MADISON, Wis.—University of Wisconsin System President Ray Cross and Regent President Andrew S. Petersen joined UW-Whitewater Chancellor Dwight Watson at UW-Whitewater today for the eighth stop of UW System’s All In Wisconsin tour to highlight the findings of UW-Whitewater’s new Economic Impact Report. The tour stop coincides with a UW System Board of Regents meeting hosted by UW-Whitewater.
“As a public university, it is our responsibility to improve the human condition,” said President Cross. “To succeed, we have to be engaged in the planning processes and better understand the priorities and needs of local business. And they need to be engaged in ours. That’s what this All in Wisconsin tour is all about.”
The UW System and institution leaders began the day at an All In Wisconsin breakfast with community and business leaders to discuss partnerships with the UW System that benefit southern Wisconsin.
“Back in June, when I assumed this role, I said I would be a tenacious advocate for the University of Wisconsin System and our individual campuses,” said Regent President Petersen. “I know the UW is Wisconsin’s economic driver and the absolute best investment our taxpayers can make. Today, I ask all of you to join us in becoming passionate advocates for the UW System and for UW-Whitewater.”
Following the breakfast, students from UW-Whitewater’s Fiscal and Economic Research Center (FERC) provided a brief presentation on the economic impact of UW-Whitewater.
The report showed UW-Whitewater injects $514.9 million into the regional economy, supporting 4,480 jobs and $198.7 million in wages and generating an estimated $23.1 million in tax revenue to the state of Wisconsin.
“Just as the UW System supports the state’s economy, UW-Whitewater enhances the economic capacity for our region in southeastern Wisconsin,” Chancellor Watson said. “All areas of our campus operations, from academics to athletics to the arts, contribute to this profound financial impact. We are also proud of the vibrant collaborations we have created with our business and community partners, and we look forward to creating even more lasting partnerships going forward.”
The most recent Economic Impact Report for the UW System showed that the System contributes $24 billion to the state’s economy each year, which is a 23-fold return on Wisconsin’s investment in the university.
The All In Wisconsin tour is intended to demonstrate how the UW System meets the needs of Wisconsin and to generate additional ideas about how the System can better serve regional partners.
The event at UW-Whitewater concludes the All In Wisconsin tour for 2019.
The University of Wisconsin System serves approximately 170,000 students. Awarding nearly 37,000 degrees annually, the UW System is Wisconsin’s talent pipeline, putting graduates in position to increase their earning power, contribute to their communities, and make Wisconsin a better place to live. More than 80 percent of in-state UW System graduates stay in Wisconsin five years after earning a degree. The UW System provides a 23:1 return on state investment. UW System institutions also contribute to the richness of Wisconsin’s culture and economy with groundbreaking research, new companies and patents, and boundless creative intellectual energy.