I am so pleased you
have chosen to be part of the wonderful University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point
community.
To give you a
snapshot of the student body this year, our enrollment management team pulled
some preliminary figures I think you may find interesting.
As of the last day
of August, 9595 students had enrolled at UW-Stevens Point for the fall semester.
Approximately 1600 are first-year students and 765 transferred from other
institutions. While 90 percent of our students hail from Wisconsin, our student
body also has representatives from 35 of the 50 states in the United States of
America. Ten percent of our students are domestic or international persons of
color.
Considering we are
located in Central Wisconsin, you may be surprised by the international feel of
our university. This year, 165 students from 31 countries around the globe are
attending UW-Stevens Point. The top five countries represented are China, South
Korea, Japan, Saudi Arabia and Thailand.
Undergraduates are
by far the largest group, representing 95 percent of enrolled students. The
additional five percent are graduate students (two percent) and continuing
education students (three percent). More than 90 percent are attending school
full time.
There are some
physical changes to campus since last semester. For the first time in 15 years,
Reserve Street, the major north/south corridor of campus, is open for two-way
traffic. Please be sure to look both ways when entering from side streets!
At their August
meeting, the Board of Regents backed a major investment in our campus—our new
$75 million Science Building. While the
funding request still awaits building commission and legislative approval, I am
very optimistic we will see the completion of the state-of-the-art learning
space in 2016.
Be sure to check
out the new Athletics logo. The purple and gold pointer provides a singular,
dynamic, modern look for our athletics equipment apparel and products. One of the
most dramatic depictions of the new logo is on the floor of the Quandt
Fieldhouse, home of Pointer’s men’s basketball. Our much beloved mascot, Stevie
Pointer, will continue to entertain fans at games and represent the university at
community events.
The iconic
structure on campus is the cupola, the
architectural pinnacle of the university’s first building, Old Main, and the
symbol of the institution. The cupola represents UW-Stevens Point’s history and
future as a guiding light to students, alumni, friends and our community. This
summer we installed energy efficient lighting for the cupola, which may now be
bathed in purple and gold light for very special occasions. I had a little fun flipping
the switch during this summer’s Founder’s Day event. Look for the video of my
adventure on the university’s YouTube channel -www.youtube.com/user/UWStevensPoint.
Each and every day,
the faculty and staff of your university strive to provide you with the best
possible education for a fair and reasonable price. We care deeply about
student success. However, how much value you get from your education depends a
great deal on the choices you make.
In addition to
attending classes and completing assignments, I hope you will engage with the
Student Government Association or another of the nearly 200 student
organizations at UW-Stevens Point. You may choose to participate in Pointer
Athletics or intramurals, attend arts events, visit the planetarium, volunteer
in the community, walk or ride a bicycle through Schmeeckle Reserve, travel
abroad or participate in any of the multitude of opportunities at your
fingertips.
You will often see
me at university events and walking across campus. Please say hello. I want to
know you, to hear about your challenges and triumphs, to listen to your hopes
and dreams. My office is on the second floor of Old Main and I maintain an open
door policy.
Enjoy the beginning
of the New Year!
Bernie L. Patterson
Chancellor