Contact: Rep. Katrina Shankland
Office: (608) 267-9649
STEVENS POINT- Today, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point leadership announced that the university is no longer considering eliminating any academic programs. Some programs will be regrouped under new departments, and several new degrees are already either approved or proposed.
UW-Stevens Point first announced that there would be a reorganization of campus academic programs under the “Point Forward” proposal in March of 2018, at which time thirteen liberal arts majors on campus were slated for elimination as the result of the university’s massive budget shortfall.
In response, Rep. Katrina Shankland (D- Stevens Point) said:
“For over a year, students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community members have expressed thoughtful concerns and scrutiny in response to the administration’s Point Forward proposals. While I believe they should have been brought into the discussion prior to the proposal garnering national attention, I’m pleased that their poignant feedback was heard. Their voices are and should always be the guide post for decisionmaking on campus.
“I especially appreciate the students, staff, and faculty who spent long hours on more than a half dozen committees to review the proposals and offer alternatives. Their dedication to preserving the mission of the university – the Wisconsin Idea – is eminent.
“Now we must move forward. The budget deficit is real and our three UWSP campuses face significant challenges, so we need all hands on deck to support and strengthen UW-Stevens Point.
“We all must vociferously advocate for fair funding for the UW System in this budget and beyond, starting with Governor Evers’ proposal to invest $150 million in new funding above the base budget. We also must recommit to shared governance and be unafraid to search for solutions in the most obvious of places. I encourage UW System and UWSP leadership to conduct listening sessions and brainstorming sessions with students, staff, and faculty about what’s next for UWSP, and I look forward to working with everyone as we turn the page on Point Forward.”
