The University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh is one of the largest employers in Oshkosh and has an economic contribution to the local economy of $470 million. With the knowledge of the importance of the University to the fabric and economy of Oshkosh, here are some more important facts:

Employees of the university contribute 24% of that $470 million.

The University is responsible for creating more than 9,000 jobs in Wisconsin and generates $37 million in state and local tax revenue.

State funding for the University decreased 13.5% from 2003 to 2006 while tuition has increased 59.5% over the same period.

The Hottest Ticket In Town

The University also is a major player in the cultural and sports life of Oshkosh. The academic fine and performing arts are incredible.

The Theater Department's four productions a year, plus the student one-act plays are a can't miss evening. Make sure you sign up to receive their full season brochure.

The Art Department's work can be seen in The Priebe Gallery and the Annex, plus in quite a few locations throughout Oshkosh.

So many concerts, so little time. With the exception of summer and January, very few nights pass by with out a performance from the Department of Music, including anytime you have a wi-fi connection through their samples of one of the seven UW-Oshkosh Music Ensembles on the department's homepage. The Department Faculty give performances throughout the year and are a luxury we too often take for granted.

In the Department of Communication lives Radio-TV-Film where much of the great Oshkosh radio and television originate. You can even stream WRST.

Not to forget another great cultural titan, The Advanced Titan.

And now for something completely different, nudge, nudge, wink, wink: an out of this world evening.

UW-Oshkosh Notables

UW Oshkosh sponsors the largest annual Earth Charter community summit in the world. The Earth Charter promotes ecological integrity, social and economic justice, and democracy, nonviolence and peace.

UW Oshkosh has received the Governor's Top Special Minority Business Award for the past three years.

UW Oshkosh was awarded the esteemed Campus Ecology Recognition by the National Wildlife Federation.

UW Oshkosh has won more Regents' Teaching Excellence Awards than any other UW institution. Four individual faculty members and the English, Biology, and Chemistry departments have been awarded this recognition.

Senior business majors at UW Oshkosh taking the ETS business knowledge assessment test ranked in the top 5 percent nationwide.

UW Oshkosh students who took the CPA exam placed the university in the top 10 schools nationally.

UW Oshkosh is alma mater to Peter Wick ('05), who was one of ten nationally to receive the Elijah J. Watts Award for Individuals earning the Highest cumulative scores on the four sections of the Uniform CPA Examination-more than 44,500 took the exam.

Productions and scripts by UW Oshkosh radio-TV-film students have won 21 grand prizes in National Broadcasting Society competitions.

Since the year 2000, the College of Nursing Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) graduates have had a 100% pass rate on the American Nurses Credentialing Center FNP Exam.

Facts

12,451 Total Student Body

1300 Graduate Student Body

301 Faculty

259 Instructional Academic Staff

Student/Faculty ratio 22:1

Credit Uwosh.edu

History

The inauspicious start of the University exemplifies the push me/pull me relationship the University has with the City and its residents.

In the late 1800s the city of Oshkosh lobbied to be the home of the states third Normal school. The Common Council pledged $30,000 and a six-acre site for the new school, but when the building was completed there was no money to fund staffing and furnishings. The new building stood empty for a year before finally opening its doors in 1871.

The first President, George S. Albee, led a faculty of five normal school teachers, the model school director and three instructors. Forty-three students filled out the student body and were selected to ensure they met both academic and moral standards.

In 1916 that first building was burned down and replaced with Dempsey Hall in 1918.

Forrest R Polk, a faculty member took over as president of the college in 1931. His tenure saw the campus through the Depression, WWII and the Korean War.

After WWII the college was given permission to offer liberal arts programs. The new change in the schools' direction also came with a new name Wisconsin State Colleges. By 1963 with the addition of the College of Business and Administration, the College of Nursing, the now College of Education and Human Services and a graduate school the normal school now was a full university.

"Black Thursday" was the culmination of unrest and dissent that had stirred the student body during the late 1960s. The protest and office takeover led to increased funding and support for a multicultural center and African American courses in literature, political science and history.

Chancellor Robert Birnbaum brought changes with his tenure. He instituted the 14-week semester system with the three-week interims that gave faculty a block of time for research. From that grew the Faculty Development Program.

In 1990 John Kerrigan became chancellor at a time of budget cuts and rising costs (and a less academically friendly legislature). An increased effort at creating a "town-gown" partnership paid off in new endowed professorships and merit scholarships. The community partnership programs continue today with great success.

The University has seen a reinvestment in its infrastructure. Chancellor Kerrigan and now Chancellor Richard Wells over saw the expanded Reeve Memorial Union, the renovation of Halsey Science Center, the Student Health and Wellness Center and a new academic building (plus the beautiful new parking garage).

Research and most writing courtesy of the UW-Oshkosh Archives and Area Research Center.