[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 308 Introduced in House (IH)]

114th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 308

Recognizing the importance of the Wisconsin Idea and the University of 
  Wisconsin System for the benefit they have brought and continue to 
   bring to the State of Wisconsin, the United States, and the world.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 10, 2015

    Mr. Kind (for himself, Mr. Pocan, and Ms. Moore) submitted the 
following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Education 
                           and the Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Recognizing the importance of the Wisconsin Idea and the University of 
  Wisconsin System for the benefit they have brought and continue to 
   bring to the State of Wisconsin, the United States, and the world.

Whereas the Wisconsin Idea defines the University system's contributions to the 
        State through assisting and advising State and local governments, 
        guiding in the development of public policy, offering information and 
        technological advancement, and researching issues affecting the people 
        of the State of Wisconsin, the United States, and the world;
Whereas the University of Wisconsin System echoes the Wisconsin Idea in their 
        mission statement, which ``is to develop human resources, to discover 
        and disseminate knowledge, to extend knowledge and its application 
        beyond the boundaries of its campuses, and to serve and stimulate 
        society by developing in students heightened intellectual, cultural, and 
        humane sensitivities, scientific, professional, and technological 
        expertise, and a sense of purpose. Inherent in this broad mission are 
        methods of instruction, research, extended training, and public service 
        to educate people and improve the human condition. Basic to every 
        purpose of the UW System is the search for truth'';
Whereas the Wisconsin Idea often is credited to former UW President Charles Van 
        Hise, who stated in a 1904 speech, ``I shall never be content until the 
        beneficent influence of the University reaches every home in the 
        state'';
Whereas former Wisconsin Governor Robert La Follette played a prominent role in 
        working with his former classmate President Van Hise to connect the 
        University System with the rest of the State;
Whereas former University President John Bascom instilled in both President Van 
        Hise and Governor La Follette his ``belief that the University's service 
        to the State was a moral obligation'';
Whereas the author Charles McCarthy formalized the Wisconsin Idea in 1912 in a 
        book by that title;
Whereas the Wisconsin Idea as referenced in a university publication later 
        described the Idea as being that ``the boundaries of the campus are the 
        boundaries of the state'';
Whereas the success of the Wisconsin Idea has been clear since its beginning as 
        President Theodore Roosevelt declared that, ``in no other state in the 
        union has any university done the same work for the community than has 
        been done in Wisconsin by the University of Wisconsin'';
Whereas prior to the formalization of the Wisconsin Idea, the two separate 
        University systems already extended their work outside of their campuses 
        through agricultural education and research, off-campus mechanics 
        training for factory workers, summer institutes for schoolteachers, and 
        summer sessions for professionals and non-traditional students;
Whereas shortly after the birth of the Wisconsin Idea, the University of 
        Wisconsin System created the extension division to expand the reach of 
        the system's educational opportunities and knowledge, specifically in 
        the area of health for children and adults;
Whereas since the Idea's inception, the University of Wisconsin System has 
        worked tirelessly to spread knowledge and educational resources in a 
        wide variety of disciplines from campuses to all parts of the State;
Whereas the University of Wisconsin System currently operates 13 four-year 
        universities and 13 freshman-sophomore college campuses throughout the 
        State, while also maintaining offices in all 72 counties, thus carrying 
        on the legacy of the Wisconsin Idea by delivering educational 
        opportunities and resources throughout the State;
Whereas the University of Wisconsin System currently enrolls about 180,000 
        students from all parts of the State, all walks of life, all 50 States, 
        and over 120 countries; and
Whereas students and faculty of the University of Wisconsin System continuously 
        work with the vision of the Wisconsin Idea in mind, as documented by the 
        system's Wisconsin Idea database: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives recognizes the 
significant contributions of the Wisconsin Idea and the University of 
Wisconsin System to the State of Wisconsin, the United States, and the 
world.
                                 <all>