Killing the University, Softly

UW-Madison is a great university. But it faces an attack that will destroy it as a public institution. State support for higher education in Wisconsin has been falling for decades, and Scott Walker and his conservative allies will reduce it even further. Unfortunately, Chancellor Biddy Martin is creating a situation which will doom future state aid, regardless of which party controls the Capitol.

We support public universities because they provide public good. If the average citizen can't see and recognize that good, support will dry up. For the vast majority of people in Wisconsin, the main public good provided by the UW-Madison campus is the opportunity to attend a world-class institution in their own back yard.

Biddy Martin is going to change that. With the best of intentions, she has signaled her willingness to accept a significant state aid cut in return for "flexibility". Flexibility means a huge tuition increase, ten percent fewer Wisconsin students , and dividing UW-Madison from the rest of the UW system

By making far more difficult for the average Wisconsinite to attend UW-Madison, while simultaneously separating Madison from the other campuses, Martin virtually guarantees continuing erosion of public support, and the eventual end of all state funding for the UW campus. It will take years, but as each reduction in state aid results in further tuition increases, and the need to accept even more out-of state (rich) students, the result will be inevitable. UW-Madison will evolve into an elite private university, no longer supported by, or accountable to, the people of Wisconsin, and out of reach of all but the most wealthy.

You might argue that the many other benefits from UW-Madison, including the billions of research dollars that it brings in, will protect it from such a future. You would be mistaken. Most Republicans, at least those in the Capitol, are perfectly happy with the concept of a privatized UW-Madison that serves the needs of business and the wealthy. And Democrats are not going to lift a finger to preserve an institution that their constituents can no longer hope to attend.


For better or worse, the Ivy League may finally invade Madison. The Wisconsin Idea will be the first casualty.

Why Are Conservatives Such Cowards?

I've been to a lot of events at the Wisconsin State Capitol. From anti-war rallies to Tea party protests. A few dozen people to many thousands. Even helped organize a few myself. Yet I've never seen anything like the heavy and obvious police presence at the labor rally today.

The Capitol Police usually take care of security in and around the Capitol. In my experience they have always been extremely professional and capable, unobtrusive yet always there when needed. Good cops doing a good job without stirring up a fuss. And that's been good enough for every other governor, and at every other event, in recent history.

But not for Scott Walker and his fellow cowards. Walker brought in DNR wardens, UW police, State troopers, and Sheriff's deputies, and just to make sure folks noticed all the cops he dressed them up in bright green and orange vests. Lots and lots of wasted taxpayer dollars walking around Capitol Square to show everybody how tough Walker is. I'm surprised he didn't call out the National Guard as well.

Maybe he's saving them for tomorrow's protest.