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Friday, March 29, 2024

PROFS to ask for national support of shared governance

Following the shared governance changes in 2015, UW-Madison had to rethink its structure of communication between campus groups. According to Jack O’Meara of PROFS, the lobbying arm of the Faculty Senate, UW-Madison still has shared governance but movement among some state political leaders has weakened this structure.

PROFS seeks to protect shared governance, which they think has helped make UW-Madison a premier university.

The organization is currently drafting a letter asking congressional leaders to recognize the importance of shared governance on a national level.

“Because the federal government plays a key role in setting the agenda and tone for higher education in our country, it makes sense for language supporting shared governance to be placed either in the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act or in a Department of Education appropriations bill,” the current draft of the statement reads.

O’Meara said PROFS wants to make it clear that the federal government supports shared governance. He said adding federal legislation would be a message of principle, with the weight of law, but operational details could be worked out at the local level.

Ultimately, PROFS will share their final draft with Wisconsin’s congressional delegation in hopes they will share it and gather support from their colleagues.

“We look at our budget at UW-Madison and we get more funding from the federal government than we do from the state government,” said O’Meara. “And we saw that as a reason why it might make sense for the federal government to weigh in on this issue as well.”

O’Meara said that schools in other states have recognized how effective shared governance has been at UW System schools.

“Despite coming from a state that isn’t real wealthy, we have one of the premier research institution in the country and the world,” O’Meara said. “We believes the shared governance is a primary reason we are so great, because we work together, because we vet ideas.”

Academic Staff Professionals Representation Organization said they are waiting for a final draft and Associated Students of Madison Legislative Affairs Committee is also waiting to pass official legislation through Student Council.

However, all groups agree in the value of shared governance. PROFS’ draft to congress reads, “Shared governance is the antidote to the bad idea and the crucible to the best idea. Bringing new initiatives to the broader university community avoids unintended negative consequences and nearly always improves an idea.”

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