Provost presents centennial plan to Regents
Abby Harvey
Issue date: 10/15/09 Section: Campus News
Posted: 09/18/09
In 2006, when Chancellor Brian Levin-Stankevich began working at UW-Eau Claire, the school set out to achieve four goals by the university's centennial in 2016: to evaluate the university with a reaccredidation self-study, to set goals through a strategic planning process, conduct a review of all academic and administrative programs and to participate in national studies.
On Oct. 15, Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Patricia Kleine presented these goals and the centennial plan to the UW System Board of Regents Education Committee at their meeting at UW-Eau Claire.
The self-study is a tool to help the University identify areas of strength as well as areas that could use improvement in all parts of the institution. The results of the self-study revealed what Kleine described as a "glaring statistic." UW-Eau Claire's four-year graduation rates are below the average rate for the system.
Only about 26 percent of UW-Eau Claire students graduate in four-years, while about 61 percent graduate in six. This can be compared to the nearly half of UW-Madison students and about 32 percent of UW-La Crosse students who obtain a degree in that time.
"We are going to analyze and reroute the problem points that are impeding our four-year graduation rate by updating and activating our four-year graduation degree plans that all of our programs already have but clearly need to be revisited" Kleine said.
The cause for the low four-year graduation rates at UW-Eau Claire remains a mystery, though Kleine has a few thoughts as to the reason.
The first, she said, is that UW-Eau Claire is a "phenomenal place to be." Some students may be reluctant to leave the comfortable college atmosphere of the University.
Kleine suggested that the second reason is that when students enter the college atmosphere they are introduced to many new areas of study that they previously did not know about. A student may start to consider a new field that they develop interest in and that adjustment can take time, she said.
In 2006, when Chancellor Brian Levin-Stankevich began working at UW-Eau Claire, the school set out to achieve four goals by the university's centennial in 2016: to evaluate the university with a reaccredidation self-study, to set goals through a strategic planning process, conduct a review of all academic and administrative programs and to participate in national studies.
On Oct. 15, Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Patricia Kleine presented these goals and the centennial plan to the UW System Board of Regents Education Committee at their meeting at UW-Eau Claire.
The self-study is a tool to help the University identify areas of strength as well as areas that could use improvement in all parts of the institution. The results of the self-study revealed what Kleine described as a "glaring statistic." UW-Eau Claire's four-year graduation rates are below the average rate for the system.
Only about 26 percent of UW-Eau Claire students graduate in four-years, while about 61 percent graduate in six. This can be compared to the nearly half of UW-Madison students and about 32 percent of UW-La Crosse students who obtain a degree in that time.
"We are going to analyze and reroute the problem points that are impeding our four-year graduation rate by updating and activating our four-year graduation degree plans that all of our programs already have but clearly need to be revisited" Kleine said.
The cause for the low four-year graduation rates at UW-Eau Claire remains a mystery, though Kleine has a few thoughts as to the reason.
The first, she said, is that UW-Eau Claire is a "phenomenal place to be." Some students may be reluctant to leave the comfortable college atmosphere of the University.
Kleine suggested that the second reason is that when students enter the college atmosphere they are introduced to many new areas of study that they previously did not know about. A student may start to consider a new field that they develop interest in and that adjustment can take time, she said.
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