Self-Study Quick Facts

• UW-Parkside has an institutional accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission and has since 1973.

• Accreditation is a two-step process which will examine every aspect of what we do, what we are and what we want to be.

• The site visit is scheduled for April 29 - May 1, 2013.

• In 2012 - 2013, UW-Parkside’s total budget was $102.7 million. However, this amount includes $34.4 million in student financial aid that is passed directly to the student. The working budget, excluding student financial aid, was $68.3 million.

• UW-Parkside’s strategic plan has guided the university’s planning and investment efforts in the last three years. Strategic initiatives represented in this plan include: a) student success; b) optimal enrollment; c) rigorous academic experience; d) inclusivity and diversity; e) campus culture and climate; and f) community engagement.

• Data kept by UW-Parkside on student admissions, enrollment, persistence, class sizes, and degrees conferred by the university are published in its Common Data Set, which is compiled by the Office of Institutional Effectiveness.

• In fall 2010, 55.5 percent of UW-Parkside’s entering students were first generation, compared to 43.5 percent of students in the UW System.

• UW-Parkside offers 33 undergraduate academic majors, 39 minors, and several certificate programs. A full listing of academic programs and their respective degree requirements may be found in the University Catalog and on the UW-Parkside website. One of the university’s primary goals is to prepare students to be successful in their professional, civic and personal lives.

• In March 2011, UW-Parkside’s first venture into off-site programming began with the signing of a memorandum of understanding between administrators at UW-Parkside and UW-Colleges to embark collaboratively on a bachelor of applied arts and sciences (B.A.A.S.) degree to be granted by UW-Waukesha, one of UW System’s two-year colleges.

• One of the most significant recent changes at UW-Parkside is the change from a College of Arts and Sciences and a School of Business and Technology to three colleges in 2012: the College of Arts and Humanities; the College of Business, Economics, and Computing; and the College of Natural and Health Science. A fourth College of Social Sciences and Professional Studies, will be created in the fall of 2013.

• In terms of increasing the number of DV courses, in fall 2006, 19 DV courses were offered involving 10 departments/ programs; in fall 2012, 32 DV courses were available involving 14 departments/programs.

• UW-Parkside has a decentralized, mixed model of advising that includes faculty advisors and professional advisors.

• To support the academic needs of students, the Learning Assistance Department offers the Parkside Academic Resource Center (PARC), the Ranger Writing Center (RWC), and the Supplemental Instruction (SI) Program.

• UW-Parkside has designed a 21st Century Educator Development Program. Beginning in the fall semester of 2013, its new IPED will begin offering prospective students the options of completing three educator licensures: Middle Childhood- Early Adolescence (Grades 1-8), Early Adolescence- Adolescence (Grades 6-12), Early Childhood-Adolescence (Grades Pre-K-12).

• UW-Parkside is one of the 20 largest employers in its service region. In addition, the jobs created by UW-Parkside’s capital expenditures generated $3 million in state sales and income tax revenue over the last three years.

• The College of Business, Economics, and Computing is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). Less than 5 percent of schools with business programs have received this accreditation, and the UW-Parkside School of Business and Technology is the only higher education institution in the Kenosha/Racine area with AACSB accreditation.

• The Center for Community Partnerships (CCP) at UW-Parkside has received the highest national honor for the past six years in a row, for its community-based efforts, the President’s Higher Education Community Service Certificate, for extraordinary and exemplary community service contributions.

• Since 2004, the university has hosted over 15 Americorps VISTA members through the Wisconsin Campus Compact. Their work has supported building infrastructure for community-based learning and research on campus as well providing capacity building support for community issues, such as workforce development, youth mentoring, environmental education, nonprofit development, health and food, security and mental health of low-income individuals.

• Qualitative responses within the Campus Climate Project were generally supportive of diversity efforts at UW-Parkside, with the majority of responses to a question on the campus climate and diversity indicating “the climate for diversity has improved in their time at UWP” while citing implementation of the LGBTQ Resource Center, the Freshman Year Experience, and programming from the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs as evidence.

• The Theatre Arts program actively serves the community through its award-winning productions. Most recently, The Theatre Arts Department’s current production of Dancing at Lughnasa was selected to be showcased in four performances at the Kennedy Center American College Theatre (KCACTF) Region III Festival.

• The Foreign Film Series recently celebrated its 30th consecutive year, and has screened nearly 500 films from 51 countries. The central mission of the Foreign Film Series is in line with UW-Parkside’s mission of ‘[providing and sharing] in cultural and intellectual activities in partnership with our local and regional communities.’

• Coordination and support for many of the co-curricular educational activities at the student level are provided by the Student Activities Office. The mission of the Student Activities Office is to engage and facilitate student learning and leadership development through meaningful involvement in student organizations and leadership programs, and through attendance at campus wide events.

• In 2003, the University of Wisconsin-Parkside became one of twelve institutions nationwide to be accepted into the Foundations of Excellence in the First College Year Project as a founding institution.

• The Passport to Parkside is a web-based interface that connects with prospective students to provide them with valuable information about topics such as financial aid, housing, course selection, and setting up e-mail. This initiative is intended to provide students with critical information prior to their arrival at UW-Parkside.