UWSP Initiatives as Chancellor (1996-2003)

The University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point (UWSP) had 8,500 students and 1,000 faculty and staff and an annual operating budget of $119 million plus a capital construction budget which reached $26 million in the 2001-03 biennium. From 2000 to 2004, UWSP appeared among the top six in the first tier of Midwestern comprehensive universities as ranked by U.S. News & World Report, reaching as high as fourth in the rankings for 2002. In 1998, Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine ranked the university among the top 100 best values in all public universities across the nation. UWSP was included in the 2003 Edition of The Unofficial, Unbiased, Insider’s Guide to the 320 Most Interesting Colleges published by Simon & Schuster. As reported by The Chronicle of Higher Education, during the period from 1997 to 2001 (the latest date for which the Institute of International Education had data while Chancellor George was at UWSP), UWSP was ranked in the top twenty (and as high as sixth) in the nation among master’s degree-granting institutions for the number of students who study overseas. In addition, the dance program was ranked in the top 25 college and university dance departments in the nation by Dance Spirit magazine in 1998.

Athletics excelled in all areas at UWSP. For example, at the national level: the women’s fastpitch softball team and basketball team won the NCAA Division III National Championship in 1998 and 2002, respectively; the men's ice hockey team took runner-up in 1998; the women's soccer team made it to the Final Four in 2000; and the men's wrestling team placed third in 2003. Out of over 400 Division III programs in the country, the combined women's and men's teams for all sports placed seventh in 1998 and 2000, sixth in 2001 and 2002, and sixteenth in 2003 in the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics Cup rankings for post-season competition. Leah Juno (track & field and cross country) in 2001 and Kari Groshek (basketball) in 2002 each won the prestigious NCAA Top VIII Award presented annually to the top eight student athletes from all men’s and women’s NCAA divisions and sports (UWSP became one of only two Division III institutions in the country to have two winners since the award's inception in 1973). In addition, the academic performances of both the women and men athletes in terms of grade point averages have ranked among the highest in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.

Under Dr. George's leadership as Chancellor, the UWSP campus made significant progress:

Earned the maximum ten-year reaccreditation from the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools in 1998.

With the support of the university community and external support groups, established two strategic directions in 2002: student-centered excellence and partnerships.

Secured approval from the Governor, the state Building Commission and the Legislature for $25 million toward a total of $26 million needed to remodel and expand the Fine Arts Center in the 2001-03 biennium, with the remaining $1 million to come from private sources.

Received from the state Legislature in 2001-03 the largest biennial increase in the operating budget in the history of the university.

Encouraged the faculty and staff to secure extramural grants, reaching an all-time high of $8.8 million in 2002.

Made great strides in the overall area of advancement; e.g.,

Established the new Office of University Advancement and saw annual giving through the UWSP Foundation increase by 300%.
Worked with the Provost, Deans and Executive Director of the Foundation to create new development/marketing positions in each of the four colleges.
Developed a one-year mini-campaign called the Laird Legacy Campaign, chaired by former U.S. Secretary of State, Lawrence S. Eagleburger, to build the university's first $1 million endowment with the help of substantial contributions from former U.S. Secretary of Defense, Melvin R. Laird.
Secured the university's first single $1 million gift to augment the $25 million received from the state for the remodeling and expansion of the Fine Arts Center.
Following the above, secured a $2 million gift for three student scholarship programs.
Secured a $2.5 million gift to establish a center for entrepreneurship and enhance offerings in business ethics in the Division of Business and Economics.
Launched a communication plan with the help of a private marketing firm to enhance the image of the university.
Helped secure Ministry Health Care Services as a corporate sponsor for the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference of which UWSP is a member.

Made advances in the role of technology on campus; e.g.,

Through the Foundation and Academic Affairs, created a Learning Technology Advisory Team made up of leaders from industry in computer information technology in order to advise the university on how best to prepare students in the rapidly-changing world of technology.
Reorganized Information Technology and created a Technology Coordinating Council to better serve the university. After two years of successful operation, the Council was replaced by the new University Technology Committee of the Faculty Senate.
Created new College Technology Support positions, each split between a college and Information Technology, to directly address technology needs of faculty and staff.

Launched the Central Wisconsin Idea designed to strengthen the economy and workforce of the region; e.g.,

Developed new partnerships throughout Stevens Point, Wausau, Marshfield, Wisconsin Rapids and Waupaca among education institutions (K-12 and post-secondary), local governments/municipalities, chambers of commerce, private industry, and foundations.
Established a forum for interaction and cooperation among thirteen counties through the creation of the Central Wisconsin Task Force in connection with the Wisconsin Economic Summit.
With funding from the state and federal governments and a private foundation, and in cooperation with the Portage County Business Council and Mid-State Technical College, initiated the development of the Wisconsin Learning Center, which included the construction of a distance education facility at the Portage County Business Park. In connection with this, made an invited presentation at the 14th Annual International Conference of the Association of University Related Research Parks in Madison, Wisconsin
Helped lead a cooperative effort between UWSP and Mid-State Technical College to prepare and present a successfully-funded proposal to Stora Enso North America to manage the development and training of their 5,800 employees in the midwest region stretching from Duluth, Minnesota to central and eastern Wisconsin.
Helped lead the development of the New Economy Workforce Coalition in Wausau/Marathon County with initial funding from Liberty Mutual and the Judd Alexander Foundation, designed to enhance business-education partnerships which ensure that workers in north-central Wisconsin have appropriate technological skills and education.

