Some members of the University of Wisconsin System’s faculty have been actively looking for jobs elsewhere after the latest state budget cuts from the Legislature and ongoing tension between faculty and staff and Gov. Scott Walker.
Category: State news
State Insurance Board Says Process For Examining Self-Funding Is Transparent
Wisconsin’s Group Insurance Board will seek bids in July for a company to manage a possible self-insurance program.
Supreme Court admits law school grad to bar despite ‘character and fitness’ questions
A Wisconsin law school graduate who was denied a license to practice here over academic misconduct and honesty issues won conditional admission to the bar Wednesday from a divided Supreme Court.
Wisconsin trail cam project goes live
Quoted: “Something like this has never been done before, not for such a large area,” said UW–Madison Professor of Forest and Wildlife Ecology Phil Townsend, a leader on the project, in a statement released Tuesday by the university. “The number of trail cams and the spatial scale we’re working on will make this project unique.”
Rebecca Blank: ‘Dueling op-eds’ with Scott Walker dangerous for UW’s future
The adversarial relationship between the University of Wisconsin and Gov. Scott Walker is perilous, UW-Madison Chancellor Rebecca Blank told faculty Tuesday.
Our view: Wisconsin’s higher education will drive our economy
Tommy Thompson still knows how to work a room. The former Wisconsin governor thanked faculty members during a graduation ceremony last week at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, calling them “some of the greatest professors in the United States of America.”
Professor Shares Why She’s Leaving UW-Madison
In the wake of budget cuts and sparring between the legislature and UW faculty and staff, faculty retention has become an issue at UW-Madison. We hear from the chair of UW-Madison’s English department about her choice to leave and why she says the UW is expected to run like a business but isn’t allowed to do the things that businesses have the freedom to do.
DNR, UW-Madison researchers launch crowdsourced wildlife tracking project
Anyone with computer access can now take part in conducting wildlife research in Wisconsin.Snapshot Wisconsin, a collaboration between UW-Madison and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, is recruiting the public to help track the state’s wildlife population.
UW professor: Voter ID in Wisconsin, other requirements likely violate federal law | Politics and Elections | host.madison.com
Wisconsin election laws on trial in federal court this week likely violate the federal Voting Rights Act by disproportionately affecting voting by minority, young and low-income voters, a report by a UW-Madison professor concludes.
Researcher Tells Court Voter ID Laws Are A ‘Hindrance’ To Elections Process
Testimony continued Tuesday in the federal trial on Wisconsin’s voter ID law, with an elections researcher outlining the effects he see the legislation having on access to the polls.
Report: Reductions in higher ed funding would hurt state’s economy
Reductions in public funding for higher education will negatively impact Wisconsin’s economy, according to a report released today by the Wisconsin Technology Council.
Tech Council report warns of continuing higher ed cuts
A new Wisconsin Technology Council report warns further state budget cuts to higher education “will prove costly over time.”
UW-Stout chancellor: Faculty vote ‘misses target’
MENOMONIE — UW-Stout Chancellor Bob Meyer said Tuesday he understands the no confidence vote in UW System leaders approved by the university’s Faculty Senate, but he doesn’t agree with it.
Wisconsin Technology Council: Cutting UW, tech college funding again would hurt economy
Continuing to cut higher education funding will hurt Wisconsin’s economy by reducing research and innovation on college campuses, according to a new report from the state organization that advises lawmakers on science and technology.
On Campus: Tommy Thompson lauds ‘great professors,’ while Scott Walker criticizes faculty
Former Gov. Tommy Thompson showered UW-Madison professors with praise at a graduation ceremony last week, striking a different tone from the sharp criticism of faculty members fellow Republican Gov. Scott Walker has leveled in recent days.
Wisconsin Republicans gather for annual state convention
Noted: Gov. Scott Walker is taking swipes at University of Wisconsin faculty who have recently been passing no-confidence resolutions targeting the Board of Regents and system president Ray Cross.
Walker said Saturday at the state party convention that faculty are upset because changes to the law affecting tenure took away what he calls “job for life” protections. The faculty argue that’s a mischaracterization of tenure and that the law changes make it too easy to fire someone without justification.
