Campus Connection

The UW System Board of Regents will recognize UW-La Crosse’s Mathematics Department as the best in the UW System on Friday. It earned a UW System 2015 Regents Teaching Excellence Award. It’s the only department in the state to be honored this year. “It is a privilege to recognize these exceptional educators, who are so dedicated to helping students develop the knowledge, skills and confidence to take on the world,” says UW System President Ray Cross. UW-L Math Department Chair Becky LeDocq highlights several innovative programs that helped earn the recognition. Examples include a Fast-Track Mathematics program, where incoming freshman develop math skills online for six weeks before meeting on campus. In the first two years, 73 of the 75 participating students moved forward into credit-bearing math classes. There’s also the Massive Open Online Course, or MOOC, which UW-L faculty and staff developed. It allows anyone in the world to become ready for college math. “It’s not so much about being proud of winning the award. It’s about being proud of what we do and what has gotten this award for us,” says LeDocq. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmewVjFG9SU The Math Department is at least the third from UW-L to win this award. Biology and Physics have previously earned this honor.