GOP Destroying World-Class Wisconsin University System

by MAL Contends, Tue Apr 15, 2008 at 02:52:27 PM EST

Wisconsin used to take pride in its university system supported by a bipartisan consensus to create a world-class educational facility.

Now, under the leadership of the GOP-led state Assembly, the University of Wisconsin-Madison and its sister campuses are under assault, deadly assault.

Contact Speaker Michael Huebsch and his co-hort Representative Stephen Nass, and let them know that you object to their destroying a world-class educational institution.

From the blog Waxing America:

"(T)he best of intentions cannot undo the damage of a hostile legislature, attacks on academic freedom, a refusal to provide benefits to partners, and a general nastiness led by the Assembly Republican leadership."

All of which has now received prominent notice in the latest issue of The Chronicle of Higher Education:"

Wisconsin's Flagship Is Raided for Scholars

The problem is money. Wisconsin's stagnating state higher-education budget has forced the university to keep faculty salaries far below average. When professors get feelers from elsewhere, they learn that a move can easily mean a whopping 100-percent salary increase -- sometimes more...

...As the faculty pay gap between public and private institutions widens nationwide, lots of public universities are having a hard time competing. But Madison is having particular problems, losing faculty members not only to well-off private institutions, like Chicago, but also to lower-ranked public universities. In the past few years, professors in a variety of disciplines have left Madison for Arizona State, Florida State, and Rutgers Universities and the University of Minnesota, among others.

Contact Speaker Michael Huebsch and his co-hort Representative Stephen Nass, and let them know that you object to their destroying Wisconsin's world-class educational institution.




Tags: breaking Wisconsin politics news, Business, Donna Shalala, Education, GOP, GOP Hostility to Public Education, Madison, Milwaukee, Paul Soglin, Public Administration, The Chronicle of Higher Education, University of Wisconsin, Wisconsin (all tags)

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Re: GOP Destroying World-Class Wisconsin Universit (none / 0)

Nass is one of the biggest, anti-intellectual tools I've ever heard speak on the issue of higher education.

It's embarrassing to hear him on Wisconsin Public Radio bashing UW, one of our state's real treasures.

We need to turn those extra 3 seats in the assembly and give the Democrats a majority this fall!


by emptythreatsfarm on Tue Apr 15, 2008 at 03:20:24 PM EST

We should call the GOP out on public education (none / 0)

Many right wingers have a really terrible contempt for public education. No Child Left Behind was a cover up for their real goal which is, I suspect, to END it.

They would like to go back to the way things were before universal public education. Many people got no education at all. Many parents could not deal with this because they would have to find childcare. This would put a lot of people in a very difficult situation.

The Democratic party should also make childcare an issue with the goal of developing a system of free or very low cost childcare for working people.


Universal healthcare IS a core Democratic value
Comprehensively cover 100%, not only the healthiest 80%
by architek on Tue Apr 15, 2008 at 03:28:30 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: We should call the GOP out on public education (none / 0)

How do they seriously expect Americans to compete in the global marketplace?

I know they just don't care... All that matters is that uneducated people tend to vote Republican, so that's all that matters...

After all, universities are a hotbed of "liberalism", so they should be destroyed...


It profits a PUMA nothing to give their soul for the whole world... but for McCain? --Sir Thomas More (if he were here now)
by LordMike on Tue Apr 15, 2008 at 03:49:53 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: GOP Destroying World-Class Wisconsin Universit (none / 0)

What does he say?  What are the things he criticizes... I'm just curious whether he complains about "liberals" at the school, or how they "underperform" ('cos they don't have the money)...


It profits a PUMA nothing to give their soul for the whole world... but for McCain? --Sir Thomas More (if he were here now)
by LordMike on Tue Apr 15, 2008 at 03:51:03 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: GOP Destroying World-Class Wisconsin Universit (none / 0)

That's sad.  Having spent six years at the University of Illinois, I can say with some authority that it's awful to see a major university underfunded.  They got great faculty, but at the cost of run down buildings, a lack of technology classrooms, and other problems.  


No way. No how. No McCain.
by freedom78 on Tue Apr 15, 2008 at 03:21:06 PM EST

What about community colleges.. (none / 0)

If you think state universities are underfunded, the community college system is even worse.


Universal healthcare IS a core Democratic value
Comprehensively cover 100%, not only the healthiest 80%
by architek on Tue Apr 15, 2008 at 03:29:38 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: What about community colleges.. (none / 0)

I've no doubt that that's true.  But I don't have any experience with them on which to speak.  

If you ask me, the entire way we structure higher education is completely messed up.  


No way. No how. No McCain.
by freedom78 on Tue Apr 15, 2008 at 03:35:46 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: What about community colleges.. (none / 0)

Community colleges here in NE Ohio are actually better funded than the state universities...  


It profits a PUMA nothing to give their soul for the whole world... but for McCain? --Sir Thomas More (if he were here now)
by LordMike on Tue Apr 15, 2008 at 03:47:36 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: GOP Destroying World-Class Wisconsin Universit (none / 0)

As is always the case with the UW, there's a total lack of attention to the fact that professional staff at the UW are even lower down on the food chain, and our average salaries are even worse, compared to our peer institutions, than the faculty salaries are.


by aggieric on Tue Apr 15, 2008 at 03:30:17 PM EST

Abominable (none / 0)

My stepfather is the chair of the English department at UW-Stout.  I'll have to ask him about this when I call him tonight.

You'd think Gov. Doyle would do something.

Despite having anti-education people in office several times over the years (Tommy Thompson, I'm looking at you), the UW system has remained one of the strongest state educational networks in the country.

Honestly, sometimes I think that the only reason that they've remained so competitive is because graduates feel loyalty to their system and remain there to teach despite the lower pay.


In this avalanche, the pebbles get to vote.
by Dracomicron on Tue Apr 15, 2008 at 03:56:01 PM EST

quality of life issue.. (none / 0)

Teaching and doing research at the college level I am sure has its share of stress but I'd say that even so, many of the people who are involved in the academic world often have more satisfying careers and a better quality of life than people working almost anywhere else.

At least thats the way it seemed to me a few years ago.

My impression was that they often are rare oases of semi-sanity in an increasingly ugly and demeaning workplace world.

Some government agencies may have had some of that too, at least pre-Bush.


Universal healthcare IS a core Democratic value
Comprehensively cover 100%, not only the healthiest 80%
by architek on Tue Apr 15, 2008 at 04:22:52 PM EST
[ Parent ]

One thing I always appreciated about Bill (none / 0)

The Clinton administration had some truly world-class civil servants in its bureaucracy, even going all the way down the chain, which made the Bush croneyism even harder to bear.

Obviously, that wasn't universal, but I'm often hearing about some ex-Clinton bureaucrat doing something cool.


In this avalanche, the pebbles get to vote.
by Dracomicron on Tue Apr 15, 2008 at 05:14:39 PM EST
[ Parent ]


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