Charles W. Sorensen became
UW-Stout’s sixth leader in 1988.
A native of Moline, Illinois,
Sorensen received a baccalaureate
degree in history and political
science from Augustana College
in Rock Island, Illinois, and an
M.S. degree in history from
Illinois State University. He
holds a Ph.D. degree in American
history from Michigan State
University and attended the
Harvard University Institute
for Educational Management.
UW-Stout:
Wisconsin’s Polytechnic University
By Chancellor Charles W. Sorensen
“For the Promotion of Learning, Industry, Skill
and Honor,” a Works Progress Administration
mural in historic Harvey Hall.
A mural by artist Cal Peters welcomes the public into Harvey Hall on the campus of University of Wisconsin-Stout. The mural, a product of the Works Progress Administration in
1936, depicts young men and women who came to the campus in downtown Menomonie
to study the industrial and scientific arts. Around a central figure are arranged the products of industry and science. The inscription below the mural reads: “For the Promotion of
Learning, Industry, Skill and Honor.”
The ideals behind that inscription are the foundation of the special mission of UWStout, which the UW Board of Regents granted in 1974. The special mission says:
University of Wisconsin-Stout, as a special mission institution, serves a unique role in the University of Wisconsin System. UW-Stout is characterized by a distinctive array of programs leading
to professional careers focused on the needs of society. These programs are presented through an
approach to learning which involves combining theory, practice and experimentation. Extending
this special mission into the future requires that instruction, research and public service programs be
adapted and modified as the needs of society change.
Founded in 1891, the university has remained focused on this unique mission within
the UW System to provide applied educational offerings that lead to careers addressing the
needs of employers and society.
Meeting students’ needs in the 21st century, however, has forced the entire UW-Stout
community to consider how best to position the university for decades to come. This narrative will make the case for designating UW-Stout as Wisconsin’s polytechnic university.
With the recommendation of UW System administration and the consent of the Board
of Regents, UW-Stout would use this distinction to build upon its past and create a bright
future for its students — and the state of Wisconsin.
It is important to note what this paper is not proposing. There is no request for a name
change. This is the University of Wisconsin-Stout, and the campus is justifiably proud of all
that name implies.
What is being requested is an individual designation as “Wisconsin’s Polytechnic.”
After three years of debate and study, the designation has been endorsed by the administration and the senates representing the faculty and academic staff.
This is how we see the concept of a polytechnic as it applies on our campus: UWStout is a comprehensive, career-focused polytechnic university where students, faculty and
staff use applied learning, scientific theory and research to solve real-world problems, grow
the state’s economy and serve society.
UW-Stout already is a polytechnic university, and should be widely known as such,
because it:
Features an array of academic programs in the arts and humanities; education; social, natural and human sciences; math; computer science; engineering and related
technologies; and management. The university has particular strengths in the areas
of science, technology and engineering.
†
UW-Stout embraces a “hands-on, minds-on”
educational philosophy.
Embraces a “hands-on, minds-on” educational philosophy that blends theory and
practice in the classroom and encourages cooperation with business and industry on
“real-world” projects that enrich the educational experience for students.
Applies technology in all university functions, using technology as a teaching tool
and providing technology assistance for faculty, staff and students. This “digital
campus” is dedicated to technology-renewal programs to remain state-of-the-art.
†
Promotes technology transfer programs, business incubators, research centers and a
technology park — all to help students and foster a close relationship between the
university and Wisconsin business and industry.
†
Works closely with the Wisconsin technical colleges and other universities to create seamless credit transfers, initiate new programs — such as the current NanoRite
initiative and the proposed NanoSTEM effort — and provide outreach programs
for those who are place-bound and need further education.
†
This position paper will elaborate on three areas: a short history of the polytechnic
institution and how that applies to UW-Stout; the self-analysis that led to campus approval
of the effort to become a polytechnic institution; and, most importantly, what the designation would mean for the university.
We believe that by the end of the paper, one thing will be clear: UW-Stout is Wisconsin’s polytechnic university, and the Board of Regents should grant that designation as soon
as possible.
UW-Stout, polytechnic universities share a history
The first Stout Manual Training School class.
The polytechnic movement began in France in the late 18th century, with a focus on using
science and technology to solve real-world problems. That concept was carried to this
country in the 19th century. The Morrill Acts of 1862 and 1890 embodied that philosophy by establishing federal support for colleges “to teach such branches of learning as are
related to agriculture and the mechanic arts ... in order to promote the liberal and practical
education of the industrial classes in the several pursuits and professions in life.”
