'Growth Agenda' expands opportunities for Northeastern Wisconsin

On April 6 University of Wisconsin-Green Bay Chancellor Bruce Shepard unveiled "Northeastern Wisconsin's Growth Agenda," a plan that would enable UW-Green Bay to meet the demands and needs of a rapidly growing and changing region.

The proposal, announced at a meeting of the UW System Board of Regents' Business, Finance and Audit Committee, would increase UW-Green Bay's state-supported enrollment by 50 percent.

"This is not an agenda for UW-Green Bay," Shepard said. "It is UW-Green Bay's best effort to strategically support the region's agenda."

The plan, which is consistent with UW System President Kevin Reilly's vision for growth throughout the UW System, would:

* increase UW-Green Bay's enrollment to about 7,500 students from the current 5,400
* increase state funding for UW-Green Bay by $8.2 million over the next three two-year budget periods
* require one additional classroom/office building on the UW-Green Bay campus

Shepard said three factors - diversity, the economic transition taking place in Northeastern Wisconsin, and strong demand for a UW-Green Bay education - are driving the Growth Agenda.

The plan was developed in response to regional needs expressed by people throughout the region, he said.

"We were propelled by a sense of urgency as we listened to those who best understand what is happening in our region," he said.

"I have been telling every legislator, regent, UW System officer, statewide officeholder and community leader I speak with that we are creating a train wreck some years out," he said. "This campus that closes admissions early and is among the smallest in the state is building a large pipeline to our metropolitan area's multi-colored future."

Shepard noted that growing demand for a UW-Green Bay education - applications per opening have increased 50 percent in recent years - has forced the University to close applications earlier than ever before.

He attributed the strong demand in large part to UW-Green Bay's academic program which emphasizes connecting learning to life through hands-on, practical problem-solving.

"We firmly believe that, as we prepare students for careers not yet known and societal problems we are as yet unaware of, it is precisely the UW-Green Bay approach that works best," he said.