Walker is also saying he “gets a kick” out of Democrats who talk about student loan debt. Walker asks why they didn’t support his tuition freeze at UW which has been in place for four years.
Tommy Thompson receives honorary UW degree
Former Wisconsin governor and U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson was honored at spring commencement at the University of Wisconsin Friday night.
He received an honorary degree.
Leaving UW: Reduced funding, politics force fond faculty to say farewell
It’s not only this weekend’s graduates who are saying goodbye to UW-Madison. Budget cuts and politics have combined to convince faculty — some who thought they would retire at the campus — to accept offers of the kind they’ve declined in the past and take their expertise and grant funding elsewhere.
Scott Walker rates ‘pants on fire’ for UW student-faculty ratio figure
Politifact rated Scott Walker “pants on fire” for his claim that the ratio of faculty to students at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee was only 2.8 to 1.
UW System president responds to ‘no confidence’ votes
UW System President Ray Cross says he accepts the criticism after faculty at five UW campuses declare they have no confidence in him.
Scott Walker way off in saying University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee has 2.8 students per faculty member
Not to get all inside-baseball, but news releases issued by Gov. Scott Walker are usually pretty plain, like the white chalk lines that meet at home plate.
No-Confidence Votes Unlikely To Impact UW System Leadership
The University of Wisconsin-Green Bay became the fifth campus in the UW System where faculty voted to declare no confidence in President Ray Cross and the Board of Regents.
Program connecting lawmakers to UW researchers gets boost with Baldwin Wisconsin Idea grant
When Wisconsin lawmakers considered a bill last year to allow deer hunters to wear fluorescent pink for safety, in addition to blaze orange, their deliberations were informed by University of Wisconsin-Madison research.
UW-Green Bay faculty plans no confidence vote in UW System leaders
GREEN BAY, Wis — – Faculty across the UW System have taken a stand against the actions of system leaders with a symbolic no confidence vote.
UWGB faculty vote no confidence in system leaders
The University of Wisconsin-Green Bay Faculty Senate on Wednesday approved a resolution expressing no confidence in UW System President Ray Cross and the Board of Regents.
Scott Walker to lead trade mission to Mexico
UW-River Falls and UW-Madison are also participating in parts of the June 12-17 trade mission, according to a statement from Walker’s office.
Scott Walker blasts professors as UW-Milwaukee faculty vote ‘no confidence’ in leaders
UW-Milwaukee became the fourth University of Wisconsin System campus to see professors declare they have no confidence in UW’s leaders Tuesday, in a vote that prompted Gov. Scott Walker to weigh in with sharp criticism of the faculty.
UW-Eau Claire University Senate holds off on vote of no confidence
The University Senate at UW-Eau Claire has tabled the discussion on whether it should make a vote of no confidence against UW System leaders.
UWGB faculty plan protest vote; no vote at UW-Oshkosh
UW-Green Bay faculty plan to take a “no-confidence” vote Wednesday afternoon in UW System President Ray Cross and the UW Board of Regents, while Gov. Scott Walker says university faculty “fail to grasp reality.”
Meet the Wisconsin Student Leader Who Just Told Professors to Grow Up
t’s not often that a college student publicly accuses professors of immaturity and poor judgment. Yet Jacob W. Wrasse, a senior who this week finished his term as president of the student body at the University of Wisconsin at Eau Claire, has done just that as his campus’s University Senate considers whether to rebuke top university-system officials for failing to better shield professors’ tenure protections from a legislative assault.
Wisconsin governor and university system president anger professors with comments on tenure
Ray Cross, president of the University of Wisconsin System, wrote in a March email to the vice president of the system’s Board of Regents, who was chairing a task force on controversial changes to layoff policies concerning tenured faculty members, that tenure should not mean “a job for life,” according to public records first obtained by the The Cap Times. “That is a ‘union’ argument,” Cross wrote to Regent John Behling, comparing faculty members to railroad brakemen whom he said were kept on the job for years after they were no longer needed.
State officials to monitor for mosquitoes carrying Zika virus
Noted: The two species known to carry Zika do not currently live in Wisconsin because they can’t handle the cold, University of Wisconsin-Madison entomology professor Susan Paskewitz said.
