May 10th, 2011
Just when we’re fretting about the apparent dismantling of academic freedom and shared governance at Florida State and other universities as these institutions openly sell their curricula to wealthy corporate donors, Sara Goldrick-Rab over at Education Optimists tips us off to recent comments by Department of Administration Secretary Mike Huebsch.
Here’s the key passage:
… Mike Huebsch says he and Gov. Scott Walker remain hopeful that the guv’s proposed split of UW-Madison from the rest of the university system will pass.
Speaking in Brookfield Wednesday at a gathering of the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce, he told the group it would bring a free-market approach to the university system similar to that of a corporate business. [emphasis added]
I now have two burning questions for Chancellor Biddy Martin, for our Faculty Senate, and for other prominent and enthusiastic supporters of the public authority plan:
- Do you have any plausible basis whatsoever for doubting Huebsch’s characterization of the public authority plan as regards the actual intentions of those who inserted it into the budget bill?
- Do you support this vision for UW-Madison?
If you answer “no” to both questions, then the most obvious interpretation is that your endorsement of Scott Walker’s public authority plan reflected a grave lapse in judgment and due diligence on your part.
I look forward to hearing the arguments for a more generous interpretation.
-GP
Posted in Academic freedom, Instruction, Shared governance, State-University Relations, The University Budget, The University System, The UW-Madison Campus | 3 Comments »
May 9th, 2011
Cynics here in Badgerland have been cracking jokes for months that UW-Madison could become “Koch University” if and when some of Governor Walker’s policies take effect, including (some allege) the public authority status that is part of his budget bill.
But who knew that the first branch campus of Koch University already opened in Tallahassee, Florida, way back in 2008? Only now, in May 10th’s St. Petersburg Times, is the arrangement finally getting wider attention: Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Academic freedom, Shared governance, State-University Relations, The UW-Madison Campus | 14 Comments »
May 9th, 2011
Some of the recent statements for support for NBP come from stars among our faculty. It is no secret that the major reason to seek more flexibility is to meet the challenges in keeping the stars from moving to greener pastures. The competitive compensation plans to stay in the market for stars puts an upward pressure on the salaries of stars, while simultaneously exerting a downward pressure on the salaries of others, particularly exacerbated when you bring in equity considerations.
Let us not forget that while excellence and scholarship among our stars is beyond question, there is large segment among us who are silently sifting and winnowing for truth outside the limelight, working on unpopular ideas. It is the freedom to pursue such efforts that our tenure is supposed to guarantee. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Compensation, State-University Relations, The University Budget, The University System, The UW-Madison Campus | 3 Comments »
May 8th, 2011
Daniel Bush, an alumnus of both UW-Madison and UW-Oshkosh, has written a guest editorial for today’s issue of the Wisconsin State Journal:
Vague argument, elitist attitude hurt UW-Madison autonomy plan
It seems unlikely that Mr. Bush reads Sifting and Winnowing, yet he concisely and eloquently raises many of the same concerns about both the goals of the NBP, and the process by which it is being sold, that have been voiced by a variety of contributors to this page and elsewhere (e.g., Education Optimists) over the past few weeks.
In his closing remarks, he appropriately takes NBP advocates/salespersons/lobbyists to task for both their politically tone-deaf elitism and their failure to promote a healthier and more balanced discussion of UW-Madison’s options: Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Shared governance, State-University Relations, The University Budget, The University System, The UW-Madison Campus | 21 Comments »
May 7th, 2011
One of the cornerstones of the public authority proposal that Chancellor Biddy Martin has been pushing with all her might (in contrast to, say, her non-existent campaign for greater public support of the university) is the assumption that we would be able to count on greater donor contributions to patch holes in the budget.
This Bloomberg article documents how that model has worked out for other universities, and it’s not a pretty picture:
Schools Find Ayn Rand Can’t Be Shrugged as Donors Build Courses
If you support the public authority and believe that private donations will be an important source of new revenue, please explain to the rest of us how we will avoid the same fate. Or at least explain why we should embrace that fate.
Either way, it’s past time for more honesty, more facts, more figures, less wishful thinking, and fewer empty platitudes.
