Advantage Wisconsin

Advantage Wisconsin: Strategic Framework

More Graduates

Strategic Challenge Question:

How can the UW System increase the number of Wisconsin graduates and expand the educational opportunities by extending access and increasing retention and graduation rates?

The Call for Change: Wisconsin ranks 36th in the percent of its population with baccalaureate degrees. This low ranking is worrisome, as states with high percentages of college and university-educated residents have much more rapid income growth.  Improving the state's performance will be challenging: Wisconsin’s high school population is forecasted to shrink and groups with traditionally lower college attendance and graduation rates comprise a larger share of traditional college-age youth.  Furthermore, Wisconsin has the worst fourth- and eighth-grade reading and math performance in the nation for black youths, and the largest black-white score gap. Helping students become college-ready and college-motivated is an important opportunity to produce more graduates. The Think Tank will explore this and other opportunities to increase the UW System’s graduates in absolute and relative numbers.

Additional Questions:

  • How can the UW System improve overall retention rates?
  • How can the UW System increase graduation rates?
  • What changes does the university need to make to improve retention and graduation of students of color?
  • How can the university increase access and success for the pools of potential students with low college participation today? Think in particular of adult learners and students of color.
  • How might distance education become a stronger asset for the system?
  • How does the university create greater aspirations for college and stronger belief that college is possible across more demographic groups?
  • How does the UW System enable students to move between and among institutions in a way that best meets their needs, improves access, and reduces time to graduation?
  • How does the UW System provide more opportunity and flexibility through alternative access to degrees?
  • How does the university reduce start-to-graduation time for the average student? What about for part-time, adult, or nonresident students?
  • How can the university, working with K-12, ensure a diverse pipeline of graduating high school students who are well-prepared for baccalaureate education? 
  • How might the university establish system goals using best-in-nation performance indicators?