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Author: jplucas

Union of Walker, Biddy plans create troubling brew for UW

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Badger Herald

Education seems to be under attack from all sides these days, both from the state government and from within the University of Wisconsin administration. Gov. Scott Walker has been painted to be an archenemy of schoolteachers, but if you ask me, Chancellor Biddy Martin isn?t any better. Her New Badger Partnership represents the most radical change to the UW model since the merger of Wisconsin schools in the 1970s, and it represents a complete departure from the idea of a public university.

Biddy?s Ever Expanding Propaganda Machine (North Park Street)

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In case you don?t keep up on the ramblings of Max Love over at his blog, he recently has been tossing allegations around that a number of students and former students, including the authors of this blog, are part of Biddy Martin?s propaganda machine and that we have all been bought off through various means including football game tickets, letters of recommendation and free trips to LA in exchange for our support. When he initially made that post I chose not to respond to the absurd and unfounded allegations against myself, but now that he?s back at it I think it?s time for a response. Let?s make a list of all of the students that Max is alleging have been ?bought out? by Chancellor Martin:

The Badger Impact (An Inexperienced Leader)

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Recently, a coalition of students was formed to educate students on the Budget Repair Bill and then teach them how to combat it. The Badger Impact group has now moved into a new field. Their new website declares they are ?Students United in Stopping Biddy Martin?s Plan to Ruin the UW System.? For being a group that was so rooted in education for SB-11, there seems to be a lot of misinformation on their website. Let?s go down their list of what their vision of the New Badger Partnership is, and then see what it actually is.

News: Religion Financed With Student Fees

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Inside Higher Education

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday rejected an appeal by the University of Wisconsin at Madison of a federal appeals court ruling that could require many public colleges and universities to permit the use of student fee money to pay for explicitly religious activities, including those involving prayer.

Dems, GOP stall on talks over Wisconsin unions

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USA Today

A Wisconsin Democratic lawmaker says negotiations have stalled with Republicans over controversial legislation that would strip most public workers of their collective bargaining rights. Sen. Tim Cullen said Saturday that talks broke down Thursday but lines of communication remain open. Cullen says it?s difficult for either side to compromise, since Democrats don?t want to lose their base support and Republican Gov. Scott Walker doesn?t want to appear weak by backing down.

Michael Moore rallies protesters in Wisconsin

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USA Today

Liberal filmmaker Michael Moore urged Wisconsin residents Saturday to fight against Republican efforts to strip most public workers of their collective bargaining rights, telling thousands of protesters that “Madison is only the beginning.”

Colleges keep pot bans despite states easing laws

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USA Today

As legislatures nationwide debate whether to legalize medical marijuana, colleges and universities in states where laws have been adopted say their campuses will remain drug-free. Universities say they have to keep medical marijuana off campus because they don?t want to risk federal funding.

Ivy League diplomas still worth price of admission?

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USA Today

They?re often called the elite eight, boasting U.S. presidents, Nobel Prize winners, Wall Street CEOs, world leaders?as well as famous actors and musicians?among their alumni. But they?re incredibly expensive and getting more so?prompting many students and families to ask: Is an Ivy League diploma really worth the money?

Science Pub organizer taps scientists for informal gatherings mixed with beers

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Wisconsin State Journal

It?s not exactly a scientific formula but Skip Evans has discovered that if you combine a scientist, good beer, and a crowd of curious people, you come up with a very interesting Sunday afternoon. Evans is the founder of a unique Madison event called Science Pub. There have been other, earlier versions of the science gatherings but this one has been going strong for nearly two years now. About once a month at Brocach Irish Pub and Restaurant on the Capitol Square, the Science Pub has hosted a leisurely and free-wheeling discussion with a scientist, often from UW-Madison.

School choice programs get boost in Walker budget

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Wisconsin State Journal

Gov. Scott Walker?s budget proposal calls for deep cuts in most areas of public education with one notable exception – public school choice programs. Meanwhile, Milwaukee?s 20-year-old voucher program would receive $22.5 million more to accommodate 1,300 additional students. The growth would result from Walker?s proposal to remove the program?s income requirements and enrollment caps. And independent charter schools would receive $18.4 million more over the biennium. Walker is projecting 600 additional students as his proposal would lift the state enrollment cap on virtual charter schools, allow the UW System?s 13 four-year universities to establish charter schools, and allow independent charter schools in any district in the state.Independent charter schools are currently limited to Milwaukee and Racine counties. Education historian Diane Ravitch, a New York University professor and former assistant U.S. secretary of education who is speaking at UW-Madison on Tuesday, say choice programs have drained resources from the traditional public school system without producing conclusive evidence that they are any better at educating students, particularly low-income ones.

