IV 

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 


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•HRES 308 IH 

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 deVerDate Sep 11 2014 05:07 Jun 11, 2015 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR308.IH HR308

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•HRES 308 IH 

clared 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 WisVerDate Sep 11 2014 05:07 Jun 11, 2015 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR308.IH HR308

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•HRES 308 IH 

consin Idea in mind, as documented by the system’s Wisconsin Idea database: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives recog2 nizes the significant contributions of the Wisconsin Idea 

3 and the University of Wisconsin System to the State of 

4 Wisconsin, the United States, and the world. 

Æ 


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