This federal legislation opened the door to higher education, and thousands entered
the newly created land grant colleges. The educational programs they provided for men
and women became a powerful force for economic development in the post-Civil War era.
By the turn of the century, some schools were adopting the polytechnic name. The mission
remained clear: to address real-world problems and economic development needs by applying scientific and technological innovation to stimulate the growth of business and industry.
Within this environment, James Huff Stout established in 1891 the institution that
would become UW-Stout. Stout’s influences came from the manual training movement,
which can be traced to the 1860s in Russia, Germany and Scandinavia. That movement
was introduced to this country at the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia in 1876. Stout
observed it in St. Louis at the nation’s first manual training high school, where he sponsored
the education of a friend’s three sons. Like polytechnic education, manual training sought
to prepare students for “the actual duties of life, in a more direct and positive manner than is
done in the ordinary American school.”
In establishing his own manual training school in 1891, Stout’s innovation was to
integrate manual training into a public school curriculum from kindergarten through high
school. Additionally, he expanded the curriculum beyond traditional manual training disciplines to incorporate domestic science work for girls, and later to include art and physical
education for all students. Stout contended that “the best education equips a young person
for practical life work; fits them to earn a living and contribute to the demands of society;
and gives them the greatest usefulness and encourages the highest and best citizenship.”
UW-Stout founder James Huff Stout
The impact of this curriculum was immediate, and local school enrollment climbed
steeply. By the early 1900s, leading national educators were beating a path to Menomonie
to investigate the Stout Manual Training Schools. Two award-winning exhibits at the 1904
World’s Fair in St. Louis, and a lengthy glowing review in a national magazine, brought
international attention to the school.
As manual training gained acceptance nationwide, public demand grew for teachers
trained in the new methods. Renamed the Stout Institute, the school shifted its focus to
teacher training, where it was to excel for the next half-century. Graduate-level work was
added in 1935. By the mid-1960s, the institute had achieved university status and began expanding its offerings to prepare graduates for professional careers in industry, technology,
home economics, applied art and human services. More recently, manufacturing engineering was added in 1994, and the early years of the 21st century have seen the emergence of
applied sciences such as biotechnology, nanoscience and bioinformatics.
Most of the basic concepts of the original Stout schools remain. Today’s university
is housed in multimillion-dollar facilities, and the enrollment and faculty have increased
beyond Stout’s dreams. The university has been an innovator in applying technology to
education and in recent years developed a campuswide “digital environment” where all undergraduate students receive a laptop computer. It is fitting that this UW institution retains
the name of Stout — and will after receiving the polytechnic designation — because in
many ways the institution is an extension of the man and his vision and continues to graduate students who live, think and work actively and creatively.
Self-analysis preceded polytechnic designation
The Polytechnic Concept Steering Committee
determined that UW-Stout shared enough
characteristics with other polytechnic
institutions.
In December 2005, the chancellor established the Polytechnic Concept Steering Committee to determine whether the characteristics of UW-Stout compared favorably to those of
polytechnic institutions in the United States. The committee of 13 members had representatives from each school and college, student services, the Stout Student Association, the
Faculty Senate and the Senate of Academic Staff. Associate Professor Forrest Schultz, of
the College of Arts and Sciences, chaired the committee.
The committee gathered information on schools nationwide that had a polytechnic,
technology, institute of technology or technological designation. Committee members
reviewed and analyzed the information, especially as it related to several attributes: the
size of the institutions, their educational philosophies, the distribution of programs, the
distribution of students among the programs, and their relationships to the private sector,
K-12 school districts, federal agencies, technology parks and incubation centers. Committee members also contacted administrative personnel at various universities. This included a
meeting with Cal Poly San Luis Obispo representatives in March 2006. An initial list of 67
institutions was pared down to 35 universities, and finally to seven.
A number of trends were noted among the polytechnic universities across the country.
For example, they emphasized science, technology, engineering and mathematics programs. In particular, polytechnic institutions showed higher enrollments in engineering,
business and marketing, and information-sciences programs.
The polytechnic universities also were shown to emphasize undergraduate education
that included hands-on, experiential learning within the undergraduate curriculum. Interactions between the polytechnic universities and industry appeared to be quite strong.
