Many people understand and value major research universities such as the University of Wisconsin-Madison and UW-Milwaukee and their impact on economic growth and recovery. However, the "Greater Wisconsin" public universities and colleges that serve more than 100,000 students and 60 percent of the state's residents are regional educational, research, cultural, and economic bedrocks. These institutions greatly impact the long-term regional economic development strategies for Wisconsin through workforce development, business enterprise services and regional community enhancement.

The UW System institutions drive the economy and enhance the state's competitive edge by increasing the number of college-educated employers and employees. In the past eight years, enrollment at UW Oshkosh, the state's third-largest university, increased from 11,700 to 12,700, and the number of degrees conferred increased by 23 percent. Our certificate, professional, undergraduate and graduate programs are highly aligned with regional economic needs and contribute directly to workforce development by educating more and better-prepared graduates to fill existing and future jobs.

UW Oshkosh leverages its knowledge assets through innovative collaborations with 13 public universities and colleges in the Northeastern Wisconsin Educational Resource Alliance (NEW ERA). We also maximize our impact on business enterprise and regional economic development as a member of New North Inc., a consortium of private and public sector, educators, business leaders and economic development professionals throughout the 18 counties of northeastern Wisconsin who work together for the purpose of sustaining and growing the regional economy.

More than two dozen concrete examples of academic programs that are highly aligned with regional needs are detailed at http://www.uwosh.edu/news/wp-content/themes/tma/images/JFCHighlights.pdf. Additionally, some recent innovations include the following:

* A Bachelor of Applied Studies (BAS) program enables technical college associate degree holders to move into business leadership positions.

* The Accelerated Online Nursing Degree Program allows students who have earned a baccalaureate degree to earn a BSN. The program produced 300 additional nurses since 2004 without a single dollar of state funding.

* Alternative Careers in Teaching (act!) addresses a shortage of science and mathematics teachers in middle and high schools by allowing bachelor degree holders to earn teaching certificates. The UW Oshkosh Robert Noyce National Science Foundation grant provides 50 $10,000 scholarships that enable bachelor's degree holders to prepare for new math- and science-teaching careers.

* A Collaborative Online MBA Program, offered in three locations and online, allows 500 Wisconsin residents to earn a highly accredited advanced business degree.

UW Oshkosh has launched several recent innovations for enhanced alignment with business enterprise needs including:

* The Wisconsin Family Business Forum assists about 400 Wisconsin entrepreneurs in dealing with issues unique to running a family business.

* The Yahoo! Global CareCenter, a collaboration with UW Oshkosh's Center for Community Partnerships employs UW Oshkosh students and provides technical support to some of Yahoo!'s 17,000 employees. This semester the 35 students who work part-time in the Yahoo! Global CareCenter receive a laptop computer and earn $10,000 annually, which covers 75 percent of their total annual costs to attend UW Oshkosh.

* The Center for Community Partnerships provides customized training, faculty consultants and student interns/consultants for the needs of business and public sector organizations, including Oshkosh Corporation, Mercury Marine, Plexus and Kimberly-Clark.

UW Oshkosh's economic impact of $500 million a year increased by 16 percent from 2003-2006 and is projected to continue to increase another 16 percent -- or $80 million -- by 2010. The University is directly and indirectly responsible for creating 9,000 plus jobs and generating more than $37 million in state and local tax revenue. Thousands of construction-related jobs are expected to be created during the next two to three years. The University's unparalleled educational, cultural and economic value for its hometown and the New North region has never been of more vital importance during its 138-year history.

Although the "Greater Wisconsin" institutions -- UW Oshkosh, its 10 sister regional comprehensive universities and the UW Colleges -- are being asked to cut up to $85 million during the 2009-11 biennium, they will continue to deliver their outstanding economic recovery value. However, we hope the Governor and Legislature can find a way to reduce the budget cuts so as to enhance our economic recovery and development impact. The kind of impact that UW Oshkosh has brought to bear in the New North is repeated across the state by the "Greater Wisconsin" institutions. Each one is a storehouse of innovative and collaborative programs that are aligned with regional needs for workforce development, business enterprise support and community growth. Together these institutions play a crucial role by providing vitality to the "Greater Wisconsin" regions that stabilize and balance out the state.

-- Wells is chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh.

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