Student Involvement is Integral to Blugold Commitment

What makes Blugold Commitment unique is the input students have in how the differential tuition is spent. Students have been working with UW-Eau Claire administration from the beginning to make the Blugold Commitment stronger, by sharing governance in how Blugold Commitment resources are invested and in monitoring the programmatic outcomes. Student Senate developed and enacted the program bylaws in conjunction with Academic Affairs.

Continuous improvement is a critical element of the Blugold Commitment process. Each year a handful of proposals are scheduled for review to measure achievement of the project-specific objectives. All activities funded by Blugold Commitment are reviewed, each project has been assigned to be reviewed every five or three years; every five years for programs with continuous funding, or every three years for programs with multiple-year funding. UWEC staff with administrative oversight of the selected program or project prepare the report.

Reports highlight activities during the previous cycle, plans for the next cycle and if there are adjustments to the project and the rationale for change. Specifically, reports focus on ongoing assessment/program improvement and when applicable, expansion in service or number of students served. Each report includes a budget review section, but because BCDT funding is fully allocated, there is no option to request new or additional funding. 

By Nov. 1: Report format sent to managers.
By end of January: Report due.
Early February: Reports due to Academic Affairs.
Mid-February: Reports reviewed and discussed by Student Senate Academic Affairs Commission.
Late February: Three staff members from Academic Affairs and four representatives of Student Senate leadership meet to consult on each report and review overall planned spending for the coming year.
March: The recommended spending plan is then forwarded as a bill for approval by the Student Senate. The bill requires a simple affirmative majority vote. Once affirmed, the spending plan is then sent to the Chancellor for final approval.

To have a say in Blugold Commitment differential tuition, get involved directly by participating in student governance, or attend Student Senate meetings, which are open to the public.

The Blugold Commitment history of engaging students in their own education, discussing what we all want to achieve, and how we do that within an affordable financial framework is to ensure that students continue to achieve the best education and preparation for the future. At the very core, we all want to retain the interaction of faculty and students that inspires the magic that takes place with teaching and learning. While it’s true that students can select another university, how often do they get a chance to take part in envisioning and building the institution they really want?