But the species have been found in neighboring states, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have recently released a map of their potential range, which includes parts of lower Wisconsin.
Walker plans trade mission to Mexico next month
Noted: Agriculture Secretary Ben Brancel will be among state administrators joining the governor, as well as representatives from Wisconsin businesses and the University of Wisconsin Madison and River Falls campuses.
UW System president: Tenure shouldn’t guarantee lifetime job
A newly released email from the University of Wisconsin System president praised the decision to remove faculty tenure protections from state law.
Walker to lead business development mission to Mexico in June
Noted: Walker also is set to participate in the 2016 CIGAL Dairy Trade Show, which focuses on the dairy production sector and draws exhibitors from throughout Mexico and the United States, the governor’s office said. The Dairy Trade Show will be held in Guadalajara June 15-17, and Walker will be joined by a delegation that includes Wisconsin businesses, University of Wisconsin-Madison, UW-River Falls and DATCP.
UW-Extension Forms Work Groups To Address Budget Cuts
Next week, the University of Wisconsin-Extension will start planning to absorb $3.6 million in budget cuts to the agency’s county and university educational services.
UpFront: Vos comments on UW System
Noted: Gousha also asked Vos about the impact of “no confidence” votes faculty members at UW-Madison and other UW campuses have taken in recent days. Vos said he thought the impact would be “minimal.”Some UW faculty opposed to budget cuts and changes to tenure have taken votes of “no confidence” in UW System President Ray Cross and the Board of Regents.”It’s not about the faculty,” Vos said. “When I look at the UW System, I look at the students who are there, the economic engine that happens across the state, quite frankly, and every campus.”
2 More UW Campuses Pass Resolutions Showing Dissatisfaction With System Leaders
Faculty at two more University of Wisconsin campuses have passed resolutions saying the have no confidence in the public university system’s leaders. UW-Madison faculty passed a resolution earlier this week saying they don’t have faith in the actions of UW System President Ray Cross and the Board of Regents. Following suit, UW-River Falls and UW-La Crosse passed similar resolutions.
More Wisconsin Campuses Plan No-Confidence Votes
Faculty members at three additional University of Wisconsin campuses are planning no-confidence votes concerning Ray Cross, university system president, and the system’s Board of Regents, the Journal Sentinel reported. The proposed measures at Milwaukee, Eau Claire and Green Bay are similar to a resolution passed by the Faculty Senate at the University of Wisconsin at Madison last week, versions of which were quickly adopted by faculty governance bodies at River Falls and LaCrosse.
Do Cuts To The UW-Extension Impact What It Means To Be A Wisconsinite?
Last year, $250 million dollars in state funding were cut from the UW system, which also meant a loss of $3.6 million dollars in funding for the UW-Extension, which is charged with broadcast operations like WPR, providing online degrees, and working with all of Wisconsin’s counties on agricultural and economic development issues. We talk to a political writer who says that cutting funding to the extension service is contrary to the Wisconsin Idea and what it means to be a Wisconsinite.
Walker protesters disrupt UW-Stevens Point groundbreaking
Protesters of Gov. Scott Walker’s cuts to the University of Wisconsin system budget disrupted the Stevens Point campus’ celebration as it broke ground Thursday on its first new free-standing academic building in 40 years.
UW-La Crosse faculty senate voices no confidence in UW Board of Regents, UW president
In a unanimous vote Thursday evening, the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Faculty Senate supported a resolution of no-confidence in the UW System Board of Regents and the system’s president, Ray Cross.
Wisconsin GOP Reacts To UW-Madison Faculty Vote Of Confidence
While many UW-Madison faculty might be satisfied with an overwhelming vote of no confidence in the UW System President Ray Cross and the Board of Regents, some Wisconsin GOP lawmakers are disappointed in the decision. We talk to WPR State Capitol Reporter Laurel White about some of the reactions from GOP legislators to the vote of no confidence.
Republican Lawmaker: UW Faculty Vote Shows They’re ‘Out Of Touch’
A key Republican state lawmaker is calling the University of Wisconsin-Madison faculty’s vote of “no confidence” in university leadership a sign that they’re “out of touch” with most Wisconsinites.
