For Wisconsin and the World: Focusing a Great University on its Core Mission, Public Purpose, and Global Reach

Third-Year Progress Report

Provide an exemplary undergraduate experience

A new model for SOAR (Student Orientation, Advising, and Registration) was developed to focus on academic success inside and outside the classroom, and to meet the special needs of transfer students. Much of the SOAR programming took place in the new Union South’s welcoming environment. In addition, using Madison Initiative for Undergraduates funds, a new Office of Campus Academic Advising was created to improve and centralize undergraduate advising.
For its third year, Go Big Read, a program designed to engage the campus community and beyond in a shared reading experience, explored Enrique’s Journey by Sonia Nazario. The book was incorporated into the curriculum for 78 courses across the campus and several groups — including high school students and adult students — met with the author when she visited Madison.
The university’s Parent Program continued to expand, with 28,500 parents registered with the program to serve as key partners during their students’ undergraduate experience. This year the program began working with international parents in a variety of ways, including outreach efforts for Spanish-speaking parents and those living in China.
Based on the perception of peers and high school guidance counselors, U.S. News and World Report ranked UW–Madison’s undergraduate academic reputation seventh among all public universities and among the top five for several high-impact practices, such as learning communities and undergraduate research or creative projects.
For the first time, the academic and creative work of undergraduates was showcased in full under Ideas to Excellence, a coordinated effort that featured research, service work, fine arts, and performances during spring semester.
A report from the Institute of International Education once again gave UW–Madison high marks, noting that the university sent the tenth-highest number of students to study abroad, helping them to gain both cross-cultural and workplace skills in the global marketplace.
More than 250 students from across the campus registered for classes included in three new entrepreneurship certificates offered through the Wisconsin School of Business.
More than 800 UW student-athletes carried a cumulative 3.02 grade point average for the year, the best in school history, and 268 UW student-athletes appeared on the Dean’s List.