UW-Madison’s strategic plan identifies five strategic priorities that support a central objective: To sustain and strengthen our position of preeminence in research and higher education. Faculty, staff, and students — as well as those in the university’s extended community — contribute to advancing the strategic plan. This document includes a representative sample of progress made toward achieving each priority during the plan’s second year.

Promote Research

UW-Madison received $583 million in extramural gift and grant awards for research from August 1, 2002 to July 31, 2003. Nationally, UW-Madison ranks second among public universities and third among all universities for research expenditures. Since 1998-99, on average, nonfederal research awards have increased 8 percent and federal research awards have increased 10 percent annually. Recent grants and awards highlight research leadership in areas as diverse as water pollution, the role of meditation in healing, organ transplantation, American health at midlife, advancement of the American dictionary, and more efficient engines. Creative arts were advanced through a dance festival, with participation by 22 colleges, and through visiting artists, including several in printmaking. Research and learning have been enhanced through greater access to library resources and construction projects that have added more than 4 million square feet to university buildings since 1990. The implementation of the 21st Century Network will provide researchers with the capability to send large quantities of data at extraordinary speeds to collaborators around the world.

Supporting measures: Extramural research support

Advance Learning

UNDERGRADUATE
Various school, college, and campuswide undergraduate symposia featured more than 200 projects conducted by 300-plus students. Nearly 300 faculty, staff, and teaching assistants learned ways to improve their skills through an annual Teaching and Learning Symposium. Five types of learning communities, including a new international community with German and Spanish floors, now house more than 1,330 students. Thanks to 75 service-learning courses in 35 departments across the campus, students can learn while helping the community. The first-year experience continues to improve, with initiatives including a revamped orientation program, First-Year Interest Groups in which cohorts of freshmen study interdisciplinary subjects, and college/school freshman seminars. Web-based course registration and electronic rosters are now available through the campus portal, My UW-Madison.

GRADUATE
With about 700 Ph.D. graduates this year, UW-Madison remains among the top three institutions nationally for doctoral degrees conferred. A new office, Outreach and Graduate Student Professional Development, helps students to develop skills through programs and services offered collaboratively by the Graduate School, student organizations, and campuswide programs. Graduate students can develop their teaching skills through the Center for the Integration of Research, Teaching and Learning, funded by the National Science Foundation. Recruitment of a diverse student body is being enhanced through graduate fellowships, the development and sharing of best practices, assessment, and increased partnerships with other universities and alumni. Feedback from employers and graduates resulted in a broadening of legal writing, communication, and advocacy programs for law students.

LIFELONG
Nearly 30,000 people attended credit outreach or extended-day courses. The Wisconsin Alumni Lifelong Learning program attracted 1,200 participants in programs such as Grandparents University and Navigating Career Transitions. Nontraditional programs allow professionals to advance their careers in areas such as engineering, biotechnology, veterinary medicine, and pharmacology. Human ecology and nursing programs enrolled more than 6,000 people across the state. More than 21,000 physicians earned continuing medical education credits. The Women’s Executive Leadership Summit debuted this fall.

Supporting measures: Students in residential learning communities  |  Average test scores of freshmen  |  Average freshmen class rank  | First-Year Interest Groups |  Time to degree and graduation rates

Amplify the Wisconsin Idea

Math and science education is being reformed through an interdisciplinary, multi-university partnership with K-12 schools, called SCALE (Systemwide Change for All Learners and Educators). A collaborative effort between UW-Madison and several Wisconsin organizations led to reduced reliance on toxic pesticides, earning the USDA Secretary’s Award for Maintaining and Enhancing the Nation’s Natural Resources and Environment. The Ira and Ineva Baldwin Wisconsin Idea Endowment supported projects to explore such topics as environmental and economic justice, student exchanges in agriculture, biotechnology, folklore, and dance and the community. The state’s public-health technology infrastructure has been greatly revitalized through the development of Wisconsin’s Public Health Information Network, which improves connectivity and security for hospitals, public-health response teams, clinical-care sites, and laboratories.

TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER
In response to recommendations from a chancellor’s task force, a new Office of Corporate Relations now serves as an entry point for businesses and corporations that want to strengthen ties with the university. Patent disclosures increased to 238 this year. As of 2002, there were 107 companies in University Research Park with 4,000 employees and an annual payroll of $240 million. The university is in the planning stages for a second research park.

Supporting measures: Patents filed  |  University Research Park business and employees  |  UW-Madison arts

Accelerate Internationalization

UW-Madison is a leading institution in the United States for Title VI grant funding, with eight international National Resource Centers, reflecting the university’s outstanding international studies and language programs. The International Health Advisory Committee, a cross-college endeavor, is developing new global health projects. UW-Madison reinvigorated its links to the Worldwide Universities Network, which is collaborating on opportunities for research and graduate training in the United States and Europe. The Area and International Studies Innovation Fund is supporting 18 projects that address high-priority needs, such as new courses and study-abroad programs. An expanded partnership with the Wisconsin Alumni Association is strengthening connections with international alumni. The campus worked together to implement new federally mandated requirements for international students and scholars who are studying here.

Supporting measures: Study-abroad participation

Nurturing Human Resources

A Leadership Clearinghouse now formally recognizes the role of student leadership on campus. The Leadership Institute is helping faculty and staff to identify ways to build community and nurture a positive campus climate. Through such events as Days of Listening, Plan 2008 Campus Forum, and the annual Showcase, university departments and programs strengthened ways to share best practices and ideas for improvement. Other efforts that focus on climate range from new late-night programming at the Wisconsin Union, to a new ombuds office to resolve conflicts, to renewed funding to address high-risk drinking. New learning opportunities are being provided to faculty, staff, and students who want to expand connections to teaching and learning in a multicultural environment.

Supporting measures: Enrollment of ethnic minorities  |  Ethnic minorities as a percentage of faculty  |  Minorities as a percentage of faculty and staff  |  Professional-development participation

This report and corresponding data is also available for download in PDF format.

For more information about the Strategic Plan, contact the Office of Quality Improvement, quality@oqi.wisc.edu, 262-6843.

To top | Full Strategic Plan | One-Year Progress Report
Three-Year Progress Report | Four-Year Progress Report
Five-Year Progress Report

Connecting Ideas Home Chancellor's Page UW-Madison Home Feedback