The Wisconsin Idea is pretty simple. It means that whatever wonderful stuff goes on in a UW classroom, or lab, or program—that wonderful stuff should be shared. It has to leave campus. Almost everyone who talks about the Wisconsin Idea quotes an early UW president, Charles Van Hise, who said “I shall never be content until the beneficent influence of the University reaches every home in the state.” (I misquote that in my head as the “beneficent arm” and I kind of picture a weird cartoon in my head of a giant arm reaching in through someone’s kitchen window. Now that I think about it, not really what I’m going for here. Nevermind about the arm.)
The Wisconsin Idea is the basis for the UW Extension, and all kinds of community service, all over the state. It’s a huge part of what makes the UW and Wisconsin wonderful.
Sometimes people talk about “sifting and winnowing” as the Wisconsin Idea, but technically, that’s from a plaque from the Board of Regents, or at least some of them, in 1894, and I think it’s the UW System mission statement (or maybe just UW Madison?), and it’s a part of state law. (Changing that is what a certain so-and-so called a “drafting error,” but which is actually a totally different category of error.)
So that’s what it is. I was wondering how cool it would be if we could talk to each other not so much about WHAT it is, but WHERE it is.
I asked for help from these youngsters, who found the Wisconsin Idea in Arena.
What I’m hoping is that more people will find the Wisconsin Idea, and make videos, and challenge other people to find it. People can use the hashtag #wefoundtheWisconsinIdea and tag me @MarnieDresser and post on Where is the Wisconsin Idea?.
The format I’m imagining for the videos is pretty short & simple:
We found the Wisconsin Idea in _____________.
(Explain how something from the UW helped some way, any way, OUTSIDE the UW.)
We challenge _______ and __________ and __________ to find the Wisconsin Idea!
(Merriment and confetti entirely appropriate. Youngsters and community members and current students and former students most definitely appropriate.)
**I’m especially hoping 4-Hers will do videos because 1) 4H is awesome, 2)4H can be VERY creative, and 3)4H just simply IS the Wisconsin Idea.
Who’s the audience for this? The people who make the videos–it’s a way for them to articulate for themselves what the Wisconsin Idea really does for them, right where they are. Also for faculty and staff–there are a lot of negative messages out there about the work we do, and these should all be positive.
Beyond that, if there are people who don’t know what the idea is, or don’t understand why it’s important, well–these videos should make that clearer.
Will this spread like I want it to? Will my one little raindrop be joined by others and turn into a rainshower? A downpour? A gullywasher?
Will other voices join my voice, or will it just be this one little voice? (Can’t help thinking of Barry Manilow. Love that song, actually. But I won’t post a video because the work he’s had done just makes me miss his 1970s nose.)
Maybe it’ll only ever be this one little video. Even so–the Wisconsin Idea is out there. I know it is. Want to help me show where?
marniere 