January 11, 2016  |  News & Events, Provost's Updates

Dear Colleagues:

 I hope you had a relaxing winter break and welcome back. As we begin 2016, I want to update you with an outline of some of the ongoing initiatives and other events that will shape the spring semester for Academic Affairs:

  • Enrollment (addressing both student recruitment and retention, to degree) will again be a top priority this semester. I will be having meetings with each school and college during the semester to discuss school/college recruitment and retention plans, and I am closely monitoring our comparison of enrollments to date to gauge our fall 2016 performance compared to fall 2015.
  • Campus budget meetings (open forums) will continue and the next two are scheduled for January 29 and February 16.
  • The final recommendation of the new budget model will also be presented to the Chancellor later this month.
  • The Chancellor’s Campus Organization and Effectiveness Team (CCOET) will finalize its recommendations regarding improving campus operational efficiencies and organization in February.
  • The Chancellor’s Enrollment Management Action Team (CEMAT) is engaged in a strategic enrollment management (SEM) planning process, and the group will bring its draft SEM plan to the campus for input in mid-March.
  • It is my understanding that the Board of Regents will finalize the new UW System Tenure Policy this semester.
  • The Board of Regents has completed its review of the 16/17 sabbatical requests. I am pleased to report that all applications from UWM faculty have been approved. The letters to faculty will be processed today.
  • I anticipate that the Master’s in Information Science and Technology in the School of Information Studies will go to the Board of Regents Education Committee for approval this spring. The proposal is currently being reviewed on campus.
  • MPS, MATC, and UWM (known collectively as M³ or “M cubed”) will advance implementation of plans intended to close the achievement and completion gaps of students and create a road map for them that leads to a seamless transition from high school to higher education. More than 70 participants are actively involved in addressing 5 overarching goals:

1)     Raise students’ college and career aspirations, readiness, and success by offering well-designed services and support.

2)     Educate students’ families and communities about the value of post-secondary learning.

3)     Align curriculum and services from middle school to post-secondary education.

4)     Create and cultivate a culture of learning in which there is an expectation to continue education after high school.

5)     Engage the student voice, create safe spaces, and build an awareness of equality and inclusion.

  • The UW System-appointed Mathematics Placement Test Development Committee is working to implement a system-wide plan for math preparation and student success. This spring, campus discussions will occur to establish UW System criteria for placement into the lowest-level credit-bearing math course.
  • UWM is exploring international partnerships with the goal of increasing and diversifying international student enrollment. A decision on partnerships should be announced in the first half of the semester.
  • Data driven decision-making is critical as we move forward. To that end, several initiatives will be advanced this spring term including, but not limited to, the launch of a data governance structure for UWM and the roll-out of the Student Success Collaborative Campus.
  • UWM’s Flexible Option programs continue to grow: 465 students have enrolled, and 13 students have graduated (8 from the Information Science and Technology program, 5 from Nursing), with five additional students who have applied to graduate (3 in IST; 2 in Nursing). The College of Health Sciences is looking to expand the Biomedical Science–Diagnostic Imaging Flex program to add a more general Biomedical Science–Health Sciences submajor that could enroll students from a wider array of health sciences technical degree areas.
  • The Campus Space Committee will be reviewing and potentially updating several campus policies related to space and continue working with various units to identify solutions to their space needs.
  • Development of UWM’s next Capital Budget request continues, with further conversations with System in March.

Kudos

– Professor Victor Greene, who was a member of the history department for many decades, was honored by a special panel on Saturday, January 9 at the American Historical Association in Atlanta.

Take care,

Johannes

Johannes Britz
Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs