Posted 9:22 a.m. Monday, Aug. 17, 2020
UWL Office of Continuing Education and Extension becomes UW-La Crosse Office of Extended Learning
The 2018 restructuring of UW-Extension has led UW-La Crosse’s Office of Continuing Education and Extension to officially change its name to UW-La Crosse Office of Extended Learning. The change went into effect Monday, July 1, 2019. The new UWL Extended Learning website is www.uwlax.edu/ex.
In selecting a new name, it was important to:
- Reflect the history of UW-Extension and the Wisconsin Idea, the UW idea that education should influence lives beyond classroom walls.
- Convey that the opportunities offered are for the community (non-traditional students), which includes but is not limited to: pre-college students, working adults, businesses and organizations
- Demonstrate the active process of conveying and acquiring information
“Although the name is new, UWL Extended Learning will continue to be the same important resource for learners throughout the community,” says Penny Tiedt, director of UWL Extended Learning. “UW-La Crosse Extended Learning extends the expertise and resources of UWL into the community, the region and across the globe.”
About UWL Extended Learning
UWL Extended Learning offers lifelong learning opportunities, professional development workshops and conferences, conference services, pre-college programs, organizational development, international study and cross-cultural experiences, credit partnerships for professional development, and online degree programs in collaboration with UWL departments and with the University of Wisconsin Extended Campus.
UW System Restructuring background
In December 2017, The UW System Board of Regents unanimously approved the proposed restructuring of UW Colleges and UW-Extension. UW System formally submitted its application to restructure to the Higher Learning Commission on Jan. 16, 2018. The HLC approved the application on June 28, 2018.
Effective July 1, 2018, the 13 two-year campuses formerly known as UW Colleges joined as branch campuses with seven of the UW System’s four-year comprehensive or research institutions. UW-Madison now administers Broadcasting and Media Innovation (which includes Wisconsin Public Television and Wisconsin Public Radio), as well as Cooperative Extension, UW Conference Centers, and the Department of Labor Education, all formerly part of UW-Extension. UW System Administration will administer the Division of Business and Entrepreneurship; Continuing Education, Outreach and E-Learning (which will incorporate UW Colleges Online); Wisconsin Humanities Council; and the Wisconsin Institute for Public Policy and Service.
UW-Extension’s Continuing Education, Outreach & E-Learning became part of UW System and changed their name in the process to UW Extended Campus. UW Extended Campus works with all 26 University of Wisconsin System campuses to support their continuing education efforts.
Since UW-Extension no longer exists, UWL Continuing Education and Extension changed its name (effective July 1, 2019) to UW-La Crosse Extended Learning.