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That’s
where “Chancellor’s FYI” comes in. It’s part calendar, part
news roundup, part first-person letter from me to you... and it's all about celebrating
Green Bay’s University of Wisconsin. Sometimes — given the magnitude of our success story shaped by 5,500 students, several hundred employees, nearly 20,000 alumni and the many services we provide to tens of thousands of people across our region — all that celebrating can be an almost overwhelming task. Last week, for instance, I actually apologized to the faculty and staff at our annual opening-day breakfast because time didn’t allow me to do much more than scratch the surface of institutional “good news” items from the year just passed. I felt badly that I couldn’t mention more people and programs. I feel better today, because I’m sharing that more lengthy list here. (See the adjacent box.) That’s some “problem” to have. There are organizations that have to scramble to fill out a list of annual accomplishments. Not UW-Green Bay. All this leads, in conclusion, to what I would characterize as the best “good news” of all: the fact that more than 2,000 of you cared enough about this institution, and its future, to take the time over the past 10 months to educate UW-Green Bay’s first-year chancellor. Many of you already have seen my reflections on this listening-and-learning exercise driven by the question “Where should UWGB be heading?” Your answers are summarized, along with some additional observations of my own intended to stimulate further conversation, in the document “Educating the Chancellor: A Report Back to the UWGB Community.” It’s archived on the Web at http://www.uwgb.edu/chancellor/. I won’t get into details here. There’ll be time for that in the weeks and months ahead. Basically, though, I found there is consensus about UWGB. Our foundations are strong. There is a genuine belief that we offer something special here in terms of our hands-on, “multiple-perspectives” academic approach. There is confidence that, with upgrades in a few key areas, we can offer a campus learning environment second to none. Finally, there is near unanimity of opinion that UWGB should first and foremost connect with the community (something we already do, in many ways) and re-commit to regional service as a top priority. I’ve fielded mostly complimentary comments on the report since it was distributed and posted online. I confess that disappoints me a little. I never fish for compliments or expect them; I think continued debate only refines the finished product. That’s why I urge you: If you don’t like what’s in the report, tell me. If you think I’ve not quite characterized something accurately, let me know. We can’t agree on everything. But that doesn’t mean we don’t need to have objectives and aims for this institution. We do. And I believe this report — my report, your report, our report — is a good place to start. As always, call, visit or e-mail me at ShepardB@uwgb.edu. I look forward to hearing from you, and continuing the conversation. And have a great spring... or fall! Sincerely, |
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AND
THIS IS THE 'SHORT LIST' Some highlights, headlines from UW-Green Bay over the past 12 months, in no particular order ‘Future arrives’ with Mary Ann Cofrin Hall Record demand: Admissions close in January New-freshmen class has fine ACT/gpa profile Ground is broken on $18m Lab Sciences project Lenfestey Courtyard creates natural attraction Community Council on Diversity is launched A record 59 new freshmen of color New master’s degree in management UW-Green Bay graduates first ‘virtual’ nursing grads Resch Center is unveiled as men’s basketball home Weidner Center supports Meyer Theatre Weidner-backed “Millie” dominates Tony Awards NASA lands here: Space Grant gets $1.5 million Women’s Basketball: Another NCAA tournament Partner Larry Weyers, WPSR, gets System award Karen Lacey is dietetics teacher-of-the-year Harvey Kaye earns grant for major work on Thomas Paine Our Daffodil Drive (cancer fundraiser) was among best Public Safety wins statewide award for programming First-ever Student Research Symposium was a hit Our alumni prominent among Golden Apple winners “Aloha Say the Pretty Girls” wins regional honors Advancement’s employee campaign sets record The hiring of Sue K. Hammersmith, Carol Blackshire-Belay The hiring of Ken Bothof, Tod Kowalczyk Fort Howard Archives are established Campus responds with 9/11 memorials SIFE (Students in Free Enterprise) chapter wins again Music program hosts blue-chip summer camp Bayfest attracts big crowds Asian Scholars program grows UW-Green Bay a force in Baird Creek “Bio-Blitz” Campus Pow-wow is biggest ever Door County “Roadshow” takes campus to people Alumni workplace receptions are re-established A new credit-transfer agreement with NWTC New Ed Thompson Hall opens, cuts housing waiting list Institute for Research tracks $3.2 million in grants, contracts Institute for Learning awards $48,000 to local schools Small Business Development Center opens new branch Record number of K-12 educators (1,000) seek continuing ed New Student Information System debuts, online Career Services expands its efforts Pre-college programs grow for students of color State organization names UWGB student “president of year” Jimmy Fallon show sells out for Student Life Dairy farmer is first Extended Degree award-winner New ombudsperson for women’s issues Opera student is Met standout Library improves off-campus service Outreach offers help to non-profits Corn maze a hit Retention and graduation rates trend upward |
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