Two members of the new legislative study committee created to examine the future of the University of Wisconsin system raised concerns about how six two-year UW campuses were closed over the last year.
Roger Atwell, founder of Nicolet Bank in Green Bay and retired UW regent, called for two actions to immediately fix serious issues facing the 13-university campus system:
- Bring long-lagging pay levels of UW faculty to the median of competing universities. “Let’s fix this!” he said, to avoid losing faculty to other universities. He said the pay gap is 10% to 15% below the median.
- Stop further closures of UW campuses until UW leadership comes forward with an overall plan for the system going forward.
The other critic about the how closures of six two-year campuses occurred was James Langdon, retired vice president of administration for the UW System. Directly addressing Jay Rothman, UW president, (pictured left) who was testifying in Madison Thursday before the study committee, Langdon stated that the closures, (including the University of Wisconsin – Washington County), were never included in a system reorganization plan.
He contended that such reorganization required a plan. He said there was no opportunity for public comment, and there was no approval by the UW Board of Regents for the closures.
“What’s the purpose of the Board of Regents?” he asked. He asserted that big decisions “need to happen in the bright sunshine.”
Rothman responded that UW counsel had advised that he did have the authority to close campuses. He said he talked to the governor and some legislators, though not in a public setting.
Rothman’s unilateral decisions came as a surprise to the six closed campuses. His rationale was sharp enrollment drops.
A proposal to consolidate the UWM satellite campus in West Bend with Moraine Park Technical College’s West Bend campus was shot down by leaders of the technical college at the state and local level.
No dollar amount was ever cited for UWM’s savings by closing the two campuses.
Rothman spent most of his two hours in front of the committee making the case for more state funding for the 13 UW universities. He said Wisconsin ranks 43rd among the 50 states in public funding for higher education.
“The lack of adequate investment undermines UW performance,” he said. The “neglect” of UW has continued for 10 years, he added.
He reported that the underlying problem of declining enrollment at the university is being addressed by a Wisconsin Promise program that currently funds tuition for poor students with family income below $55,000. The program is means-based, not merit-based.
He also reported that a new “direct admissions” program has just kicked off with letters of acceptance going to high school graduates at ten of the 13 UW campuses. He said that the huge program aimed at 18,000 to 25,000 recent graduates started last year has helped create a slight enrollment increase for the coming school year.
The president said these efforts are aimed at “bending” the trend toward lower participation in higher education across the state. A hot job market for high school graduates with on-the-job education is one factor pulling youths away from college careers.
The two Rothman initiatives did not come into play in time to help the six campuses slated for closure.
The future of the vacated West Bend campus remains undecided. Some talks are underway between local K-12 leaders and Washington County Executive Josh Schoemann.
Meanwhile, the UWM faculty senate rejected the proposal by UW Chancellor Mark Mone to lay off 35 tenured faculty members at the Waukesha and West Bend campuses by a vote of 24-11. The Waukesha campus closes at the end of the coming year.
Another 64 non-tenured employees have received lay-off notices. Several professors will be retiring. Others are seeking jobs at a time when many other colleges are not hiring.
