Nothing Good Will Come Of Walker's Taking Control Of UW-Madison
Somewhat lost in the uproar over Scott Walker's proposed crushing of collective bargaining for public employees in Wisconsin and their household budgets as well was the realization that his budget bill may contain a plan to break the UW-Madison campus apart from the rest of the UW system.
UW officials have said that such a plan might have some advantages, but it should be done cautiously.
Given what we know about Walker and his penchant for quick, dictatorial moves, I'd have to assume that his interest in the UW campus is less about education and all about politics.
That would mean that a newly-independent UW-Madison would be run by a Walker-appointed board, and not the UW System Board of Regents, where members for continuity and clarity serve staggered terms - - thus meaning that for a while, Gov. Jim Doyle appointees would continue to dominate (as did Gov.Tommy Thompson appointees during Doyle's early years, etc.).
A Walker-controlled board for just the UW-Madison would give GOP critics and Madison-bashers like State Rep. Steve Nass or State Sen. Glenn Grothman the opportunity for direct meddling in admissions, curriculum and hiring, and special interests like the WMC a stronger hand in research direction.
You want to see brain drain from Wisconsin: monkey-wrench the UW-Madison
Walker has shown little interest over his career in higher education, so I'd wary of his sudden focus on the operation of the state's premier public university.
Right after the election, I wrote a piece for the Journal Sentinel's Sunday Crossroad, and re-posted it on my blog with the title,
Does Walker (52-47) Govern As An Ideologue Or A Pragmatist?
Events have answered the question.
In the Crossroads text, I also posed these questions for Walker and his legislative allies:
4 comments:
Shouldn't you wait to see the proposal before you trash it? You and the others make many assumptions about what is in the plan. If the Chancellor likes the plan, that's good enough for me. Frankly, the former Wisconsin State University campuses have been sucking off the Madison campus for years.
No - - Walker has not earned my trust.
The Chancellor WROTE the plan! Take a look at the ACTUAL language -- not the ignorant comments made by opponents, who haven't seen it either -- before you pound the keyboard. The current regulatory structure is driving the Madison campus into the ground. The status quo cannot continue.
When Walker introduces it, it becomes his plan. About which there are closed-door meetings. Of which the system president was unaware.
Some plan hatched under the rubric of the Wisconsin Idea.
Post a Comment