COPLAC Summer Institute on Economics June 3-5 University of North Carolina Asheville, NC Jerry Hembd and Bruce Kibler University of Wisconsin-Superior

The UW System The University of Wisconsin System is one of the largest systems of public higher education in the country, serving more than 178,000 students each year and employing more than 32,000 faculty and staff statewide. The UW System is made up of: 13 four-year universities 13 freshman-sophomore UW Colleges campuses statewide UW-Extension

The UWS Mission "The University of Wisconsin-Superior fosters intellectual growth and career preparation within a liberal arts tradition that emphasizes individual attention and embodies respect for diverse cultures and multiple voices."

UWS and the Liberal Arts Initiative Components of this initiative fall into five broad categories: – Academic Service Learning – First Year Experience – Global Awareness – Senior Experience – Writing Across the Curriculum with Supportive Writing Center

Academic Service Learning Habitat for Humanity and Principles of Management Community Service Project Management Organizational Behavior Team building Leadership Company structures Interdisciplinary aspects Similarities between ‘for profit’ and ‘not for profit’

First Year Experience Currently UWS is in the process of evaluating the last few years statistics on FYE towards a permanent implementation for all freshman and incoming transfer students.

Global Awareness Interdisciplinary Global Studies minor first became available to students in the spring of 2009 Eight of twelve academic departments – seventeen distinct disciplinary areas Housed in the Department of Social Inquiry – overseen by an interdisciplinary committee Enrolled 12 students within the first semester New Global Economic Development position recently filled – will begin in Fall 2010 New learning abroad program – Emerging India – will be launched during academic year during recently reinstated J-term

Senior Year Experience The Senior Experience initiative requires all graduating seniors to participate in a senior experience activity, completed within the context of the major. The activity must involve original/creative work and be shared publicly with the broader campus community. As of Spring 2009 all major programs had approved Senior Year Experience activities. For the first time, all graduating seniors participated in their major’s approved Senior Year Experience activity. The Business and Economics Department has four such SYE’s: Strategy, Forecasting, Transportation & Logistics and Finance: – Strategy: simulation exercise with a cooperating university and an analytical exercise with an assigned company – both holistic, from standard strategy to sustainability

Writing Across the Curriculum The WAC Implementation Plan adopted in 2006: Expansion of the existing University Writing Center with a full time WAC Coordinator and on-line consultation via a chat format and integration of the University’s ESL instructors and students. Creation of a standing Writing Across the Curriculum Committee to advise the WAC Coordinator. The Writing Center saw a two-fold increase in student visits from the Fall 2008 to Fall 2009 semesters (statistics through November 18). The business and economics curriculum requires numerous written assignments: International Management cooperation with Political Science – Political Economy

Sustainable Management Program This collaborative degree program between four UW campuses and UW-Extension was launched in Fall 2009 after a one-year curriculum development and approval process. Part of the Adult Student Initiative Degree completion curriculum of 21 courses Online instruction “Greening” of existing courses except Systems Thinking Taught by faculty from four campuses First semester saw 166 enrollments – twice the expectation Adding certificate programs