Category Archives: Business and Education
UW leaders: match Walker’s boldness with boldness

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
Where’s transparency in UW dollars headed out of state?

Information gleaned from a recent Illinois financial analysis makes the case for a deep and broad look at how the University of Wisconsin System operates. In a gift of transparency, the state of Illinois issued a review of an aggressive … Read the rest
New governor should plug brain drain

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
UWM needs new chancellor like Lovell

The premature departure of Mike Lovell as chancellor of UW-Milwaukee to president of Marquette University will only be a positive for the Milwaukee region if the UW regents appoint a successor who shares his vision and that of two chancellors … Read the rest
Leave tech college tax base alone

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
Return to ‘Wisconsin Idea’ in New Year

In the aftermath of one of the most polarized periods in Wisconsin history, wouldn’t it be reassuring if the political agenda for Wisconsin in 2014 centered on “The Wisconsin Idea,” a return to deliberative governance? The “Idea” means the sifting … Read the rest
UWM could become E-University

The accelerated pace of startup activity in the M7 region provides a golden opportunity for the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee to rebrand itself as an E – University --E for Entrepreneur. Unlike UW Madison, a major player in an … Read the rest
Next UW prez should be seasoned executive

The search for a replacement for Kevin Reilly as UW System president gives the board of regents a chance to take a hard look at where the system finds itself in a rapidly changing world. As they come to conclusions … Read the rest
Apply Wisconsin Idea to UW Finances

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
Prosperity agenda for new chancellor

Rebecca Blank, the new chancellor of the University of WisconsinMadison, has her work cut out for her if she is to position her taxpayer-built institution as a prime mover for the state's prosperity. There is a growing concern that part … Read the rest