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Marketing and University Communication UW-Green Bay, CL 815 2420 Nicolet Drive Green Bay, WI 54311-7001 (920) 465-2626 E-mail: hildebrs@uwgb.edu Last update: 10/3/07 |
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In
the News Archive - Year:
September 21, 1999 UWGB considers bold course for future Reports address how to enhance student learning By Kelley Deegan
The University is in the midst of reviewing and discussing several major reports that will help establish philosophies and guidelines for the school's future.
These will be considered when UWGB reports to the UW System this fall with all the other campuses on how it plans to manage its enrollment. Perkins expects the school to need to trim enrollment by between 250 and 410 students. UWGB is taking the enrollment management requirement as an opportunity to evaluate its total package.
"This is not about changing who we are, but it's looking at what do we do very well," Perkins said.
Since UWGB prides itself on personal interdisciplinary education, Perkins said a low student/teacher ratio is a key.
"There is a relationship between the number of faculty you have and the number of students you have and the kind of learning you can offer," he said.
Two reports helping guide enrollment decisions will be a student life plan, outlining proposals for campus facilities, and a task force report on enhancing student learning.
The student life plan focuses mostly on facilities. Its proposals include a 5,000-seat multi-purpose facility, a coffeehouse, sports center expansions and additional lounge areas.
The task force report contains 11 recommendations on ways to improve student learning.
"We're looking to create a whole person, not just be a degree mill," said Patricia Terry, assistant professor in natural and applied sciences.
Through a series of campus discussion, Perkins said he hopes to feel out whether students and faculty buy into the plans.
"I'm looking for a passion on campus for these ideas," he said.
If he finds that, the plans will be presented, unfinished, to the UW Regents, then refined before final approval.
Perkins said if the Regents don't fully fund the plans, UWGB could look at private funding.
The learning plan
Task force members said learning today is not about mastery of information, but instead mastery of continuous learning.
"The university is changing along with the changing environment," said task force member James Felton, coordinator of UWGB's American Intercultural Center. Felton said the school is defining its emphasis on helping students become lifelong learners and contributors to society.
To make sure each student develops the ability for lifelong learning, the task force identified processes and methods that work throughout the university.
Student Government Association President Kurt Kober likes this idea.
"It's taking the individual things that work within programs and expanding those to the entire university," he said.
The task force proposal includes a recommendation that the university should "expect every student to have professional practical experience as part of his or her learning."
It would also require students to develop and defend a portfolio as a graduation requirement.
Terry said this kind of system should guide students as they plan what courses they'll take.
"And you'll also have a package to sell yourself with," she said.
Other proposals in the plan focus on more interaction between students and faculty. Kober said right now the two are distinct entities and he'd like to see more engagement between them.
Professors want the same.
"The thing that I like is the idea of the whole institution being more directly engaged with the students," said Scott Furlong, associate professor of political science. "They're going to come out of here feeling as if they've really been cared about."
While many professors already have close mentoring relationships with their students, the plan would allow for more through portfolio development, a "learning to learn" seminar and guidance opportunities.
"This is more of a guarantee that every student will be able to have those kinds of learning experiences," said Rob Killian, vice president of the student government association.
Perkins said keeping the school small enough will be a key to giving faculty and students time to develop those relationships.
Enrollment angle
Managed enrollment began in the UW System in 1986. At that time, all the UW campuses, with the exception of Green Bay, either held the line on enrollment or cut back, Perkins said.
The system has carefully watched and handled its enrollment since then. This year, individual schools will present reports on their enrollment management for 2001-2007.
UWGB had 3,607 full-time equivalent students in 1986. This year, that number is 4,359.
Perkins said UWGB can't adequately present a plan until it knows what it will do with facilities and with its learning proposals.
An ideal student/teacher ration could require the university to cut enrollment by between 250 and 410 full-time students, he said in a June 22 letter to UW System President Katharine Lyall.
Perkins said if the university decides enrollment must be cut, it simply will limit the number of students it accepts.
"We don't expect our admission policies to change," he said.
Perkins said UWGB needs to make its identity and purposes clear so the right students are making their way to the school.
"This is really about trying to deliver a quality learning experience," he said. "You have to figure out what you do well...
"It's not that what we are is bad or is not effective. It's about amplifying what we do."
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