Chancellor Brian Levin-Stankevich and UW-Eau Claire administrators fielded students’ questions about the proposed Blugold Commitment and the historic Council Oak tree at the first Chancellor’s Roundtable of the academic year Wednesday.
Levin-Stankevich said the raise in tuition associated with the Blugold Commitment could help to combat the rising student-faculty ratio, help students get better advising and make classes both smaller and more available.
Another goal of the proposal is to increase UW-Eau Claire’s four-year graduation rate.
Levin-Stankevich said that public funding in higher education has declined, requiring the university to get a hold of additional resources through programs like the Blugold Commitment.
Senior Tyler Schroeder, an education major, said he has some concerns about the university stressing four-year graduation.
He said he wondered if that emphasis would leave room for internships, study abroad and jobs. He said he was satisfied that the chancellor and other administrators addressed the issues he had.
Schroeder said he is excited to see the next steps of the Blugold Commitment. After attending his first Chancellor’s Roundtable, he said he is more comfortable with the proposal.
Schroeder is not without reservations, though. He said the Blugold Commitment will work if it’s done with the students’ best interests in mind, not the university’s prestige.
“I heard a lot about statistics and competition and ranking today, and that scares the hell out of me,” he said. “I really feel like, in that, the students are going to get lost.”
He said he was a little disappointed that not too many students beyond those required to be there were at the roundtable.
“This is something that affects every single student – every past student, every future student – so we really need to be involved in it from the beginning,” he said.
Schroeder is in his fifth year of college, and said he has no problem with that. He said he has loved the time he has spent at UW-Eau Claire.
Sophomore Kristi Basa, who serves on University Activities Commission’s Special Events Committee, said she is confident in the Blugold Commitment’s success. She said she wasn’t required to attend the roundtable, but was interested in learning more about the Blugold Commitment.
Asking students to pay more for tuition is a lot to ask, she said, when many students enroll at UW-Eau Claire because it’s a great school at an affordable price.
“As long as they’re trying to get more funds for scholarships and need-based aid, then I’m okay with it,” she said.
Both Student Body President Michael Umhoefer and Levin-Stankevich stressed that the planning process of the new student center has been a learning experience, especially with the controversy surrounding the Council Oak tree.
Levin-Stankevich said, despite asking for alternative design options to accommodate the Council Oak tree, he expects a presentation to the Board of Regents in December and the new student center’s eventual construction next summer to proceed on schedule.
Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and Dean of Students Beth Hellwig said she thinks the Council Oak has had a profound effect on the campus’ sense of identity, history and ties to the tree.
“I don’t think there will be a lot of students in future years who don’t know about the Council Oak,” Levin-Stankevich added.
Referencing the Blugold Commitment and the Council Oak, he said, “Both of these (issues) are about our seal. One’s about the tree and the other’s about excellence.”
The next Roundtable event will be held Tuesday, Nov. 17 at noon in the Tamarack Room of Davies Center. Topics for that meeting will be announced closer to the actual date.
