Our Moment of Opportunity

The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire enters its second century with a strong tradition and many points of pride. Our institution has consistently distinguished itself through innovative education, meaningful partnerships, and an unwavering commitment to student support. Since our founding, we have sought to provide our region and state with the teachers, nurses, community leaders and citizens that Wisconsin needs.

Thanks to exceptional faculty and staff, we strive to provide an inclusive campus community that challenges students to explore, connect and excel. Students who come to UW-Eau Claire find engaging academic and co-curricular experiences, strong financial support from the UW-Eau Claire Foundation, and world-class facilities, including the forthcoming Science and Health Sciences Building, Pablo Center, and Sonnentag Complex. Our committed instruction and robust research, immersion, and internship programs provide hands-on learning experiences that transform our graduates and set them apart.

Our Commitment to Ongoing Excellence

Despite these points of pride, the current moment demands decisive action if we are to continue to fulfill our vital mission. Our current trajectory, while stable, is not desirable nor sustainable. The higher education landscape has shifted dramatically, with intensifying competition for students among regional institutions. Changing demographics are reshaping and shrinking our traditional student population, while new demands for flexible, innovative modalities transform how we facilitate learning.

The convergence of our institutional strengths, compelling mission and current challenges creates a unique opportunity for transformation. If we are to persevere and meet our founding purpose to “foster in one another creativity, critical insight, empathy and intellectual courage,” we must build on our best qualities to identify innovative ways to attract additional students and retain them through meaningful learning and transformative experiences. Ongoing societal and employer needs, emerging student interests, and rapidly evolving shifts in technology require us to reimagine how we create academic programs that enable us to provide in new ways, as our mission states, “educational opportunities responsive to the needs of our communities, state, region, and beyond.”

We have the faculty and staff, facilities, and partnerships needed for success. We have limited one-time funds we can invest to jumpstart our initiatives. In the face of ongoing challenges we will channel our strengths, energy and creativity into bold, strategic action to secure our position as a leading institution of higher education in 2030 and beyond.