UW-Madison Faculty Senate approves “no confidence” resolution
The UW-Madison Faculty Senate has approved a resolution of “no confidence” in UW System President Ray Cross and the UW Board of Regents.
UW-Madison Faculty Senate say no confidence in leaders
Faculty at the University of Wisconsin-Madison have overwhelmingly supported a no-confidence vote in UW System President Ray Cross and the UW Board of Regents.
UW-Madison profs hope no-confidence vote leads to a ‘wave’ of similar measures
“The time has come to be fearless and united,” Cynthia Burnson told a packed meeting of the Faculty Senate. Burnson, co-president of the Teaching Assistants Association, urged faculty to stand up and say “enough is enough.” UW-Madison faculty held the opportunity to lead a statewide uprising against leadership that has failed to protect adequate funding and academic freedom, she said.
No-confidence vote by UW faculty passes overwhelmingly
Faculty at the University of Wisconsin-Madison overwhelmingly voted Monday to protest UW System President Ray Cross and the Board of Regents, saying they had no confidence in their support for the system’s guiding principle.
UW-Madison faculty declare ‘no confidence’ in Board of Regents, UW System president
Professors at UW-Madison declared Monday that they have no confidence in the leaders of the University of Wisconsin System to uphold their cherished outreach mission in the wake of budget cuts and changes to tenure policies that weakened faculty protections.
Judge denies reinstatement of State 23 expansion
Noted: Yet another study commissioned by the DOT found that on 12 Wisconsin highways that were expanded from two to four lanes, crashes were reduced, according to Andrea Bill, a research program manager for the Transportation Operations and Safety Lab at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
U. of Wisconsin at Madison Faculty Votes No Confidence in System’s President and Regents
Professors at the University of Wisconsin at Madison have voted no confidence in the university system’s president, Raymond W. Cross, and its Board of Regents, the Faculty Senate announced on Monday.
UW-Madison Faculty Overwhelmingly Say They Have ‘No Confidence’ In System Leaders
University of Wisconsin-Madison faculty leaders approved a measure Monday afternoon saying they have no confidence in the actions of the UW System President Ray Cross and the Board of Regents.
Amid cuts, UW System campuses seek to preserve student advising
While state budget cuts may make it more difficult for some students in the University of Wisconsin System to get the help they need to choose the right classes and stay on track for graduation, administrators say they are trying to protect advising and even expand it.
Scott Walker’s HR agency slammed civil service changes in private memo
Documents obtained under the state’s open records law by the Wisconsin State Journal include a memo that sharply critiques a version of the civil service bill passed by Republican legislators and signed by Walker in February.
Stricter Rules for Voter IDs Reshape Races
SAN ANTONIO — In a state where everything is big, the 23rd Congressional District that hugs the border with Mexico is a monster: eight and a half hours by car across a stretch of land bigger than any state east of the Mississippi. In 2014, Representative Pete Gallego logged more than 70,000 miles there in his white Chevy Tahoe, campaigning for re-election to the House — and lost by a bare 2,422 votes.
Gousha: UW faculty leaders criticize system president
Members of the UW-Madison Faculty Senate consider a no-confidence resolution on UW System President Ray Cross, and the Board of Regents.
UW System president: Pay hikes possible
MENOMONIE — About $35 million may be available for UW System faculty and staff compensation thanks to lower fringe benefit costs from 1,400 workers leaving the university system, UW System President Ray Cross says.
Digging Deeper: Possible impact of no-confidence vote on UW campus
The UW-Madison campus is divided over a proposed ‘no-confidence’ vote led by university professors. The resolution was written to speak out against UW System President Ray Cross and the UW Board of Regents.
Walker defends cuts, changes to UW system
The big budget cuts and tenure changes at the University of Wisconsin have caused some faculty and staff to call for changes.
But Tuesday, governor Scott Walker defended the changes that were put in place by him and GOP lawmakers.
Assembly GOP leader: No confidence vote in UW leaders shows faculty ‘arrogance’
On Tuesday, Assembly Majority Leader Jim Steineke, R-Kaukauna, defended Cross and the Regents, described the changes to tenure as “minor” and criticized faculty for bringing the no confidence vote.