The strategic plan for the University of Wisconsin–Madison identifies five strategic priorities that support a central objective: To sustain and strengthen our position of preeminence in research and higher education. This summary offers a representative sample of how faculty, staff, and students in units across the campus have addressed each priority during the plan’s fourth year.

Promote Research

UW–Madison’s powerful research enterprise continued to rank among top U.S. research universities, coming in fourth for total research and development expenditures for fiscal year 2002. Federal research awards for 2003–04 totaled $517.5 million, an increase of 23 percent over the previous year; non-federal totaled $187.3 million, up 16 percent. Funding from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security is supporting research at the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences to protect the country’s food supply against terrorism and at the College of Engineering to explore strategies for securing the United States and its infrastructure against attack. Research with a national scope also is under way at the School of Education, with topics ranging from math education for students with disabilities to value-added indicators of student achievement. New hires at the School of Nursing are supporting research related to the care of children and the elderly, while a grant is allowing the School of Pharmacy to explore natural product-based anti-cancer drugs. Research projects continue to delve into a vast array of other topics, ranging from global climate change (Gaylord Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies) to tiny bio-electronic circuits (College of Letters and Science) to juvenile delinquency prevention (School of Human Ecology). UW Libraries’ efforts improved productivity of research endeavors.

Supporting measures: Extramural Research Support

Advance Learning

UNDERGRADUATE
Across the campus, schools and colleges advanced new methods of learning, calling upon new technology (such as Learn @UW, which delivered more than 1,100 courses online), expanding boundaries (new study abroad and exchange programs), and offering new on-campus learning spaces (relocated glass/neon lab and sculpture foundry). A new Office of Undergraduate Academic Awards was created to identify potential candidates for campuswide awards early in their college careers and position them to compete successfully. Developing leadership skills has moved to the forefront for undergraduates, with the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences establishing a leadership certificate program, the School of Business operating a Student Leadership Center, and the Offices of the Dean of Students offering several leadership programs. To keep pace with the acceleration of technology and globalization, the College of Engineering is exploring a comprehensive revamping of the undergraduate curriculum. At the College of Letters and Science, an intensive review is under way to enhance collaboration across Student Academic Affairs to improve the delivery of student services. The new Institute for Cross-College Biology Education completed its first full year, demonstrating UW–Madison’s commitment to interdisciplinary collaboration.

GRADUATE
The Graduate School celebrated a century of exemplary graduate education and research. In fall 2004, graduate students numbered 8,942, of which one-fourth were international students representing nearly 100 countries. The Law School continued to advance its highly regarded clinical programs, which include consumer law, elder law, and neighborhood law. Plans for a curriculum that emphasizes problem-solving, small-group learning, and new technology became reality when the Medical School moved into the new Health Sciences Learning Center.

LIFELONG
With one of the largest Summer Session programs in the country, the Division of Continuing Studies enrolled 13,560 students in 1,550 courses. Nearly 30,000 students enrolled in evening, weekend, off-campus, and distance-education
courses. More than 7,000 adult learners obtained career and education counseling. Non-credit programming held steady, despite the economic downturn. The School of Veterinary Medicine provided continuing education through expanded use of distance-education technology; the School of Nursing provided continuing-education opportunities at 13 rural Wisconsin hospitals; and 13,000 pharmacists and pharmaceutical industrial workers attended professional-development programs offered by the School of Pharmacy.

