Philosopher Alan White (UW-Manitowc) sends along this article, and writes:
[T]hrough a leak...it became known that President Ray Cross would announce a fundamental reorganization of the 26 campus University of Wisconsin System. Our campuses in the 2-year transfer system--the UW Colleges, 13 such as one entity since the early 1970s--will now return to their status in the 60s--as branches of nearby 4-years (8 of the 13 thus). My campus--specifically mentioned in the story below--will become a satellite of UW--Green Bay. While tenure (or our new tenure-lite*, which applies across the entire System including Madison, and which you will recall I uselessly fought against a couple of years ago on behalf of my 13 campuses) will apparently be honored in making the transition--my 13 campus department and its Faculty Senate will be dissolved and all power will be invested in what's left of faculty governance at the 4-years. None of this involved consultation or faculty input from any institution--Madison included. It was leaked and then just announced today. The Regents must approve this--but since they nearly all Walker appointees. . . The Regents will act next month, hardly enough time for campuses to react in any reasonable way.
UW--Extension--one of the best higher-ed/agricultural/extended-education systems in the country--will cease to be a state-wide entity, and will be folded into UW-Madison.
This is the new normal in higher ed especially in conservative states. Get used to it--or do something.
BTW, the linked article says that my campus has lost about 50% of its enrollment in the last few years, years in which the legislature cut funding, required increased contributions to pensions and benefits (despite Wisconsin having a 100% funded state retirement system, in contrast to Illinois), and thus contributed to this situation, if not deliberately manufactured it. I mention the lost enrollment at UW--Manitowoc to contrast one fact against that: my philosophy enrollments throughout were at the top, and fully justified my 4/4 position. I'm retiring Jan. 1 after 36 1/2 years as Full Professor before this fiasco will play out, and I will be replaced by a 1/2 time lecturer. Now that will no doubt make things better--well, for those who wish to downsize access to higher education maybe.
Recent Comments