The percentage of persons of color within the faculty has jumped from 5 to 25. To Knudten, affirmative action means a bias in favor of the underrepresented, not against the majority. Among equally qualified candidates with varying strengths, she prefers the one who may have struggled harder to get there. Knudten views her work as improvements, not change. As an institution, there has been no change.
Students still get the general education background to complete a bachelor's degree.
With the help of several scholarships, she graduated from the University of Kansas in 1957 with a degree in bacteriology. While there, she was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. Then she won a scholarship to the University of Chicago and in 1974 completed a Ph.D. in sociology. Research Associates, where she honed her research skills and learned how to be a chief executive officer. Finding this woman of learning, proven ability, and experience, UW-Waukesha lured her away in 1981.