Accountability report outlines progress, challenges

The latest UW System accountability report, “Achieving Excellence,” shows the university system and UW–Madison have met or exceeded their goals in performance measures such as access, student success and efficiency.

However, System President Katharine Lyall cautions that the report, which also offers a specific report for UW–Madison and the other UW institutions, does not fully reflect the affects of state budget cuts for 2003-05.

While UW–Madison has exceeded its enrollment targets for a number of years, the report notes the university is improving access through two programs. The UW–Madison Connections Program offers students dual admission to UW–Madison and a UW College or Madison Area Technical College. Pre-College Enrichment Opportunity Program for Learning Excellence helps minority and disadvantaged pre-college students develop the skills and motivation to graduate from high school and enroll in college.

UW–Madison is exceeding its targets for second-year retention and six-year graduation rates, and students are holding steady at about 125 attempted credits to degree, down from 134 credits in 1995-96.

“While our performance has improved over the last year,” Lyall says. “Many of the ways in which the current budget crisis will impact our students have not been felt on our campuses yet.”