Research at the University of Wisconsin was a main topic of discussion at the Board of Regents meeting Friday along with a resolution of appreciation for all members of the UW System serving in the war.

Presentations given to the Board in summary said that research at UW System campuses have made noteworthy contributions to the state and local economies in past years and that continuing to fund research will help drive the UW System’s future.

Dean of the UW-Madison Graduate School Martin Cadwallader reported the National Science Foundation’s statistics regarding UW-Madison Friday. UW led the nation’s university last year in research and development expenditures, with $554 million in gifts, grants and contracts, according to the data.

Cadwallader noted that a large part of this funding is awarded by federal agencies and comes from out-of-state funding and that during a fiscal crisis like the one that UW is in, it is especially important to keep this funding.

“The idea of these research funds isn’t just to do research, get published and leave it at that,” Cadwallader said. “The idea is to return it to society.”

Although UW will continue to provide undergraduate research opportunities, with decreased funding it will become increasingly more difficult to recruit advanced researchers and such to improve the program and continue to provide to the community in the way that UW has in the past.

Cadwallader also reported that university research funding at UW has helped to create more than 20,000 jobs in Wisconsin, according to a multiplier formula constructed by the Association of American Universities.

“Each faculty member on average generates about $200,000 a year in research grants,” Cadwallader said. “If you eliminate 50 faculty positions, you lose $10 million in research funding, plus the jobs created through the multiplier effect,” Cadwallader told the Board Friday.

Regent Roger Axtell suggested that a plan be created that would essentially preserve the UW System’s research potential. He asked for a plan of this sort to be part of a long-term study discussing the future direction and mission of the university. A number of regents agreed that a study like this could start as early as this upcoming summer.

“We need to do something to protect that egg in our basket,” Axtell said.

In addition to discussion regarding research throughout the UW System, a resolution was passed Friday honoring the numbers of UW System faculty, staff and students who have been called to action in the current war.

“The Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System declares a strong support and gratitude for the valor and dedication of those in the University of Wisconsin System who are serving their country …” reads the resolution. “… and further states a commitment to making every effort to ease their transition when they return to the university.”