The steering committee then determined that UW-Stout shared enough characteristics
with existing polytechnic universities. In particular, UW-Stout’s philosophy of “hands-on,
minds-on” learning closely resembles the mission statements of polytechnic schools and
their emphasis on lab courses and experiential learning across degree programs. UW-Stout
also has strong ties with business and industry, and its engineering, business, science and
technology programs are strong.
The steering committee compiled a final report in April 2006. Members of the campus
committee were invited to listening sessions to discuss the findings.
UW-Stout administrators, at a retreat in spring 2006, discussed what it would mean
strategically for UW-Stout to be designated a polytechnic university, curriculum changes
that could be needed and how to market the concept.
On April 11, 2006, the Senate of Academic Staff passed a resolution by unanimous
vote to support the polytechnic branding of UW-Stout. Then on May 9, 2006, the Faculty
Senate approved a motion to support the chancellor in his bid for a polytechnic designation.
What will the polytechnic designation mean?
UW-Stout programs are focused
on the needs of society.
UW-Stout is a special mission institution within the UW System. This unique role is
characterized by a distinctive array of programs leading to professional careers focused on
the needs of society. These programs are presented through an approach to learning that
combines theory, practice and experimentation.
Applying this special mission in the future will require that instruction, research and
public service programs be adapted and modified as the needs of society change. What also
must be adapted is how the public perceives UW-Stout — and how UW-Stout officials
determine program offerings and make other decisions in the new millennium. Even
though UW-Stout’s name won’t change, the university will use the designation to guide its
evolution. That is why the designation as a polytechnic institution is crucial to the future
of the university, representing a seminal moment in its history and allowing UW-Stout to
evolve in ways that will enhance its value to stakeholders.
The impact of the designation will be significant, and the resulting benefits fit into five
areas: strengthening the educational opportunities of our students; enhancing UW-Stout’s
branding and marketing strategies; broadening and improving UW-Stout’s already strong
partnerships with business and industry; solidifying relationships with other universities
in Wisconsin and those in the Wisconsin Technical College System; and enhancing the
university’s ability to attract outside funding.
Strengthening the educational opportunities of our students: This designation will strengthen and reaffirm the “hands-on, minds-on” philosophy that is so much a part of UW-Stout. This applied learning philosophy, which dates back to the founding of the university, emphasizes
learning by doing in every career-focused program. This applied learning approach also is
central to our definition of a polytechnic university.
The designation will expand the pool of students recruited to campus. UW-Stout is
committed to remaining an accessible UW institution, but we also need to ensure that we
attract the top high school graduates in Wisconsin and that our student body is diverse.
This designation, and the resulting higher profile, is a major part of the university’s future
admission plans.
Finally, UW-Stout is a leader in the nation in using technology in instruction and in
all campus operations; all UW-Stout undergraduates are given a laptop computer to use for
their classroom and other activities. This designation would further the growth and development of Stout’s digital-learning environment.
UW-Stout is a leader in the nation
in using technology in instruction
and in all campus operations.
Enhancing UW-Stout’s branding and marketing strategies: This designation will elevate the visibility
of UW-Stout outside of the Chippewa Valley. While well-known as a regional campus,
UW-Stout enjoys a national reputation for a variety of programs, including dietetics, vocational rehabilitation and hospitality. The polytechnic designation would increase interest
in the institution and bring regional and national interest to a greater array of programs. A
designation of UW-Stout as Wisconsin’s polytechnic university — joining a group of about
100 in the country — would help the university focus its branding/marketing and fundraising efforts, eventually leading to a stronger university.
This effort is intended to give the public a positive and lasting impression of everything that comprises today’s UW-Stout. This unique brand, at least for Wisconsin, simply is
a promise of what UW-Stout faculty and staff will deliver once a student steps foot on campus or signs up for an online course. Using that brand in an integrated marketing campaign
will help UW-Stout build public awareness of its strengths and will address any misconceptions.
For several decades, UW-Stout was able to distinguish itself by pointing to its handson, minds-on approach that brings a strong applied-learning component to all of its
classroom and other learning activities. That advantage has eroded in recent years as more
colleges and universities have adopted UW-Stout’s applied-learning methods. Therefore,
we need to find another way to stand out among competing universities.