On Campus: UW-Madison’s Sellery Hall named a top party dorm

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Wisconsin State Journal

UW-Madison students who live in Sellery Hall now have the (dubious?) honor of living in one of the top party dorms in the country, according to a new survey. The first annual “Dormy Awards” ranked Sellery the seventh biggest party dorm, based on 7,100 reviews on DormSplash.com. According to UW-Madison?s University Housing website, Sellery Hall “means living in the heart of campus” and houses 1,152 students in double rooms.

Tom Loftus: UW System operates well as is

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Wisconsin State Journal

The long-range question now becomes: Will this eventually break the historical ties that the people of Wisconsin have with UW-Madison? One of our System chancellors said that spinning off Madison meant the “flagship was sailing away.” More likely it will be a drift away over the years. It will still be a great school. But will it still be the state?s school?

Pat Durkin: Critics can learn from deer study

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Madison.com

Researchers from the University of Wisconsin and Department of Natural Resources have captured nearly 300 white-tailed deer in northern Wisconsin in recent weeks for studies on buck survival rates, predator impacts on fawns and the deer?s impact on habitat. These are the largest deer-research projects in Wisconsin history.

Moore: Protesters have ‘aroused a sleeping giant’

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Wisconsin State Journal

Protesters in Madison have “aroused a sleeping giant” in the national fight for workers? rights, filmmaker Michael Moore told thousands at the Capitol Square on Saturday, as rallies opposing Gov. Scott Walker?s budget proposals wrapped up their third week. Leland Pan, of UW-Madison?s Student Labor Action Coalition, criticized Walker?s plan to split the campus from the University of Wisconsin System, a move that UW-Madison Chancellor Biddy Martin supports.

Correcting the Record: Gov. Walker is NOT trying to kill your puppies (Dane101)

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Some people have taken issue with a provision in Governor Scott Walker?s budget proposal that allows pounds to transfer stray dogs to University system research facilities. The problem with turning this into a “Gov. Walker hates dogs” story is that it simply isn?t true. The statute currently exists in Wisconsin, Walker is simply making a small amendment to the wording due to the proposal to break the University of Wisconsin-Madison off from the rest of the University system.

Editorial: Dividing UW System may help no one

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Racine Journal Times

“In a time of austerity, we must be creative in seeking ways to cut back on expenses without cutting into the quality of the educational enterprise.”

Those words could fit the plan by Gov. Scott Walker to split the flagship University of Wisconsin-Madison campus from the rest of the state university system. In fact, they were spoken by former Gov. Patrick Lucey in 1971, when he proposed creating the present unified UW System out of the two state systems which existed then.

Wisconsin?s Legacy of Labor Activism and Conservative Pushback

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New York Times

Quoted: ?I don?t think there?s a particularly anti-union tradition that doesn?t exit in other states,? said William Powell Jones, a professor of history at the University of Wisconsin in Madison who is writing a history of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees and public employee unions. ?I think it?s that there?s a progressive, pro-union trend that doesn?t exist elsewhere, and there?s been conflict over that tradition.?

Budget could lead to more privatization

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Wisconsin Public Radio

Noted: Some aspects of Gov. Walker?s proposed budget plan could mean a move toward more privatization. Critics say they?re worried about a trend toward privatization, and what it means for the state.But UW-Madison professor Andrew Reschovsky says privatization isn?t necessarily a good or bad thing, depending on the job.

Hands Off Higher Ed in the Statehouse? Hardly.

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Chronicle of Higher Education

Republicans dominated state elections in November, promising to shrink the size and cost of government to help erase tens of billions of dollars in budget shortfalls. But the proposals they?ve floated since taking office look more like political point-scoring than serious cost-cutting.

Overnight protesters leave Capitol

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Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Also on Thursday, University of Wisconsin-Madison Police Chief Sue Riseling testified that police found 41 rounds of .22-caliber ammunition Thursday outside the Capitol. Riseling said 11 rounds were found outside the State St. entrance, 29 rounds near the King St. entrance and one round near the Hamilton St. area.

Badgers fall in Big Ten tournament

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Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

The University of Wisconsin women?s basketball team envisioned a long run in the Big Ten tournament. Unfortunately for the Badgers, their stay lasted 40 minutes.

