What new synergies within the UW would you suggest for helping
your university better achieve its missions and ambitions?
* What rules, regulations or policies would you like to see
rescinded, modified or eliminated to help lead and or manage
your institution?
The group will also ask that each chancellor to verbally comment on the
distinctiveness of their institutions and the mission within the System.
Also at this meeting, several brief papers on how an incentive fund would
work in the UW System will be addressed. Regent Lubar also expressed the
hope that the group would have the opportunity to discuss the difference
in governance for this University System between a state-funded
institution and state-assisted institution.
*
Working Group on Instructional Technology and Distance Education
President Grebe chaired this group in absence of Regent Dreyfus. He
reported that the meeting began by reviewing the consensus the group
had already achieved. The group then reviewed materials that had
been provided, and looked at a series of policy issues suggested by
the members of the group. Vice President Brown assisted in this
discussion by attempting to synthesize the issues. Regent Grebe
noted that the group reached some preliminary consensus about some
large goals: the importance of focussing on faculty development as
a keystone to success; the need to concentrate on a student-centered
learning environment; the importance of providing access to the
university without regard to barriers of time or place; and the need
to have developments in this area be driven by program and learning
rather than by developments in technology. Some guiding principals
were discussed, and some preliminary consensus was reached on a
number of areas there that reinforce and were similar to the above-
mentioned goals.
Some preliminary discussion on several policy issues of concern to
the group began. Some system policies were identified as needing
serious review, including understanding the implications of distance
education for:
* Non-resident tuition policies and reciprocity agreements--the
need to understand what changes are necessary to be
competitive with other systems which apparently do not charge
non-resident tuition for distance education, and whether the
UW System should encourage something less than non-resident
tuition charges for distance education.
* Transfer of credits--whether developments in this area will
accellerate the movement toward system-wide transferability of
credits among institutions and what effect this will have on
core and degree requirements.
* Faculty promotion and tenure--whether policies would need to
change to adequately reward faculty for the work that they do
in this area.
* Coordination and sharing resources within the system--whether
institutions that participate in these programs should share
tuition and fees.
* Segregated fees--whether different segregated fees should be
charged to students who are not campus based in their learning
environment or if the services provided to those students
should be different than those who are learning in a campus
based environment.
* Raising revenue--whether this can be a magnet for public and
private funds.
After a lengthy discussion on these policy areas and others, the group
adjourned.
*
Working Group on Program Array
Regent Orr, Chair, noted that much of the meeting was spent
disseminating facts. A working paper on program review and program
array was presented. Regarding the latter, the group looked first
at the UW System, noting where it was at the time of merger and
where it is today. The number of overall programs is down slightly
from the time of merger; however, within that figure there has been
a great deal of change--290 programs have been dropped and 263
added. Regent Orr pointed to a chart from one of his group's
working papers, noting that it represents the frequency of programs
in the masters and bachelors degree area in the system in 1994/1995.
This chart indicates that there is not a great deal of duplication
within the system: for example, there are 147 programs that occur
at one institution only, and only one program that occurs at all
thirteen institutions. Overall, Regent Orr noted that duplication
does not appear to be extensive. The group also looked at a chart
which showed majors by campus in particular areas, which again
indicated that, with the exception of the field of education, the
institutions do not have a great deal of duplication. The group
also received information on other states, and learned that the UW
System's program array for bachelor's degree programs is about
average. In the master's degree programs, the UW System tends to
have fewer offerings than other states. Regent Orr cautioned that
it may be important to consider the pressure from accrediting
organizations to expand requirements for accreditation; suggesting
that such requirements have the effect of penalizing students, he
encouraged the UW System to continue to resist the efforts of such
organizations to build walls around their professions.
The group then received a working paper on collaborative programs in
the state, which was pursued according to their hypothesis that one
way to stretch resources is through collaborative education.
Noting that the UW System has only 25 collaborative programs, Regent
Orr added that, currently, there are few incentives for establishing
collaborative programs; he suggested that some should be created to
encourage these programs because future funds won't be available to
establish duplicate programs at separate institutions. The working
group is investigating whether other institutions that use their
budget to influence program arrays might provide models for the
study; Regent Orr noted that the best one they found is in the
Wisconsin Technical College System, in which additional funding from
the state can be used to leverage programs deemed attractive by the
institutions.
Regent Orr stated that the majority of working group meeting was
devoted to a presentation by the chancellors on disincentives for
innovative program development. Several factors were cited:
statutory and budget limitations, the inability to transfer funds
among accounts, contractual arrangements and the "conflict between
job security, the length of contracts and the ability to make
program changes." Regent Orr noted that a primary disincentive is
financial, but added that the development of innovative programs may
not incur great expense: he suggested that the legislature and
executive branch might be amenable to the use of small demonstration
grants to explore this option. The working group on Program Array
plans to have research and discussion on the additional topics of
credit/non-credit programming, distance education, and demand-based
tuition as a means of revenue production.
Regent Krutsch, at the conclusion of Regent Orr's comments, praised
the extensive reports which had been made since the Board and the
working groups need to be informed about progress and developments
elsewhere. She also noted the finding that teacher education
programs have more program duplication than others, commenting that
the UW may no longer be able to afford the extensive array
historically offered in this area. She suggested that further
attention be focussed on continuing graduate education programs from
a fiscal point of view. Regarding Regent Orr's comments on the
issue of specialized accreditation, Regent Krutsch noted that Milton
Blood, who has addressed the Education Committee on the subject of
accreditation, had expressed his desire to work with the Board to
help alleviate some of these problems. Citing his observation that
Boards and accrediting organizations share a common purpose, she
suggested they should work more closely to improve this area.
Regent James expressed her hope that the working group chairs could
work together to avoid duplication and to clarify the groups'
missions; Regent Grebe added that if duplication exists, the chairs
could be working together to coordinate their study.