- GP
Posted in College costs, Shared governance, State-University Relations, The University Budget, The University System, The UW-Madison Campus | 3 Comments »
May 7th, 2011
Am I the only one who’s noticed how the twisted logical foundation of the campaign for public authority? If you press people, it goes like this:
The state is steadily defunding us and that’s simply inevitable, so the only thing we can do is accept even more draconian cuts in exchange for some modest leeway in managing our own resources. That’s the best we can do and we have to fight for it.
Smart, engaged people on campus are arguing vigorously and explicitly for just this position, if mostly only in the echo chamber of the campus. And the chancellor is spending most of her time and a ton of resources and staff time to push this, not to mention the help of the mysteriously-funded Badger Advocates. She and her staff are incessantly begging us to do the same. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in College costs, Shared governance, State-University Relations, The University Budget, The University System, The UW-Madison Campus | 2 Comments »
May 6th, 2011
The following was originally posted as a Facebook note. In the interest of including more student perspectives on the NBP, it is reposted here with the permission of both contributors.
Alyson S. writes:
Consider people’s attitudes with regards to “saving” and being fiscally responsible. Then check out this article, and especially this paragraph:
Widener, R-Springfield, told the AP he has met with university presidents and financial officers as well as state Chancellor Jim Petro about his findings. His concern is that some institutions are holding almost a year’s worth of expenses in their accounts, even as state budget writers are poised to allow them to raise tuition by as much as 3.5 percent. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in College costs, State-University Relations, The University Budget, The University System, The UW-Madison Campus | 2 Comments »
May 5th, 2011
I’m surprised by the energy still going into debates about public authority for UW-Madison, assuming that it’s going to happen. Recent media reports (and posts to this site) make pretty clear that public authority is extremely close to dead, and that it’s being killed by deep and broad opposition among members of the legislature. The most informed person I know in matters of Wisconsin politics told me yesterday that public authority was “definitely long odds, at best.” Instead of pushing public authority and split from the System, key legislators will tell you point blank that we need to find a way to get flexibilities while staying within System.
Whether you are profoundly disturbed or greatly relieved by this, we need to acknowledge that this is where things stand. And we need to think about what we’ll do when it’s officially dead and buried. I’d suggest things like these:
- Heal the divisions on campus. We have allowed ourselves to be terribly divided and cannot afford it at this critical moment. Let’s rally around our shared commitment to top-quality, affordable, accessible public higher education and move forward.
- Work to make amends with System, not just to get back the extra $30 million cut that Madison would take with public authority, but just to live within System after what’s happened.
- Work for changes that are most valuable to us and consistent with top-quality, affordable and accessible public higher education. Some of the ‘flexibilities’ that drove the New Badger Partnership are possible with or without changes to state law.
Joe Salmons
Posted in Shared governance, State-University Relations, The University Budget, The University System, The UW-Madison Campus | 2 Comments »
May 5th, 2011
I do not remember many times in my life when I have been more ashamed. On Monday, the faculty of the great state University of Wisconsin voted to no longer be the great state University of Wisconsin. Instead we chose to become a private university, absolving the taxpayers of Wisconsin of any responsibility to support public higher education. Make no mistake – this is what the senate voted to do. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Shared governance, State-University Relations, The University Budget, The University System, The UW-Madison Campus | 13 Comments »
April 28th, 2011
In her latest post on Education Optimists, Prof. Sara Goldrick-Rab steps back a bit from the contentious debate over the public authority proposal (that according to at least some other posts to S&W — e.g,. this one and this one — is now seemingly on life support) and challenges us — and the Board of Regents — to look ahead and open the door to “fierce conversations about two key issues that have received insufficient attention in the debate over the New Badger Partnership”:
- The public purpose of our flagship university
- The way we spend our money
Like all of her posts that we have seen to date, this one is informed, thoughtful, provocative, and simply a must-read for those who care about the future of UW-Madison: A challenge to the Board of Regents.
Please read it. And while you’re at it, read this as well (from another author): Giving Away the Farm: The Folly in Privatizing UCLA’s Anderson School of Management
Posted in State-University Relations, The University Budget, The University System, The UW-Madison Campus | 1 Comment »