Florence named possible site for degree program

It is by no means a certainty – or at this juncture even a probability. But you might call the idea of earning a four-year college degree right here in Florence County an intriguing possibility.

A group of people that includes county supervisor Holly Wahlstrom-Stratton of Aurora has explored whether Northern Wisconsin needs more access to higher education. The committee, called the Northern Wisconsin Higher Education Initiative, or the NOW group, recommends centers in six northern locations: Amery in Polk County, Ashland, Eagle River, Merrill in Lincoln County, and either Crandon or Florence.

Walhstrom-Stratton said the seed for this College of the North was planted during the Northwoods Economic Summit in 2007 when David Wilson, chancellor of UW Colleges and UW-Extension visited Florence.

After his discussions with numerous individuals, including Florence County students, Wilson realized that little in the way of higher education exists north of U.S. 8, Wahlstrom-Stratton said. He assembled a committee called the Northern Wisconsin Higher Education Initiative (NOW) and asked Wahlstrom-Stratton to serve.

The state estimates that 412,500 people live in Wisconsin’s sparsely populated northern tier. About 37 percent of high school seniors in the north plan to pursue a four-year degree.

The NOW group commissioned three studies on the need for higher education in Northern Wisconsin. The studies “showed an immense but dispersed need for higher education in Northern Wisconsin,” according to the NOW report’s executive summary.

If the campuses are to be developed, they likely will be a mix of internet-based courses, instructional television and hybrid courses. The courses would likely cater to the interests of those with at least some post-secondary education. Course offerings, Wahlstrom-Stratton said, probably would be limited to two of three select programs in the beginning. Components of higher education in Wisconsin: UW Colleges, four-year universities, UW-Extension, tribal colleges and technical colleges would work together in delivering programs.

Wahlstrom-Stratton said she suspects Crandon has the edge over Florence as a potential site. The NOW report devotes a good deal more description of Crandon and Forest County than it does Florence. Of Florence, the report says only: “In Florence County, employment opportunities have been declining and only one sector, food services and drinking places, shows a growth rate of less than 1 percent.”

Wahlstrom-Stratton said the concept of a higher education structure for Northern Wisconsin has survived Round 1. The idea now will undergo broader review by the University of Wisconsin and ultimately the Board of Regents, she said.

In discussing the likelihood of a college in Florence, Wahlstrom-Statton hardly projects unvarnished optimism. Still, the very idea, she says, has to be intriguing to county residents who seek greater opportunity through education.

“You could stay right here in Florence County and get a four-year bachelor’s degree.”