More warning signs about UW System as it looks for a new president

Now that the UW System is choosing a new president, they've decided to change the way that they make that selection. And it doesn't sound good.

The nine people who will identify System President Ray Cross’ successor are the smallest in number and least diverse presidential search committee going back at least to the early 1990s. The committee’s pick will oversee the state’s public university system, its 167,000 students and an annual budget of $6.3 billion.

The next leader will also inherit lingering tension with faculty and staff who believe the Regents have not advocated strongly enough against controversial, Republican-promoted laws and policies in recent years, such as the weakening of shared governance principles, the removal of tenure protections from state law and large budget cuts....

Board of Regents President Drew Petersen appointed the search committee last week, and the group is expected to convene in December. It includes four Regents, one student Regent, one former Regent, two chancellors and a provost.

And 4 of the 5 current and former Regents were appointed by Scott Walker, not current Governor Tony Evers.

You'll notice that the search committee does not include one current faculty member, staff member, or student, which kind of seems to be important constituencies to consider when it comes to the future leader of a university system. Especially when retiring President Ray Cross was given votes of no confidence from faculty and students at multiple campuses for allowing an anti-UW GOP to run roughshod over the System through budget cuts, speech codes and the eradication of tenure.

Another story from this week illustrated to me how a small group with personal agendas is getting to set the agenda for the UW over the people who actually work and attend classes there. And it's from what seems to be a positive story.

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee has received a $10 million donation toward construction of a new research vessel intended to help advance the scientific understanding of water and the Great Lakes.

The money from anonymous donors, and given through the Greater Milwaukee Foundation, equals the largest gifts ever received by the school, officials said.

The research vessel, to be called the Maggi Sue at the request of the donors, will cost an estimated $15 million. A capital campaign for the ship includes an additional $5 million for operational costs.

The donation is a major step toward construction of a ship that will expand UWM’s research capabilities on the Great Lakes and provide students more opportunities for onboard study.

So great, the opportunities for the School of Freshwater Sciences will be helped through this new $10 million ship. But that investment by donors also means that the school needs to follow by making that school an emphasis with their dwindling resources from other areas. Which is a problem when it comes to the university's overall mission, much like what was mentioned in this movie that was shot at UW-Madison over 30 years ago.



"It was a really big check..."

And that's what concerns me about both of these stories. It's another indicator that the ALEC desire to have the UW System be one that serves the needs of corporations and big-money donors over the needs of society, or even the wants of the individuals that attend the school.

This has to stop. Plenty of damage has already been done, but more can follow if we don't get stop these oligarchs from calling the shots of a UW System that's supposed to be for all Wisconsinites.