Author: Michelle Felber

Governor Scott Walker Inauguration Speech

by Michelle Felber • January 5, 2015 • Comments Off

Governor Scott Walker

Governor Scott Walker will deliver his inaugural address at 11 am today, Monday, January 5. Livestream coverage is available here.

Brief excerpts of the speech were released earlier today. In them, Walker emphasizes the role of the states over the federal government:

“We’ve been good stewards of the taxpayers’ money and lowered their tax burden as well. We’ve shown why the founders of this great nation looked to the states — and not the federal government — as the source of hope for this exceptional country. We will not let them down. Now, we have a grand vision for the future — a dream of freedom and prosperity for all who live here in the great state of Wisconsin.”

ETA: full remarks here.

UW System President Ray Cross Interview

by Michelle Felber • December 19, 2014 • Comments Off

Steve Walters of WisconsinEye recently interviewed University of Wisconsin System President Ray Cross to discuss the future of the University of Wisconsin System. Video of the interview is below.

Topics of discussion included a look to future budgeting and funding constraints, the possible creation of new engineering programs at three UW System campuses, and the relationship between UW System and the Wisconsin Technical College System.

Walters and Cross spoke at length about Cross’ recent remarks to the Board of Regents and the subsequent plans for a transformational study of the UW System. Cross estimates this study will occur over the next several months, and faculty will be engaged in the process. Cross also said UW System must do a better job at communicating what faculty do, in and outside the classroom.

When asked if UW-Madison will be included with the proposed reforms, Cross said UW-Madison and UW-Milwaukee have a research focus and the final recommendations may not fully apply to those two campuses.

Robin Vos on Teaching Load and Tenure

by Michelle Felber • December 18, 2014 • Comments Off

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester) recently spoke with the Racine Journal Times editorial board, where he shared his views on a range of issues including right to work, school accountability and employment for prisoners.

Vos also discussed his views on UW System and its faculty, saying he was concerned about the amount of time faculty spend outside the classroom:

“If they’re bringing in research, I totally understand that; they’re helping to grow the economy or even grow the public good. But if they are just being allowed course releases to have a sabbatical or to do something that’s not productive, we don’t have the money to do that.”

On tenure:

“Do I believe in tenure? I don’t. It’s an anachronism; it was something that was back from the ‘50s and ‘60s. I don’t think anyone should be given a job for life, which is what tenure is.”

PROFS President Grant Petty notes that tenure is not a job for life, and in fact tenure was developed in the early 20th century to offer faculty due process and protect their academic freedom:

“Tenure is the foundation of great research and teaching institutions. It does not offer one a job for life, but instead allows faculty to pursue scholarly endeavors without fear of ideological or political attack.”

UW System President Ray Cross’ Remarks to Regents

by Michelle Felber • December 8, 2014 • Comments Off

UW System President Ray Cross

University of Wisconsin System President Ray Cross addressed the Board of Regents Friday, broadly outlining reforms intended to improve efficiency and effectiveness while allowing the university to be more responsive to the needs of the state.

Some of the areas mentioned for reform:

Faculty workload
Class offerings and low-enrollment courses
Search processes for chancellors
Credit requirements
Student segregated fees
Administrative operations

PROFS President Grant Petty told the Wisconsin State Journal that courses are already examined carefully and cautioned against using credit hours taught as the only measure of efficiency:

“(L)ow-enrollment courses here at UW-Madison are often also high-impact courses. That is, they are usually taught to advanced students on a specialized topic by a professor with world-class expertise in that subject. Sometimes losing low-enrollment courses due to budget constraints means that our students lose valuable educational opportunities. Efficiency at UW-Madison cannot and should not be measured strictly in terms of the number of student credit-hours taught.”

Cross’ full remarks are here:

December Board of Regents Meeting

by Michelle Felber • December 3, 2014 • Comments Off

The University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents will meet Thursday and Friday, December 4 and 5 at at UW-Madison. The meeting will be held in the Symphony and Overture Rooms of Gordon Dining and Event Center, 770 West Dayton Street. Livestream coverage of the meeting will be available here.

The regents will meet in committees Thursday afternoon and Friday morning:

The Education Committee will discuss UW System baccalaureate engineering programs, including the proposal to create a Northwest Wisconsin Engineering Consortium at UW-River Falls, UW-Stout, and UW-Eau Claire. Earlier this year, UW System commissioned a study to examine the potential need for more engineers in the state.

The Business and Finance Committee will hear a quarterly report on gifts and grants, review the trust funds investment policy, and listen project update reports.

The Capital Planning and Budget Committee will discuss proposed building projects, including projects at Grainger Hall and Elizabeth Waters Residence Hall. The Grainger Hall project to renovate two classrooms will be paid for entirely through gift funds, while the residence hall project requires additional funding authority.

Lieutenant Governor Rebecca Kleefisch has been invited to address the Research, Economic Development, and Innovation Committee. The committee will also hear updates on Economic Development Incentive Grant recipients, including Discovery to Product (D2P) at UW-Madison.

The Audit Committee will discuss recent UW System audit reports and consider a request for proposals to create a waste, fraud and abuse hotline.

The full board begins its meeting at 9 am Friday. UW System President Ray Cross will address the board, providing his thoughts on transforming the way the university does business. The regents will hear reports from the Higher Educational Aids Board, the Hospital Authority Board, and the Wisconsin Technical College System Board.

