A panel examined Gov. Scott Walker’s proposed budget Monday, looking at the possible effects becoming a public authority would have on UW-Madison and the UW System as a whole.
Although varying in political disposition and opinions on the budget cuts, members of the panel consisting of UW-Madison faculty and Associated Students of Madison Vice Chair Derek Field agreed on the effects a public authority model would have on undergraduate education.
The Director and Associate Researcher for the Wisconsin Center of the Advancement of Postsecondary Education Noel Radomski explained that becoming a public authority would likely allow flexibilities to save money and reallocate power.
However panelists worried about the future of undergraduate education at the university. Sara Goldrick-Rab, educational policy studies and sociology professor, said the budget cuts could cause the university to further neglect undergraduate instruction due to a focus on research and raising tuition.
“We need to know how much money we can teach with,” Goldrick-Rab said. “We don’t even know if we are spending an adequate amount of money on our students today to achieve adequate outcomes.”
Goldrick-Rab said this and many other uncertainties have caused groups, including the UW-Madison Faculty Senate, to call for a more open discussion of what the budget will entail before supporting the public authority model. They passed a resolution Monday stating they need the issue carefully examined before adopting it.
Radomski also cautioned that separating control of the UW System from the state Legislature would remove accountability for UW-Madison. He was concerned about the missing accountability gap.
“[Walker] tried modifying … the mission statement,” Radomski said. “The constituents stood out, he changed his mind. Fast forward, public authority exists. They decide to modify the mission statement, delete sabbaticals, delete tenure… poof! Who’s going to hold them accountable? No one.”
