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Reprinted from: The Business News
http://www.the-business-news.com

September 29, 2003

We must all work as partners, chancellors say

Commentary by:
Bruce Shepard, UW-Green Bay Chancellor
Richard Wells, UW-Oshkosh Chancellor

Rivalries can be fun. Just ask fans of the Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears. Bur playing on the same team - working with teammates toward a common goal - also can be fun. And much more productive.

At the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay and University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, we consider ourselves part of the same team. The shared goals we strive to archive are clear: enriching the quality of life and strengthening the economy of the Fox River Valley and Northeastern Wisconsin.

As partners, we have much we can point to with pride:

• Acting on recommendations from the state's first Economic Summit, we created the Northeast Wisconsin Educational Resource Alliance (NEW ERA), a coalition of educational leaders committed to economic and educational opportunity for the region's 1.2 million people. This collaborative approach already has increased access to higher education for adult learners and has made it easier to transfer in and out of the 13 partner institutions that make up NEW ERA. It is a consortium of the executive leaders of the following four- and two-year institutions of higher education: UW-Green Bay, UW-Oshkosh, UW-Stevens Point, UW-Fond du Lac, UW-Manitowoc, UW-Marinette, UW-Sheboygan, UW-Extension, College of the Menominee Nation, Fox Valley Technical College, Lakeshore Technical College, Morraine Park Technical College and Northeast Wisconsin Technical College.
• Responding to a regional need, UW-Oshkosh and UW-Green Bay created a joint master's degree program in social work. This joint program, which is new this semester, is a shining example of how we can strengthen programs and save money through collaboration. We turned to another partner - UW-Fox Valley - to provide classrooms for the social work master's program.
• Our two universities offer master's degree programs of value to business: the Master of Business Administration, Master of Public Administration, and Master of Science in Information Systems programs at UW-Oshkosh, and UW-Green Bay's Master's of Management. These four graduate programs as well as several undergraduate business programs meet the diverse needs of the region's business community.

Yes, we have achieved much through collaboration and cooperation. But, working together, we must do much more to help position the region for a leadership role in the 21st century economy.

This challenge goes far beyond the boundaries of our campuses. We must partner with community leaders, business and industry, labor, K-12 school districts and many others to develop a shared vision for the region and then make sure we're all moving in the same direction.

Look around the country. You soon will notice that, even during the economic slowdown, regions working together toward common goals are the most likely to prosper.

This region always has been an economic engine for the state. It has been home to some of the world's most successful companies. The work ethic of the people who live here is second to none. Our many family-owned businesses are a testimony to the high level of entrepreneurship in our region. A thirst for learning is fueling unprecedented demand at our universities and colleges. But to success in the 21st century, we must recognize and build on our assets and tear down any barriers that may have hindered us in the past.

Our universities must work in partnership with the business community to create the well-paying, family-supporting jobs that are the foundation of the new economy and then educate the people needed to fill them.

We must work together with our elected officials to make sure the region gets its fair share in Madison when it comes to support for higher education and business development programs. We ask the members of our legislative delegation to take a step back and consider how a regional approach will benefit their districts and constituents. We also ask them to consider the high cost of needless political bickering.

Across Wisconsin, much attention is being paid to building the state's economy. Gov. Doyle recently announced a job growth and business development plan that features a combination of public and private investments. In October, the University of Wisconsin System will host the fourth statewide Economic Summit in Milwaukee. And in upcoming months, alliances of news media, business, and education and research organizations will hold public forums related to economic development across the state.

All of this tells us that Wisconsin is a state ready to take on a leadership role in a challenging time of economic transition. Our region, all pulling in the same direction, must be at the leading edge of this transition.

As chancellors of the region's two major public universities, we realize we cannot chart the course for our institutions without your input and support. We want to hear your ideas on how, together, we can move our region and its economy forward.

Don't hesitate to tell us when you think we're doing something wrong. And let us know how we can continue to strengthen the connections between our campuses and the communities we serve. You can contact us at shepardb@uwgb.edu or wellsr@uwosh.edu.