The University of Wisconsin Board of Regents has given the OK for UW-Stout to add a school of engineering to its campus in a move aimed at drawing recognition and donations to the school.
The regents unanimously approved the plan to split the existing engineering program into its own school.
There won’t be any immediate changes associated with the engineering school but the regent’s recognition will help bolster what’s already offered without added cost, said Chuck Bomar, dean of Stout’s College of Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Management.
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“One of the things that we find is if we can get these types of designations, it creates a better presence regionally and nationally and it makes a very clear statement about what it is that we do,” Bomar said, “Beyond things like business cards and stationary there are no real associated costs with this, and what it will also do is likely, potentially attract donors to the school that they wouldn’t have recognized us prior to that event.”
UW-Stout, located in Menomonie, created a mechanical engineering program last year despite some concern it was duplicating programs at UW-Milwaukee and UW-Platteville. Bomar said engineers from Stout are filling a regional need in northwestern Wisconsin and the Twin Cities.
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