On April 18 and 19, 2004, 41 leaders and practitioners from engaged institutions across the country assembled at the Wingspread Conference Center in Racine, Wisconsin. The conference was sponsored by UWM and the University of Cincinnati with support from the Johnson Foundation. The conference report, Calling the Question: Is Higher Education Ready to Commit to Community Engagement?, makes the case that engagement is higher education’s larger purpose:

UWM’s involvement in the conference is evidence that the University has met the Investment Plan’s goal of serving as a national model for engaged universities. And by the standards of the Kellogg Commission’s test of university engagement, UWM can certainly consider itself a highly engaged university:

As outlined earlier in this chapter, there are a multitude of advisory groups and scanning efforts that enable UWM’s faculty, staff, and students to listen to the ideas and concerns of members of the community.

Compared to the past, UWM is more likely to seek true partnerships as opposed to treating expertise as a one-way flow emanating from the University to the community. The Self-Study team felt that while we are improving, there is still work to be done in this area.

UWM’s many community programs are highlighted in local news media and on the UWM website. Membership in advisory councils provides a transmission route for information on UWM engagement to travel back to the community. In addition, the University’s attention to diversity issues has resulted in programs that reflect the needs of the whole metropolitan community.

While the Milwaukee Idea office is an example of a strong institutional commitment to coordinate engagement activities, coordination is less apparent for other engagement activities and should be an area for focused discussions, particularly as more interdisciplinary teams are formed across campus.