The Ward Legacy, by the numbers

The following numbers shed light on the legacy of Chancellor David Ward, who led an era of significant change at the Unversity of Wisconsin-Madison:

7.5 Total number of years Ward will have led UW-Madison, which is the longest tenure of any current leader of a Big 10 university.

150 The number of faculty that could be hired by 2003 under the Madison Initiative. The faculty "cluster hires" effort recruits faculty in emerging fields of study that cut across disciplines. Ward developed this nationally influential approach to faculty hiring in 1998 as a way of breaking down the traditional walls between departments. It is helping strengthen the intellectual resources of the campus.

The Biochemistry Building, opened in 1998, is home to many projects, such as unraveling the mysteries of how plants prolong leaf growth and probing new proteins to fight cancer.

57 The total number of construction projects - new buildings, additions or renovations - either completed or launched under Ward's tenure. This includes 21 major construction projects of $5 million or more. Among the highlights: Biotechnology/Genetics, the Fluno Center, the Kohl Center, Biochemistry, the Law School, Engineering Hall, the Red Gym, Chemistry (2001), the HealthStar Learning Center (2001) and the Pharmacy Building (2000). This unprecedented physical growth was fostered by a novel public-private partnership to fund new buildings. Ward steered the development of WisStar and HealthStar, two building programs that account for more than $600 million in building projects. The BioStar Initiative, just proposed by Gov. Thompson, will add another four projects valued at $317 million.

1 The ranking of UW-Madison among all public universities in the nation in total gift-giving by alumni and friends. Calling it the "margin of excellence," Ward championed increased private giving as a route to improving UW-Madison's ability to fund innovative new projects. The UW Foundation in 1993 raised $69.6 million in private gifts; by 1996-98, the Foundation's annual gift totals were well over $100 million. All told, more than $739 million has been raised under Ward's tenure.

Richard Nelipovich is one of 750 students who have received funding through the Hilldale Scholars undergraduate research program. He used his 1999 award to study how he could use computer-<wbr>aided design to refine his artistic eyeglass creations.

750 The approximate number of undergraduates who have received funding to conduct original research under the Hilldale Undergraduate Scholars program. Promoted by Ward starting in 1993, the program has grown each year and has spawned other formal efforts to introduce undergrads to the world of research. The innovation helped students better tap into the resources of a world-class research university.

1,100 Total number of UW-Madison students who currently live in residential learning communities. The learning community initiative began in 1995 at Bradley Hall, as a way to blend the scholarly and personal lives of students with residence-based academic programs. Under Ward's leadership, three other learning communities emerged: Chadbourne Residential College, Women in Science and Engineering, and Global Village.

70 The number of companies created in Wisconsin since 1994 that are applying UW-Madison research advances. Ward created the Technology Transfer Council in 1995 to help promote and steer the commercial potential of UW-Madison research discoveries. Under his leadership, the University Research Park has also grown to 86 companies and UW-Madison scientists are averaging more than 250 patent disclosures per year. Royalties from UW patents are critical to funding the public-private partnerships such as the Madison Initiative.

10,000 The number of students who use the Morgridge Center for Public Service each year. This service learning program is a highlight of a great expansion of student service efforts under Ward, culminating in the renovation and grand opening of the Red Gym in 1998.

Students in Antonia Schleicher's Yorùbá class say her instructional CD-ROM allows them to learn a complicated language at their own pace.

53 The number of classrooms now wired with multimedia teaching technology. Ward, chair of the Internet2 Council, helped usher in the wiring of the university, from dormitory Internet access to wise use of technology in teaching. More than 35 innovative projects to integrate technology into the curriculum, valued at $1.2 million, have been funded under Ward.

120 The number of faculty and instructional staff who are currently members of the Teaching Academy, a program established in 1993 to instill excellence and highlight innovation in teaching. The program has grown from 11 faculty in its first year. It is one of a variety of programs Ward has promoted to raise the profile and rewards of great teaching at the university.