2030+ Think Tank Meeting Discusses UWM Enrollment Decline

Heads were scratching and the creative ideas were flowing for the 2030+ Think Tank group at its recent meeting in Chapman Hall. Each member gave input on how they should go about making the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee a successful institution. To gain knowledge on how to create a better campus, the committee started by looking at UWM’s faults.  

The goal of the 2030+ Think Tank group is to get input from faculty, students, staff, stakeholders and outside sources to help pinpoint issues that prevent UWM from success. This group is made up of several UWM faculty and staff from various departments. Distinguished Professor, Paul Roebber, suggested that one of UWM’s main issues is that it isn’t on student’s radar.  

“We need to change the impression of who we are to a destination campus,” said Roebber. 

Some of the bigger problems that UWM faces are enrollment and retention. The 2030+ Think Tank group was tasked to come up with solutions for these problems. The group was formed in early October and had its first meeting on October 23^rd.

According to retention and graduation trends from the Office of Assessment and Institutional Research, 11% of new freshman in 2017 didn’t enroll for the spring semester and 27% of new freshmen didn’t enroll for their 2^nd fall semester. According to the retention and graduation trends, the numbers have fluctuated very mildly between years. The percentages have stayed constant in showing the number of students that leave after the first or second semester.   

Roebber emphasized that, when students are choosing colleges to go to, they tend to choose destination campuses. A destination campus is a school where students say they want to go because the school has something to offer or they are naturally attracted to it, according to Roebber. He also pointed out that it’s crucial in convincing parents on letting their kids come to UWM and showing what Milwaukee has to offer for incoming students. Roebber also said during the meeting that it’s about “branding.” He believes that if UWM labels itself as a destination campus, it may get more traction. 

On the other hand, Margaret Noodin, an English and American Indian Studies professor and director of the Electa Quinney Institute, had a different take on UWM’s potential issues.

“It’s not the lack of money; it’s the lack of hope,” said Noodin. 

Noodin addressed that the reason why students leave or don’t see UWM as a place to stay is because the majority of the time a class didn’t go well. She felt that most students want to transfer to different schools after the first or second semester. She said that UWM needs to focus on helping students feel comfortable going to instructors for help. Not many students know how to get help at UWM, according to Noodin. She also addressed the fact that UWM needs to do a better job of socializing students. Noodin stated that socializing students may help students want to stay. 

Over recent years, UWM has been able to manage a lot of the issues presented in its general decline and has renewed its R1 status. Although UWM has been able to manage, the issues are continuous.

Retired CEO of Versiti Blood Center of Wisconsin, Jackie Frederick, was adamant about looking at outside sources to find the answers that they’re looking for.

“Critically, we don’t just look internally we should also look externally,” said Frederick.

Frederick felt that UWM should pay attention to the voice of the customer. It would benefit to look outside of the University and looking at outside sources that may have some input, according to Frederick. She wants for the group of faculty members to look into the adjacent industries and study what they are doing right. 

Soon after the committee began to talk about an immersion trip that will help collect data and help point the group in a direction. Each group member had picked one out of 11 universities listed for their immersion trip. The universities listed are a part of the University Innovation Alliance, which is dedicated to student success, increasing retention rates, and increasing graduation rates. Having each group member take a university will help the 2030+ Think Tank group identify their strategies and what makes them successful. 

Associate Vice Provost for Research and Professor, Kris O’Connor, who was facilitating the meeting, felt that the ideas they come up with may not bring structural change. The ideas may not be an operational road mad, but not all hope is lost.

“What you come up with might actually lead somewhere,” said O’Connor.