This year also saw an exhaustive, but invaluable, institutional self-study, which will lead to a full 10-year continuing accreditation of UW-Green Bay. The site review team from the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools came away particularly impressed with the quality of teaching and scholarship and the strong community support for the University. The self-study report will be a highly useful resource for guiding UW-Green Bay’s future.
      Parallel to the institutional self-study was a campuswide review of our NCAA Division I athletics program. The review resulted in full NCAA certification, which reflects our commitment to academic excellence, student achievement and NCAA rules compliance. And, again, external reviewers came away highly impressed with the community support of the University and its athletics program.
      In response to faculty and staff requests for a more substantive mid-year gathering, we held our first Mid-Year Convocation in January. At the event, I called on the campus community to look beyond the success of the Growth Agenda and start thinking about ways to grow academic excellence. I suggested that this effort focus initially on the areas of the environment and sustainability, entrepreneurialism and innovation, and international education.
      A little over three months later, I am greatly encouraged by the progress that has been made in such a short period of time. In the environment/sustainability area, for example, a group of retired and senior faculty already has produced an impressive vision for a promising sustainability institute. We also have had productive discussions with community leaders about an entrepreneurial studies and innovation initiative.
      Of course, the University’s most important work in this and any year is done day-in and day-out in classrooms all across campus. The crucial faculty-student relationship has such a major impact on creating opportunity and bright futures for our students.

      UW-Green Bay, especially, is about creating opportunity. Well over half of our students come from families in which neither mom nor dad has a four-year college degree. I expect the number of these “first generation” students to climb as programs like Phuture Phoenix reach more and more students and families previously under-served by your University.
      Our efforts throughout this year culminate with Spring Commencement on Saturday, May 17. As I mentioned in last month’s issue of Chancellor’s FYI, Spring Commencement this year gives us the opportunity to celebrate a special milestone when UW-Green Bay’s 25,000th graduate crosses the stage at the Kress Center and receives his or her diploma. That’s 25,000 individuals who share in a proud tradition and have used their unique UW-Green Bay education for the benefit of themselves, their families and society.
      Any commencement is a reason for celebration. I always think of commencement as one of the happiest days of the year on campus. And I like to point out that the word itself means the beginning, not the end.
      I offer my heartfelt congratulations to all of our graduates who will be starting a new and exciting phase of their lives that day. I thank all of those important people — the graduates’ families, faculty, staff, and the University’s supporters and friends — who help make such a significant achievement possible.
      As this academic year draws to a close, I also want to thank you for all you do for Green Bay’s University of Wisconsin and for helping our students connect learning to the life of opportunity that awaits them.

Bruce Shepard