UW System President Ray Cross visits UW La Crosse as apart of statewide tour

LA CROSSE, Wis. (WKBT) — The UW system is working with a $53 million increase, which is less than the $150 million proposed by Governor Evers.

While the UW system is happy with that budget, the campus tour hopes to show that the system schools are even more valuable.

UW System President Ray Cross, along with members from the board of regents, toured a program at UW La Crosse teaching high schoolers about exploring careers in the medical field.

“I think we need to do a far greater job to showcase how impactful our campuses are,” said Board of Regents President Andrew Peterson.

Their visit is part of the All In Wisconsin Tour, where some decision makers for the UW system see several schools to showcase what they do for students and those in the area.

The tour also made its way to Logan High School, where regents got a chance to hear how to improve the application process from students in the system who worked with the La Crosse Promise.

“I hear their obstacles and I hear their achievements and I think to myself ‘I want you to articulate this, this is great stuff. People want to support you,’ said Matt Gordy, Future Center Advisor for the La Crosse Promise.

By hearing how they can improve, as well as seeing what schools are doing well, the UW system hopes to show how valuable it is to the state.

“We compete with corrections, Medicaid, transportation, and in my mind higher education generally, and the UW system specifically, is the best investment that our taxpayers and our legislature can make,” added Peterson.

They also want to show strengths to potential students, as attendance has fallen across the board at system schools.

“One of the challenges facing the state is the ability to attract, retain, and develop talent,” said Cross.

But they hope the value will be seen by students, and by the state.

“That’s my view, and that’s why we’re here today to showcase all the tremendous assets on campus,” said Peterson.

The next stop on the tour is UW-Superior on October 11th.

Get your weather forecast from people that actually live in your community. We update with short, easy-to-use video forecasts you can watch on your phone every day. Download the iOS or Android app here.

COPYRIGHT 2023 BY NEWS 8000. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT BE PUBLISHED, BROADCAST, REWRITTEN OR REDISTRIBUTED.