Realized substantial benefits in the institution's premier natural resources mission unit; e.g.,

Secured $2.15 million with the assistance of Congressman David R. Obey as part of a federal omnibus appropriations bill to fund the College of Natural Resources for technology-enhanced learning in the natural environment.
Worked with Congressman David R. Obey's office to establish the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's first ever National Environmental Education Training Program at the College of Natural Resources at a funding level of $6 million for three years.
Developed, through the state Legislature, the Geoscience Registry Bill which enables hydrology and soil science students at UWSP to be certified to practice in their fields.
Secured, through the UW System and various state groups, an annual entitlement appropriation of U.S. Department of Agriculture McIntire-Stennis funds for forestry research.
Established a pilot project on land information and spatial systems analysis with funding through the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Established the Land Use Education Center and the Watersheds Center with financial help from the state's Department of Natural Resources.
Designated the Global Environmental Management (GEM) Education Center, with initial funding of $1 million for the center’s watershed program from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and $2 million for the land-use program from the U.S. Department of Agriculture through the help of Congressman David R. Obey and U.S. Senator Herbert H. Kohl, plus another $2 million for the rural leadership and community development program from the U.S. Department of Agriculture through the help of Congressman Obey.

Instituted a series of interinstitutional and cooperative agreements; e.g.,

Formed cooperative ties with Soonchunhyang and Soongsil Universities in Korea.
Approved a dual baccalaureate degree in computer science with Otto-von-Guericke-Universität-Magdeburg in Germany.
Helped establish collaborative four-year baccalaureate UWSP degree programs in business administration and general studies at the UW two-year campuses in Wausau, Marshfield and Marinette using long-distance audio/video telecommunication, and added a receiving site at Mid-State Technical College in Wisconsin Rapids.

Worked with the curriculum and advising; e.g.,

Launched a new Winterim period of study between the fall and spring semesters.
Established a new Office of Student Retention/Success for improving the overall retention rate of students.
Led the development of a four-year graduation agreement (with enhanced student advising) for which students have the option of signing up during their first year at UWSP.
Helped the development of a Technology and New Media Arts minor, led by faculty from Communication, Art & Design, Music and Theatre & Dance.
Secured funding from the state in the 2001-03 biennial budget to develop the Web and Digital Media Design major housed in the Department of Mathematics & Computing.

Worked on issues of equity and diversity; e.g.,

Hosted a series of campuswide diversity think tanks and completed a ten-year plan for enhancing campus diversity.
Secured outside funding to launch a course in 1999 entitled "Ethnic Diversity in Wisconsin" which was also videotaped for airing on television throughout the state.
Established the Committee on the Status of Women.
Encouraged the development of internships for diversity doctoral students from UW-Milwaukee and Howard University as part of a national program of the Council of Graduate Schools called Preparing Future Faculty, with a goal of their possible appointment to the UWSP faculty.
Worked with the Director of Equity and Affirmative Action to institute a mentoring program (by faculty and staff) for all minority students during their first two years at UWSP.
Established a domestic partner policy and procedure in cooperation with Personnel Services.

Instituted programs in faculty and staff development; e.g.,

Worked with a group of women faculty and staff to institute activities and programs, under the umbrella of the Wisconsin Women in Higher Education Leadership effort, designed to provide opportunities for women to develop leadership skills in academe.
Established a Teacher/Scholar Residence Program providing release time to selected faculty to pursue research and scholarship.
Helped facilitate the development of a project called LIFE (Learning is For Ever) under the auspices of Elderhostel, whereby retired faculty and others teach each other across a wide variety of disciplines.
Initiated the development of a classified staff mentoring program.
Initiated projects with faculty in the Department of Chemistry and Department of Physics and Astronomy resulting in grants from the National Science Foundation for (1) developing a sophomore-level course in nanotechnology and (2) carrying out research on semiconductors in collaboration with scientists in Hungary.
Organized a campus-wide Technology Summit between the fall and spring semesters which evolved into an annual Teaching Conference, attracting faculty, staff and students across campus and the state.
Congressional grant of $500,000 awarded from the U.S. Department of Education to UWSP and UW-Marathon County through the efforts of Congressman David R. Obey for the Faculty Alliance for Creating and Expanding Teaching Strategies.

Embarked on various student initiatives; e.g.,

Worked with the Student Government Association to achieve a large increase in the percentage of students registering to vote and, in turn, voting in local, state and national elections; was authorized by the Stevens Point City Clerk as a special registration deputy.
Worked with a group of upper-division undergraduate students to establish a charter on campus for a local chapter (called a circle) of the national leadership honor society Omicron Delta Kappa.
Worked with a group of students and faculty to institute the UWSP Young Poets Project whereby students teach reading and writing through poetry to young men (ages 13 to 17) sentenced to the Lincoln Hills School (correctional facility) in northern Wisconsin.
Established the Chancellor's Excellence in Student Research Awards to encourage and fund attendance at state and national conferences.
Established an online journal for undergraduate research.

Instituted new programs related to athletics; e.g.,

Helped establish a new baccalaureate degree program in Athletic Training in partnership with the Rice Clinic and St. Michael's Hospital in Stevens Point.
Established Women's Ice Hockey as a varsity sport, with partial financing through the Student Government Association and concurrence with the Faculty Senate.

Worked with the University of Wisconsin System on various initiatives; e.g.,

Helped establish the WiSys Technology Foundation (appointed to the Board of Directors) as a subsidiary of the Wisconsin Alumni Research Fund to serve as the exclusive intellectual property management organization for UW System campuses other than UW-Madison and to provide services to patent, market and license inventions.
Helped develop a federal relations strategy for UW System institutions other than UW-Madison (appointed to the Federal Relations Council).
Helped launch the Academic Advanced Distributed Learning Co-Laboratory as a partnership among the University of Wisconsin and Wisconsin Technical College Systems and U.S. Department of Defense (appointed to the Co-Laboratory’s Commission).