Regents approve new partnership with Gateway, UW-Parkside, allowing students to earn two-year liberal arts degrees

The University of Wisconsin Board of Regents at their meeting Friday paved the way for Gateway Technical College to begin offering two, two-year liberal arts degrees.

The UW Board of Regents voted to allow Gateway to begin offering Associate of Arts and Associate of Science degrees for the first time. The degrees were made possible through a partnership between Gateway and UW-Parkside. Gateway, UW-Parkside, the Wisconsin Technical College System and Gateway’s accrediting agency, the Higher Learning Commission, have already signed off on the new degrees, allowing the college to begin offering them in Fall 2022.

“This is outstanding for our community and students,” said Gateway Technical College Executive Vice President/Provost Zina Haywood. “It provides yet another pathway to higher education.”

 Coursework in some categories required to complete the liberal arts associate degrees aren’t currently offered at Gateway – such as physical education or humanities courses – so students will need to take those at UW-Parkside.

Even though students will take some courses through UW-Parkside, they will still earn the Gateway degree.

“This represents great synergy with UW-Parkside,” said Haywood. “Gateway is proud of – and grateful for – the spirit of collaboration exhibited by our partner, UW-Parkside, surrounding this work. Working together, we can transform lives in Southeastern Wisconsin.”

Students who earn either of the degrees will also be able to transfer it to any UW System or other four-year institution.

“We’re very excited about what this collaboration between the two institutions will mean for students and our region,” said UW-Parkside Provost & Vice Chancellor of Academic and Student Affairs Rob Ducoffe. 

“Most Parkside students choose to attend university close to where they live, and many start their higher education careers at Gateway. Not only will this help more students achieve their education goals, the Gateway-UW-Parkside partnership will yield more talent for employers and increase prosperity and quality of life in Southeastern Wisconsin.”

Haywood said the new academic programs will have a positive impact on diversity efforts as they will be attractive to the community’s English Language Learners and students of color population, which is currently about 40 percent at Gateway.

Haywood and Ducoffe both noted that Gateway and UW-Parkside have partnered in the past through 14 articulation agreements, but that liberal arts degrees are much different. The articulation agreements allow Gateway graduates transfer credits to specific UW-Parkside programs, while the liberal arts degree opens graduate options to continue in all programs.