Renovation of the Memorial Union Lakefront Cafeteria and the University of Wisconsin’s increased success at serving students of diverse income spectrums were discussed at Friday’s UW Board of Regents meeting.
UW System President Katharine Lyall said the system’s success at helping students of varying financial backgrounds maintains the system’s goal of broad access.
“With the exception of the lowest income quintile, UW institutions are doing a remarkable job of serving students from across the income spectrum,” Lyall said. “It also tells us we need to know more about the lowest quintile.”
The report, “Incomes and Financial Aid for UW Freshman Over the Past Decade,” breaks down students into five categories based on family income, the lowest being those students coming from families earning less than $30,750 and the highest being in excess of $92,346.
The report also revealed those students in the lowest income brackets rely primarily on need-based grants while those in the upper income brackets rely primarily on non-need based brackets.
President Lyall also commented on the creation of a new grassroots organization dedicated to promoting higher education in Wisconsin.
Harry Peterson, former UW administrator and current emeritus president of Western State College in Colorado, created the group, Citizens for Higher Education.
The group received support from Lyall and Regent president Guy Gottschalk.
Gottschalk called the new group “very exciting” and likened it to the Friends of the University group that was formed four years ago amidst difficult budget times.
“There is another effort that has now formed to help support and advocate public higher education in Wisconsin,” Gottschalk said in a report. “This new initiative dovetails nicely with our Engage Wisconsin program, getting more out of our constituencies involved in the future of the university system.”
The Engage Wisconsin program was created to promote public higher education throughout Wisconsin by providing free information to communities statewide.
The Board also approved a number of other initiatives affecting state institutions. The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee will see a new master’s program in health care informatics, while UW-Stout has received the go-ahead to reorganize existing programs into a new School of Education.
Regents also approved naming a portion of Camp Randall Stadium “Kellner Hall,” which would house the administrative office complex. In October 2002, Ted and Jack Kellner and their families donated $10 million to UW. Six million will be used in the Camp Randall renovation, while $4 million will go to yet undetermined academic purposes.
One of the final measures of the day was the passage for a renovation of the Memorial Union Lakefront Cafeteria. The renovation will cost $2,497,400.
The entire cafeteria will be remodeled with an emphasis on providing views of Lake Mendota. The aim for renovation is to restore profitability to Lakefront operations. Recently outdated technology, poor access to the cafeteria and deteriorating aesthetics were “significant contributors to the severe decline in business activity over the last 10 years.”
In what may be a sign of things to come, UW System President Lyall and Regent President Gottschalk directed UW System Counsel Patricia Brady to investigate the University of Michigan affirmative action case and how the Board of Regents might be able to support them.
