There’s partisan feuding over everything it seems these days, including the cost of a UW education. Some members of the UW Board of Regents are “crying wolf” about the impact of cuts under the Republican state budget. So says GOP Representative Steve Nass of Whitewater. “We fund the UW System by more than a billion dollars every year, and historically every single session we hear from the university about how they cannot survive without more money. And they certainty have survived very well.” [Read more…]
UW tuition increase draws concern
Tuition will go up five-and-a-half percent at University of Wisconsin system campuses this fall, under a budget approved by the Board of Regents Thursday. The vote was 11-4, with John Drew of Milwaukee in opposition. “I have supported similar tuition increases in the past when they were part of responsible budgeting process that recognized the importance of the UW System and public higher education,” said Drew. “But this tuition increase is nothing more than an attack on middle class Wisconsin citizens, and a giant step away from high quality, affordable public education.” [Read more…]
Regents to approve tuition hike
UW System Regents are expected to approve a 5.5 percent tuition hike today. But they won’t be doing so willingly, according to Regent Tom Loftus. “We’ve got no choice,” he said. “Really, the budget is quite a disastrous cut to the university system, even with a five and-a-half percent tuition increase, it will wreak havoc in what has to be cut at each campus.”
The University system is taking a $250 million dollar hit under the Republican budget that took effect July 1st. “Mostly what the university has to cut its expenses in one way, and that’s with personnel,” said Loftus. “I think you can expect layoffs, furloughs, people not being hired, things like that. We’re at a record level, historically, of 180,000 students, and we really can’t turn them away, so we’ll do what it takes.”
John Colbert, WIBA
Ward named UW interim chancellor
A former UW Madison chancellor will serve in that post until a replacement is found for Biddy Martin. UW System President Kevin Reilly announced that Chancellor Emeritus David Ward has agreed to serve as UW-Madison’s interim chancellor following the departure of Martin, who left the Madison campus to become president of Amhurst College. The British born Ward served as UW-Madison chancellor from 1993 to 2000 and led the American Council on Education in Washington D.C. for seven years. Ward received his PhD from UW in 1963 and served on the faculty for more than 30 years, chairing the geography department and serving as associate dean of the Graduate School. Reilly identified Ward as the person who could provide effective leadership while a search is launched for Martin’s permanent successor.
UW System sees some budget benefit
The University of Wisconsin System has gotten some of what it wanted from the state budget. The Madison campus will not be spun off, although the issue will be studied. Michael Spector, President of the UW System Board of Regents, said the campuses will have some long sought flexibilities in areas including budgeting and personnel management. “Not everything we wanted in those areas, but certainly a significant amount. I think, the way legislation works, it’s a good start for the next biennium,” he said. [Read more…]
Biddy bids bye-bye
UW Chancellor Biddy Martin announces her resignation. (PHOTO: Jackie Johnson)
U-W Madison Chancellor Biddy Martin is leaving Wisconsin to become the president of Amherst College in Massachusetts. She wasn’t looking, she says. “I was approached by Amherst this spring and I was a reluctant invitee into the process.”
Martin called her decision to move “one of the most difficult decisions” she’s ever made,” and she has thoroughly enjoyed her time in Madison.
Martin, who was named chancellor three years ago in June, says there was no counter offer, an effort to keep her here. “I neither asked for any efforts to keep me here nor, therefore, received any. This is a decision I had to make on my own.” [Read more…]
Reilly states case for UW System’s future (AUDIO)
Kevin Reilly brought his opposition to a controversial proposal, which would separate the University of Wisconsin Madison campus from the system he oversees, before an audience of Madison movers and shakers on Wednesday. The UW System President told members of the Madison Rotary that everyone wants what’s best for the Madison campus – and the end of giving all UW campuses greater flexibility. “The family feud we find ourselves in, if I can call it that, is about the means to those ends, separating UW Madison off from the rest of the campuses or keeping an integrated system,” said Reilly, who pitched his alternative to UW Madison Chancellor Biddy Martin’s Badger Partnership plan, the Wisconsin Idea Partnership. “The deep budget cuts that we face in this budget will effect every campus, and every campus needs the tools, the flexibilities to react to those cuts. All the campuses need them.” [Read more…]
UW disciplines doctors who wrote fake sick notes
The University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health completes its review of UW physicians who gave medical-excuse notes to protesters at the State Capitol during a huge rally. It was widely reported that several doctors provided a sick note for a person’s absence from work or school on February 19th. Some of the activity was videotaped and made available to media outlets. [Read more…]
Martin confident on NBP’s prospects (VIDEO, AUDIO)
The chancellor of UW Madison believes a plan for the university’s future will be adopted. Biddy Martin told the Madison Rotary Club that she’s committed to seeing through the adoption of the controversial New Badger Partnership, which among other things would split the Madison campus from the UW System. “I don’t care if I lose my job over this, to be honest with you, because it’s the right thing for UW Madison,” said Martin. “I’m going to fight for it right up until it no longer makes sense for the institution.”
Martin’s message: let UW Madison thrive (AUDIO)
Biddy Martin explained her plans to split the Madison campus from the UW System to state lawmakers at the Capitol on Thursday. The UW Madison chancellor made the pitch for her Badger Partnership plan to members of the legislature’s Joint Finance Committee. “Let us adopt a model that allows us to thrive,” said Martin. “Let the other campuses have the flexibilities that are appropriate their their revenue mix, their administrative capacities, their specific missions, so they to can thrive.” Martin suggested amending Governor Scott Walker’s budget, which incorporates the Badger Partnership, so the other UW campuses “get what they need.” [Read more…]
