Category Archives: Business and Education

What can we expect from Tommy Thompson as the interim president of the University of Wisconsin System? First off, the term “interim” implies a year or so. But it doesn’t seem accurate in describing Thompson’s appointment. He’s there for a … Read the rest

Gov. Scott Walker threw the fat in the fire in terms of public support for the University of Wisconsin System, and now he will sit back and watch from the presidential campaign trail as people who run and support the … Read the rest

You would hardly know it from the campaign for governor, but Wisconsin has more than a brain drain; it has a brain hemorrhage. Ask Wisconsin parents and grandparents who have watched their offspring with college degrees move to other states … Read the rest

Following the general wisdom that says, “Leave well enough alone,” let’s not mess with the basic structure that supports the Wisconsin Technical College System (WCTS). Gov. Walker and the Republican legislature have opened the subject by proposing a property tax … Read the rest

The flap in Madison over the appropriate level of reserves for the UW System tees up an opportunity for a broader look at the financing of what may be the state’s finest asset. First, an observation: if the auditors had … Read the rest

As Wisconsin struggles to find its way forward from a four-decade pattern of economic slippage compared to other states, the choice of a new chancellor for UW-Madison looms large. It is beyond debate that flagship universities play a pivotal role … Read the rest