The UW System consistently receives more funding and support under Democratic control, John Witte, professor of public affairs and political science in the La Follette School of Public Affairs, said Wednesday in a forum.
Comparing statistics of unified Republican state legislatures, unified Democratic state legislatures and split-party state legislatures, Witte said, ""There is a definite relation between Democratic control and how well the university does in funding—I don't think there's any question about that.""
""And there's no chance you're going to see a Democratic state assembly,"" he said, predicting the results of the 2006 general elections. ""I'll put money on it.""
Witte said he has studied the campaigns and thinks Democrats might take back the state Senate, but that it is unlikely.
Witte further declared the upcoming mid-term elections will have a strong impact on higher education in Wisconsin.
Focusing on state and federal funding, Witte said financial aid and Pell Grants would increase if Democrats take back the federal Legislature, and that UW-Madison receives less federal funding because it is not actively engaged in defense research, such as weapons development.
On a final political note, Witte criticized both Democratic and Republican state and federal campaigns for not relenting on agitating issues—like the Democratic party's initiation of the gay marriage debate in the 2004 presidential election, which Witte said drudged up conservative voters, turning many swing states ""red,"" and gubernatorial candidate Mark Green's appeal after the State Election Board's order to give back $467,000 in campaign funds, an amount Witte called ""penny change.""
The forum, sponsored by the Wisconsin Center for the Advancement of Postsecondary Education, was part of a new campus series designed to share the university's ideas with students and the public.
