The Board of Directors of the Wisconsin Cranberry Growers Association is behind the New Badger Partnership, which would make UW-Madison autonomous from the rest of the UW-System.
WSCGA Executive Director Tom Louchner says they’ve invested heavily in the Madison campus and believe it is “very important” to retain quality personnel within the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences.
As lawmakers take up the Partnership plan, Louchner says they’ll be working to ensure UW-Extension remains a strong partner with the Madison campus. He notes a number of the researchers divvy up their time between the flagship campus, UW-Extension, and teaching duties.
WSCGA’s research arm is almost all done at UW-Madison, although the group does have scholarship activity involving some of the other campuses.
UW-Madison Chancellor Biddy Martin says the New Badger Partnership would allow her campus to be more efficient. The regents of the UW-System would rather all campuses have greater flexibility.
