Raymond Cross was named the new president of the University of Wisconsin System in January. As Cross takes the helm, his goals are to increase collaboration throughout the state, enhance the system’s understanding as it relates to the needs of the people, and continue to assist businesses and institutions with commercialization and economic growth and development.
“At the heart of The Wisconsin Idea is a two-way relationship,” Cross said. “Our goal is to be a great partner. To do that, we first have to listen and understand, not just lecture. We’re a partner in the state’s effort to improve the human condition, improve business, improve the economy and improve the lives and
communities throughout the state.”
Prior to being named president of the UW System, Cross served as chancellor of the University of Wisconsin Colleges and the University of Wisconsin-Extension. He is the system’s seventh president and the third in the system’s history to be promoted from within.
Cross started serving in his previous role in 2011. While there, he was responsible for the academic, financial, development, and administrative aspects of both statewide institutions.
Prior to coming to Wisconsin, Cross served as president of Morrisville State College, a residential agriculture and technology college of the State University of New York; he served as president of Northwest Technical College in Bemidji, Minnesota; and was a department head and a professor at Ferris State University in Big Rapids, Michigan.
He has experience as a design engineer and a small business owner in the private sector, and has also consulted for business, industry and government entities. He hopes to use his unique mix of experience to really connect with the business community in Wisconsin.
“We can be better partners to the business community by understanding their needs and working with them to improve the issues they are confronted with,” Cross said.
“Historically, the University has done a lot to help businesses who have come to us, and that’s wonderful. I’d like to add to that by taking a more active approach and reaching out to the business community. I want them to view us as partners.”
Specifically, Cross hopes to expand the assistance the system can offer growing ‘stage two’ companies, where the greatest opportunity for growth and for job creation lies, and place an increased emphasis on commercializing projects and ideas that come out of Wisconsin’s research institutions.
Cross expects to see a greater emphasis on collaboration between the university system, private institutions and skilled colleges throughout the state. The ideal graduate will have a skilled expertise and a college degree, he said.
“The challenge for us is to become more intimately familiar with the future, particularly as it pertains to businesses and their needs,” Cross said. “We need to better understand where companies are going, what jobs are going to exist down the road and what role the university system is going to play.”