PROFS to Present Annual Report to Faculty Senate Today

by Michelle Felber • December 1, 2014 • Comments Off

PROFS president Grant Petty will present the PROFS Annual Report for 2013-14 to the Faculty Senate today, Monday, December 1. The senate meets in Room 272 Bascom Hall at 3:30 pm. A full agenda of the meeting is here.

Faculty senators and visitors are invited to join PROFS for refreshments in the rotunda area outside Room 272 Bascom Hall beginning at 3 pm today.

PROFS Welcomes New President Grant Petty

by Michelle Felber • November 20, 2014 • Comments Off

Grant Petty

PROFS welcomes Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences (AOS) Professor Grant Petty as president and offers many thanks to Agronomy Professor Bill Tracy for his hard work as president the past three years. Tracy remains a member of the steering committee.

Petty, chair of AOS, is currently serving his third and final year as a member of the University Committee, the PROFS Board of Directors. He joined the faculty in 2000 and became a member of the PROFS Steering Committee in 2012. Two years ago Petty’s thoughts on public higher education were featured in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

WAA Fall Forum

by Michelle Felber • November 19, 2014 • Comments Off

Dozens of alumni and friends of the University of Wisconsin-Madison gathered Saturday to discuss the state budget process and learn how they can play a role in advocating for the university. PROFS President Grant Petty attended, along with legislative representative Jack O’Meara and administrator Michelle Felber.

Attendees heard from Chancellor Rebecca Blank, Associate Vice Chancellor Charles Hoslet, and Chemistry Professor Robert Hamers.

Blank and Hoslet focused their remarks on the biennial budget process, while Hamers discussed the proposed Chemistry Building renovation project and the importance of the department to other departments, schools, and colleges throughout campus. WAA also shared a new video that was sent to alumni and donors throughout Wisconsin.

Hamers’ PowerPoint:

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Hoslet’s PowerPoint:

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WAA video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VO3R8VUrpIs

Legislative Leadership Selected

by Michelle Felber • November 13, 2014 • Comments Off

Senate and Assembly partisan caucuses met this week and selected their leadership for the 2015-16 legislative session.

Assembly Republicans will continue to be led by Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester), while Senate Republicans re-elected Scott Fitzgerald (R-Juneau) as their leader. Republicans enjoy large margins over Democrats in both houses — 63 to 36 in the Assembly and 19-14 in the Senate.

Democrat Peter Barca (D-Kenosha) held off challenger Evan Goyke (D-Milwaukee) for the position of Assembly Minority Leader. Senate Democrats will be led by Jennifer Shilling (D-La Crosse), who challenged Minority Leader Chris Larson (D-Democrat). Larson withdrew his name before the caucus met yesterday.

Assembly Republican Leaders

Robin Vos, Rochester, Speaker

Jim Steineke, Kaukauna, Majority Leader

Dan Knodl, Germantown, Assistant Majority Leader

Tyler August, Lake Geneva, Speaker Pro Tempore

John Murtha, Baldwin, Caucus Chair

Lee Nerison, Westby, Caucus Vice-Chair

Jesse Rodriguez, Franklin, Caucus Secretary

Samantha Kerkman, Salem, Sergeant at Arms

Assembly Democratic Leaders

Peter Barca, Kenosha, Minority Leader

Katrina Shankland, Stevens Point, Assistant Minority Leader

Andy Jorgensen, Milton, Caucus Chair

Jo Casta Zamarripa, Caucus Vice Chair

Beth Meyers, Bayfield, Caucus Secretary

Josh Zepnick, Milwaukee, Caucus Sergeant at Arms

Senate Republican Leaders

Scott Fitzgerald, Juneau, Majority Leader

Paul Farrow, Pewaukee, Minority Leader

Mary Lazich, New Berlin, President

Rick Gudex, Fond du Lac, President Pro Tempore

Sheila Harsdorf, River Falls, Caucus Chair

Van Wanggaard, Racine, Caucus Vice Chair

Senate Democratic Leaders

Jennifer Shilling, La Crosse, Minority Leader

Dave Hansen, Green Bay, Assistant Minority Leader

Julie Lassa, Caucus Chair

Kathleen Vinehout, Caucus Vice Chair

Chancellor Blank Offers Budget Transparency

by Michelle Felber • November 10, 2014 • Comments Off

Chancellor Rebecca Blank recently sat down with Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reporter Karen Herzog to discuss the university’s budget and how it relates to the upcoming 2015-17 state biennial budget process.

The chancellor told Herzog that she has worked to make UW-Madison’s budget more transparent to lawmakers, work that culminated in the publication of the 2014-15 Budget in Brief (embedded below).

Blank also shared how the campus has drawn down its reserves as a result of the 2013 controversy over UW System’s financial reserves, and deans and directors have been asked to model budget cuts of 2, 4, and 6 percent in anticipation of possible budget cuts from the state.

Blank also made the case for better faculty salaries, stating the university must compete globally for the best faculty. Faculty salaries are currently at the bottom of the university’s peer group — full professors earn almost 13 percent below the peer median.

The full article is expected to run in the November 11 edition of the Journal Sentinel. ETA: The article ran in the November 12 edition of the paper.

2014-15 Budget in Brief

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