Category Archives: University of Wisconsin System

President Baerwald, Please think collaboratively on community college.

Bonnie Baerwald, president of Moraine Park Technical College (MPTC), dropped a surprise bombshell on the developing consensus among leaders in Washington County that a consolidation of the county’s two two-year colleges makes pragmatic sense. Baerwald (pictured left) listed “facts” about … Read the rest

Combine MPTC-WB and UWM-WC

Faced with a severe enrollment decline University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee at Washington County over the last ten years and an uncertain future, Washington County Executive Josh Schoemann pulled together a citizen task force five months ago to come up … Read the rest

UWM stiffed (again) in governor’s budget

How can it be that Milwaukee and the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee (UWM) are chopped liver in Gov. Ever’s massive building budget for 2023-25? In late February Democratic Gov. Tony Evers rolled out his ambitious budget proposal for $3.8 billion … Read the rest

Are community colleges a good answer?

More than two dozen leaders in Washington County showed up last week to show their support for West Bend’s two-year liberal arts campus. Despite grievous enrollment declines, there was unanimity that some way forward must be found for the satellite … Read the rest

Two-year UW colleges in big trouble

Something has gone terribly wrong with the consolidation of the former UW College System and its 13 campuses into the comprehensive UW 4-6 year degree colleges. These were thriving community colleges 10-20 years ago with more than 12,000 students. At … Read the rest

Will Rothman clean up UW conglomerate?

Jay Rothman may be just the right choice to deal with UW Madison that has become a conglomerate. The newly selected UW System president spent his career at Foley and Lardner, the state’s largest law firm, where he dealt with … Read the rest

Rothman Task: Re-balance UW System

It is crystal clear that the University of Wisconsin Board of Regents had the Wisconsin Idea in mind when its 17 members unanimously chose Jay Rothman as the next present of the UW System. The historic Wisconsin Idea holds that … Read the rest

New UW President Must Be Change Agent

The search committee for a new University of Wisconsin System (UWS) president has surfaced two candidates who look to have the chops necessary for leading the university through some turbulent times in the next five to ten years. Jay Rothman, … Read the rest

Tommy would add depth to the 2022 campaign

Within a few months, UW regents president Edmund Manydeeds will accept the resignation of Tommy Thompson as interim UW president. “Tommy,” as he was known during his four terms as Wisconsin governor, stepped into a vacuum when a UW Regents’ … Read the rest

A Roth Challenge: rethinking education bottom to top

As Sen. Roger Roth pursues reorganization of the University of Wisconsin System, he has a chance to put Wisconsin in the vanguard for getting every invaluable child off to a successful life and career. The temptation over the next decade … Read the rest