Dear Friends,
As some of you may know, the University of Wisconsin Board of Regents recently named Dr. Biddy (Carolyn A.) Martin, provost of Cornell University, as the next chancellor of our campus.
We are delighted. Both Dr. Martin’s background and vision indicate that she understands how important it is for this great research university to sustain its global stature and to prepare globally competent citizens and leaders to whom we will entrust the fate of our planet.
A UW-Madison alum, Dr. Martin earned her PhD in German literature here in 1984. She sees a bright future for the campus, and recognizes the role a global public research university can play in addressing global challenges and improving the quality of life for all residents of Wisconsin.
“Despite all of the problems and challenges, there is an emerging knowledge economy across the globe,” says Dr. Martin. “Higher education has never been more important. The numbers make it apparent how absolutely critical UW-Madison is to the economic well-being of the state of Wisconsin.”
Her timing could not be better. This year select faculty and staff have worked hard to come up with a strategic plan for UW-Madison as it moves forward. They established “Creating Global Citizens” and “Shaping the Global Agenda” as two clear goals for our future. In rethinking the role of the public research university, the self-study team recommended a new place for Wisconsin in the world:
The responsibility of the UW-Madison in the twenty-first century to benefit both the people of Wisconsin and the global community represents a powerful opportunity to leverage alignments of local and global work. We envision an implementation of the Wisconsin Idea in which the state of Wisconsin becomes our laboratory for the world, and in which the world is our laboratory for Wisconsin. The research and education achievements of the UW-Madison on behalf of and in concert with the people of Wisconsin will be internationally recognized and respected.
We look forward to working with Chancellor Martin in ever improving UW-Madison’s reach and service to communities in Wisconsin, the nation, and around world.
Cordialement,
Gilles Bousquet