Elsewhere
(Elsewhere summarizes developments on other UW System campuses and in the system administration. For more system news, visit: http://www.uwsa.edu/univ_rel/wn.htm.)
Regents to review test plan
UW System Board of Regents President Jay L. Smith has asked the Education Committee to review the board’s December decision to require Wisconsin high school students who apply to a UW System institution to show they have taken a state or local graduation test.
“There are so many questions about this,” Smith says, “and the public is confused about what our standard will be. We need to study this and clarify the issues.”
The test is still being developed by the Department of Public Instruction. Smith says the content of the test will influence the board’s ultimate decision, and the university will confer closely with the state Department of Public Instruction.
“Whatever we do,” Smith says, “we need to make sure that there is a level playing field for all our applicants.”
Some lawmakers say they want to reopen the whole question of a high school graduation test.
UW meets or exceeds targets
The recently released accountability report of the UW System, “Achieving Excellence,” indicates that the UW System met or exceeded 14 of its 20 targets for 2000. Indicators included in the report are access, retention and graduation rates, credits-to-degree, faculty workload, administrative costs, and quality of the overall learning environment. Results from the UW System Survey of Technology Resources were used to assess the utilization of technology resources.
UW System President Katharine Lyall advises against taking the results for granted: “We must work daily at “achieving excellence.'” The full report is available at: http://www.uwsa.edu/opar
UW Day scheduled March 7
A major celebration of public higher education, UW Day will be held Wednesday, March 7, from 5-8:30 p.m. at the Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center in Madison. Gov. Scott McCallum will speak at 6:30 p.m. More than 1,500 guests have been invited. The event will bring together local community leaders, alumni, legislators and friends of the UW System.
Credit transfer debated
UW System President Katharine Lyall and Wisconsin State Technical Colleges Director Ed Chin outlined the unique mission of each system and many forthcoming agreements between the two at a Feb. 6 meeting of the Assembly Committee on Colleges and Universities.
Lawmakers are interested in a perceived need for much broader transfer of credits and more uniformity of instruction in the two systems. Some legislators expressed a desire for more aggressive pursuit of “matched” courses that easily transfer. Others doubted that such redundancy would be efficient. Chair Rob Kreibich says the committee will hold a similar hearing in six months to one year. Credit transfer information can be found at: http://www.uwsa.edu/tis/userg1.htm
Coming up
- UW-Extension plans to develop a model ordinance for a neighborhood development and a conservation subdivision. The measure will get Assembly review.
- Rep. Judy Krawczyk, R-Green Bay, has proposed making textbooks purchased by students at technical colleges and universities in Wisconsin exempt from state sales tax.