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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: 10/3/06 |
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In
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Reprinted from: Green Bay Press-Gazette April 5, 2006 Regent Crain dedicated to accessible education By Kelly McBride
And although Crain, 69, no longer is serving kindergarten through high school public education in that capacity, she remains as dedicated as ever to that cause.
"It was an area that has always seemed so very important to me," Crain said. "That's just always been deep in my being."
Approaching the end of her first year on the University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents, Crain is emphatic about educational opportunity in a region she says depends on postsecondary learning for its livelihood.
And as the Board of Regents prepares to meet on the UW-Green Bay campus Thursday and Friday, Crain is ready to show the region — and the regents — where she stands.
"Our citizens need that education," she said. "And it's very important that it be accessible to our entire population. ... We have a responsibility as a state to find ways to make that available to everyone who seeks that education."
Whereas it used to be enough to get a high school diploma — if even that — times have changed, Crain said. And whether it's a technical college education or four-year liberal arts degree, students need to be given affordable options, she said.
But the budget crunch that continues to plague the University of Wisconsin System is a constant obstacle, Crain said. As a regent, it's one issue that's foremost in her mind.
"That has been perhaps the greatest discussion issue," she said. "The challenges are great. The level of state funding has proportionally decreased. ... I don't think there are a lot of easy answers to this."
That's why it's important for the regents to engage in an open, broad discussion about budgetary issues, Crain said. Looking at all of the alternatives is one way to help ensure postsecondary education is affordable for anyone who wants it, whether at UWGB or elsewhere.
And although her role as a regent concerns primarily the UW System, its composite institutions don't exist in a vacuum, she said. Making connections with K-12 schools and technical colleges are two important ways to contribute to the larger educational picture, she said.
As the region becomes more diverse, Crain said, ensuring educational opportunity for all groups will remain a key priority for not only UWGB but also the region as a whole.
Yet regardless of the challenges facing the home campus and the larger system, Crain has a positive eye toward the future, she said. During the remaining six years of her term, the longtime Green Bay resident hopes to maintain an open dialogue amid tough budgetary times.
"I am very optimistic," she said, "which isn't to say there isn't a lot of work to do. ... (But) this is an exciting time."
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