That?s because Illinois reeled off the game?s first 10 points and never trailed en route to a 63-56 victory over the Badgers in the first round of the tournament at Conseco Fieldhouse.

Layoff deadline looms as efforts to break stalemate continue

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Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

As a Friday deadline for layoff notices looms, Republicans and Democrats caught up in the state budget crisis are talking about ways to break the stalemate and showing signs of movement from their entrenched positions.

According to a GOP source familiar with the talks, the discussions with Democratic senators holed up in Illinois include removing or changing a provision from Gov. Scott Walker?s budget repair bill that would limit unions? bargaining over wages to the rate of inflation.

Require bids to build trust

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Wisconsin State Journal

If Gov. Scott Walker and the Legislature want to sell off state-owned power plants, taxpayers deserve a fair price. That means state officials absolutely should use a competitive bidding process for sale of these significant public properties. He did pledge an open process, should the sale of the 32 heating and cooling plants proceed. The plants for sale would include the Charter Street plant, which provides service to UW-Madison.

Judge orders protesters out of Wisconsin Capitol

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USA Today

University of Wisconsin Police Chief Susan Riseling testified that 41 rounds of .22-caliber ammunition were found Thursday morning scattered at several locations outside the Capitol. No guns were found with them. “I don?t like to see live ammunition outside when I have significant crowds,” Riseling said. “You can?t do much with live ammunition without the gun, but the presence of it doesn?t thrill me.”

Wisconsin Gov. Walker warns of layoffs

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USA Today

Thousands of Wisconsin state workers were bracing for layoff notices Friday as Republican Gov. Scott Walker and absent Democrats remained in a standoff over a budget balancing bill that would also strip public workers of their collective bargaining rights.

Group to push for UW-Madison split from UW System

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Wisconsin State Journal

A new group will lobby on behalf of UW-Madison in an effort to persuade state legislators to support the flagship university?s split from the University of Wisconsin System. The Badger Advocates filed as a lobbying firm with the Wisconsin Government Accountability Board on Tuesday, the day Gov. Scott Walker released his budget proposal.

Protesters peacefully leave Capitol after ruling

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Madison.com

About 50 pro-union protesters peacefully left the state Capitol late Thursday after a judge ruled they could no longer spend the night to show their opposition to Gov. Scott Walker?s proposal to eliminate nearly all collective bargaining rights for public workers.The judge also ruled the state had violated the public?s free speech and assembly rights by restricting access to the building. University of Wisconsin-Madison Police Chief Susan Riseling read the order to the crowd, eliciting cheers when she read the judge?s determination that the state had unconstitutionally restricted access to the building.

Ohio Union Bill Speeds Toward Passage

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ABCNEWS.com

Quoted: “Madison is kind of a perfect storm of factors for this,” said Don Taylor, assistant professor of labor education at the University of Wisconsin School for Workers in Madison. “It?s an extremely progressive city in terms of politics. It?s one of those places in the country where people will refer to it as a ?People?s Republic.?”

Protesters Peacefully Leave Capitol After Ruling

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ABCNEWS.com

The protesters demanded to see a written copy of the order before they would go. University of Wisconsin-Madison Police Chief Susan Riseling read the order to the crowd, eliciting cheers when she read the judge?s determination that the state had unconstitutionally restricted access to the building.

Judge orders Capitol reopened

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Wisconsin Radio Network

A Dane County Judge says rules put in place this week to restrict public access to the state Capitol building violate the Constitution. As a result, Judge John Albert issued an order Thursday evening for the building to be fully reopened to the public by Monday morning, with the access policies that were in place on ?January 28, 2011.?

Some UW chancellors oppose possible UW System split

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Daily Cardinal

A mixture of optimism and concern surrounds Gov. Scott Walker?s proposal to split UW-Madison and UW-Milwaukee from the UW System. As Chancellor Biddy Martin has asserted that the public authority model will give UW-Madison the ability to deal with deep cuts in state aid, other UW System chancellors have expressed concern that the split could negatively affect their schools and the state as a whole.

The Sconz: How will UW-Madison get more money?

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Isthmus

As I commented yesterday, Chancellor Biddy Martin is getting what she wants out of the governor?s budget. The budget proposes making the University of Wisconsin-Madison a public authority, meaning it will have more independence from the state to set tuition rates and professor salaries, construct new buildings and do a wide variety of other things that are currently restricted by state regulations. In short, UW-Madison will no longer be treated as another state agency.