The University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents will meet in Madison this Thursday, March 6. The meeting is the first since UW System President Ray Cross took office last month. Cross is scheduled to address the regents shortly after the meeting begins at 9 am.
The meeting will feature a presentation by Dennis Winters, chief economic officer at the Department of Workforce Development, and two panel discussions on the role UW System can play in the state’s economic development efforts. UW-Madison Chancellor Rebecca Blank will participate in the discussion focusing on how UW System can help Wisconsin employers become more competitive.
Some of the questions regents and panelists will consider include:
- How do business leaders use the resources within UW institutions?
- What are business leaders’ biggest competitive challenges? Are there things UW institutions could be doing that they are not?
- Who do business leaders hire from UW institutions? What skills and experience are needed? What kind of employees will be needed in the future.
- What specific activities do UW institutions undertake to keep academic programs and initiatives relevant to employers, the community, and students?
- How can curricula be structured to best meet the needs of the state?
- How can UW institutions best prepare students? How do students perceive their level of preparation for employment or starting a business in Wisconsin?
- To what extent should UW institutions consider reprioritizing or reallocating resources to expand certain academic programs or scale down others?
The board will also discuss the development of the 2015-17 biennial budget. UW System is expected to outline its budget priorities later this summer.