Educational Innovation: An invitation to participate

Here is a memo from Interim Chancellor David Ward that was distributed to all faculty and staff on Friday, Jan. 27:

Entering this new semester provides an opportunity for us to reflect upon, and ultimately address, one of the most difficult challenges in the history of UW–Madison. Put simply, the resources available to us to provide a quality education are no longer adequate. This fiscal predicament is not a new phenomenon; indeed, it has been a troubling trend during the past 30 years. But we are now at a critical point, as our creative adaptations are no longer adequate to address our shortfalls.

Nearly every public university across the country faces this same financial dilemma.

The traditional public higher-education funding model — combining tuition and ongoing state support — is no longer adequate, and, despite our best efforts, it is unlikely to change in the short run. Among friends and critics, and across the full range of the political spectrum, there are serious reservations about the future viability of our current practices and capacities. Our ability to continue providing quality education and research requires us to rethink our academic programs. We need to consider ways in which we can examine, adjust and transform how we organize and deliver these programs.

At the same time, we need to explore and develop new sources of revenue. It is also a critical moment for us explore more strategically the full potentialities of instructional technology. I am sure we will become aware of similar efforts among our peer institutions, and the degree to which we embrace these challenges will define our competitive edge during the next decade.

I will be interim chancellor for two years, and the issues that I am raising could be deferred until my successor is chosen. However, I do not see any rapid changes in our financial situation. I am convinced that many peer institutions in other states are beginning to address similar situations, and we need to act boldly to maintain our edge. While we may debate alternative responses, one response that will not serve us well is to do nothing.

As a campus, we have demonstrated the ability to find resources and mechanisms to produce quality research and to solve complex social and technical problems. We have never shied away from this challenge in our research endeavors, and we must now focus our creativity and collaborative spirit in continuing to deliver an exceptional education. Some extraordinary efforts are already under way, but — as in most other research institutions — educational innovations tend to be
isolated within specific programs or among committed individuals. I hope we can celebrate, share and expand upon many existing innovations.

While in the past innovation has been funded by new funds, if we are to change ourselves in the next five to ten years, we must make strategic reallocations of existing resources. In addition, supporting appropriate levels of competitive compensation will require very creative reallocations of new and current revenues.

Many of you have heard me talk about the fiscal problems of higher education, but that dialogue must also include serious consideration of self-sustaining solutions. Through the Administrative Excellence Project, we are seeking alternative ways to provide administrative and technical services. Our own regulatory procedures that delay or discourage innovation require careful review, but most critically, we need to address the capacities and effectiveness of our curricula.

To facilitate this dialogue, to stimulate experimentation, and to imagine and implement radical changes in programs and curricula, credit structures, time to degree, online programs and academic policies, I hope that you will participate in a venture succinctly described as Educational Innovation (EI). It is described below:

EI is a campuswide, coordinated effort to create a sustained campus environment that maintains and enhances student learning while increasing capacities and generating new revenue. EI is not an effort that we will engage in for a few years, and then move on. We need to chart a new course for the campus, and we are committed to examining policies, practices and funding models that will allow us to remain competitive for our next 164 years.

EI is intended to be campuswide — within and across programs, departments, colleges and centers — and will be supported by new and streamlined policies and practices. EI cannot, and should not, be an initiative primarily funded centrally, as new funding must be derived from reallocations or new program revenues. New revenues and savings derived from innovations will flow back to the units creating them. Overall, these changes may encourage and leverage significant external support, and changes of this kind may be the only strategy to argue for future increments in state support and more flexible need-based tuition policies.

EI is grounded firmly in the academic values that guide UW–Madison’s research and curricula. It must engage our traditions of shared governance and our long commitment to tackle difficult intellectual and social issues that face the world.

I am asking you to initiate conversations about how your department, unit, school, college or division can help chart the future of UW–Madison. Generate ideas and develop plans that confront the fiscal limits that we are facing. I am delighted to hear that our Go Big Read initiative, a campus and community program to read and discuss an influential book, has chosen “innovation” has its theme for 2012-13.

We are committed to providing guidance and support as you seek innovations that streamline and modify current practices, policies and funding models that will benefit both your unit and our university. In addition to engaging your colleagues, please call upon the resources of the Office of the Provost, where a team including Aaron Brower, Jeff Russell and Maury Cotter will coordinate this effort. They can be reached by email at comments@edinnovation.wisc.edu.

Several incubator sessions will be held during spring semester, and we will share details about them soon.

I know that you will offer creative and inspiring ideas to move our university forward.

Thank you.

Interim Chancellor David Ward