Broadening our partnerships with business and industry: UW-Stout already is a leader in forging
relationships between the university and business and industry to spur economic development in the Chippewa Valley and across the state. UW-Stout is home to the Northwest
Wisconsin Manufacturing Outreach Center, which is a direct partnership between UWStout and five technical colleges that works with small- and medium-sized businesses to
modernize their operations. It also has nationally known technology transfer initiatives.
UW-Stout works with business and industry statewide to send students on internship and
co-op opportunities, benefiting both the students and business and industry. UW-Stout
administrators have met with many business leaders, and they whole-heartedly support this
polytechnic effort. An advisory committee of business executives and other leaders will
guide UW-Stout’s transition to a polytechnic university.
Solidifying relationships with other universities in Wisconsin and those in the Wisconsin Technical College System:
This bond already is strong; it has led to a number of initiatives, including NanoSTEM and
NanoRite, for example, which involve intense cooperation among UW-Stout, UW-Eau
Claire and Chippewa Valley Technical College. UW-Stout would use its polytechnic designation to ensure that it is a full partner in future ventures with other academic institutions.
Enhancing the university’s ability to attract outside funding: This designation could be used to bolster
the ability to raise money from alumni, foundations and corporate donors because of the
recognition that the designation would bring and the opportunities it would afford for an
aggressive new advertising campaign. This marketing campaign would be aimed at potential new donors. UW-Stout already has attracted significant research dollars, both for
applied research and pure research, but the polytechnic designation would highlight our
research activities.
UW-Stout enjoys a national reputation
for a variety of programs, including
dietetics, vocational rehabilitation
and hospitality.
The polytechnic designation also would have benefits for the rest of the UW System
and the state as a whole. A stronger UW-Stout means a stronger UW System. A stronger
UW-Stout means that this university will play an even larger role in stimulating the state’s
economy.
UW System President Kevin Reilly, in February 2006, laid out an ambitious Growth
Agenda for all UW institutions, saying: “I believe we are at a defining moment in the
evolution of the UW.” UW-Stout has taken that philosophy to heart; this also is a defining
moment for our campus. We understand that, in order to meet the challenges of an everchanging workforce, UW-Stout must evolve. After years of consideration, we have decided
that becoming designated as Wisconsin’s polytechnic university is the best way for us to
forge that new future for ourselves.
The university has started to prepare itself for the day that it will receive the polytechnic designation. Officials recently adopted a new set of peer institutions by which its
performance will be judged (Appendix 1). This action, endorsed by the Chancellor’s Advisory
Council on Oct. 2, 2006, is evidence of how seriously the administration, faculty and staff
at UW-Stout take this issue. UW-Stout is telling the public: These are the institutions that
we want to be compared with, measured against and compete with for students.
UW-Stout’s founder, James Huff Stout, said this 115 years ago: “The best education
equips a young person for practical life work; fits them to earn a living and contribute to the
demands of society; and gives them the greatest usefulness and encourages the highest and
best citizenship.”
With this designation, UW-Stout, Wisconsin’s polytechnic university, will take a timehonored philosophy from our past and move it forward into the new millennium. That was
our mission then — and that is our mission now.
Appendix 1: New peer institutions
Arizona State University Polytechnic
†
California Institute of Technology
†
California Polytechnic State University – Pomona
†
California Polytechnic State University – San Luis Obispo
†
Ferris State University
†
Illinois Institute of Technology
†
Indiana Institute of Technology
†
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (aspirational peer)
†
University of WIsconsin-Stout.
Michigan Technological University
†
New England Institute of Technology
†
New Jersey Institute of Technology
†
New York Institute of Technology – Old Westbury
†
New York Institute of Technology – Manhattan
†
Polytechnic University
†
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (aspirational peer)
†
Rochester Institute of Technology
†
Southern Polytechnic State University
†
Stevens Institute of Technology
†
SUNY Institute of Technology at Utica – Rome
†
Wentworth Institute of Technology
†
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
†
Acknowledgements
This paper was written and edited by the UW-Stout Office of University Communications, with the assistance of many other
UW-Stout faculty, staff and administrators. These include Chancellor Charles W. Sorensen; Faculty Senate President Forrest
Schultz; Senate of Academic Staff President Dennis Shaw; Assistant Chancellor for University Development and Alumni
Services Robert Heuermann; College of Technology, Engineering and Management Dean Bob Meyer; and College of Arts and
Sciences Assistant Dean Ray Hayes.
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