Supporting measures: Average Test Scores of New Freshmen  |  Average High School Rank of New Freshmen  |  Residential Learning Communities and First-Year Interest Groups  |  Time to Degree and Graduation Rates  | Outreach Enrollments by Student Level

Amplify the Wisconsin Idea

The university’s long-standing commitment to serve the citizens of the state was steadfast during the past year. The School of Business is participating in a new network that is expected to contribute more than $500 million to the state’s economy during its first year. In addition, more than 500 Wisconsin companies enrolled employees in the school’s executive-education courses. Nearly all of Wisconsin’s 72 counties applied for support in the first round of funding offered via a new partnership program that links Medical School faculty with statewide organizations to achieve educational goals. Plans to expand and enhance facilities for the Elvehjem Museum of Art, renamed the Chazen Museum of Art, were announced. Precollege programs related to academics, the arts, and athletics attracted some 13,000 youth. Performing arts students took to the stage for two concerts to celebrate the opening of Overture Hall. The Theatre for Young Audiences toured primary schools in the state, offering theatre geared toward children with special needs. The very popular Wisconsin Film Festival presented 151 films from 27 countries. In a demonstration of state pride, more than 1 million tickets were sold to home football, men’s basketball, and men’s hockey games.

TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER
The Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation, which supports university research through patenting and licensing services, received the National Medal of Technology, the highest honor granted by the president of the United States for innovation in using technology to better the economy and the lives of citizens. The Office of Corporate Relations, which works to strengthen the state’s economy by serving as an initial point of contact for university resources, made more than 350 referrals of businesses to campus units. University Research Park now is home to 109 companies — many of which are based in biotechnology and life sciences — employing 5,500 people, up from 4,000 last year.

Supporting measures: University Research Park

Accelerate Internationalization

The university’s commitment to be part of a global community has continued to grow. Some 1,600 students participated in study-abroad opportunities, ranking UW–Madison sixth among research universities for such programs. The Division of International Studies led a yearlong initiative that identified improvements for recruiting international students. International Studies also partnered with the College of Letters and Science to create The Language Institute, a campus focal point for world languages and culture resources. The International Learning Community, which has programs in German, Spanish, and Italian, added a Japanese program in fall 2005. The College of Agricultural and Life Sciences participates in a faculty exchange program with a university in Uganda; at the School of Business, the evening MBA curriculum is placing greater emphasis on international aspects of business; the Law School is creating a Center for Global Legal Studies; and the Medical School, in partnership with International Studies, is expanding the Global Health Program.

Supporting measures: Students Studying Abroad

Nurturing Human Resources

STUDENTS
Residential learning communities and first-year interest groups — both designed to enhance the undergraduate experience — have continued to grow. The Office of the Registrar improved customer services through initiatives including e-Grading and the online Timetable. Several gains have been made to meet the technological needs of the computer-savvy student population. New initiatives are exploring the needs of first-year and transfer students to improve academic success and retention. UW–Madison is participating in an alliance of 13 UW System campuses, four private colleges, three technical schools, and one tribal college whose goal is to increase the number of underrepresented minority students who receive bachelor’s degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The Graduate School created an “E-Pals” program to increase the number of students of color who choose to enroll in graduate study at UW–Madison. At the Law School, recruitment efforts have resulted in an increased enrollment of students of color, and, at the School of Education, the number of targeted minority students grew by 16 percent. Forty-one students of color who have participated in the PEOPLE program enrolled as freshmen for fall 2005.

EMPLOYEES
From formalized orientation programs, to listening sessions about the workplace, to self-assessment activities, campus units have addressed myriad aspects of the work environment. The Office of Human Resource Development hosted 728 learning events serving 9,536 participants. In addition, the office now offers assistance in six languages to prospective and current employees who have limited proficiency in English, enhancing workforce recruitment, hiring, and retention. To date, 112 search committee chairs and members have participated in “Searching for Excellence & Diversity” orientation workshops developed by the Women in Science & Engineering Leadership Institute. More than 80 department chairs, directors, and campus administrators attended a new annual orientation session. The Division of Recreational Sports expanded its offerings in areas such as group exercise programs and intramural sports. The Division of Information Technology began implementing My WebSpace, which allows faculty and staff to easily publish a Web page, store documents, and share files.

Supporting measures: Minority Students as a Percentage of Fall Enrollment  |   Minorities as a Percentage of Faculty and Staff  |  Faculty-Staff Participation in Professional Development

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.

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