Author: Michelle Felber

Election Update

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Governor Scott Walker handily defeated challenger Mary Burke last night, and legislative Republicans widened their margin in the Legislature with a 19-14 majority in the Senate and a 63-36 majority in the Assembly. Full election results from The Wheeler Report are below.

A special election will be scheduled in the 20th Senate District after State Senator Glenn Grothman (R-West Bend) resigns to represent Wisconsin’s 6th Congressional District, a seat he won yesterday after defeating Democrat Mark Harris. Two Assembly races are very close — the 51st and 85th Assembly Districts — and recounts are possible.

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-Burlington) and Joint Finance Committee Co-chair John Nygren (R-Marinette) spoke to the media earlier today and outlined their legislative agenda. Vos told reporters that while he supports UW System, changes in teaching and research will be considered.

Assembly results 2014 page 1Assembly results 2014 page 2Senate results 2014

November Board of Regents Meeting

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uw system logoThe University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents will meet at 9 am tomorrow, Thursday, November 6, at UW-Madison. The meeting will be held in the Symphony Room of Gordon Dining and Event Center, 770 West Dayton Street. Livestream coverage of the meeting will be available here.

The regents will host several panel discussions on Wisconsin’s workforce issues, and UW System Interim Senior Vice President David Ward and UW-Madison Provost Sarah Mangelsdorf will present accountability reports for 2013-14.

Chancellor Rebecca Blank will be among four chancellors discussing UW System’s response to workforce needs around the state. Other participants include Todd Berry of the Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance; Reggie Newson, Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development; Todd Battle, President of the Kenosha Area Business Alliance; Mark Tyler, President of OEM Fabricators; and Kathi Seifert, former Executive Vice President of Kimberly-Clark.

Governor Scott Walker was invited to the meeting, but a spokesperson said he will not attend.

 

Post-Election Analysis with Loftus and Thompson at Noon Today

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WisconsinEye will stream post-election analysis with former Republican Governor Tommy Thompson and former Democratic Assembly Speaker Tom Loftus at noon today, November 5. The pair will discuss election results with Steve Walters, senior producer at WisconsinEye, and JR Ross, editor at WisPolitics.

Loftus and Thompson, Wisconsin’s longest serving governor, both enjoyed service in the federal government after leaving state politics — Thompson as Secretary of Health and Human Services for President George W. Bush and Loftus as Ambassador to Norway for President Bill Clinton.

The program will also be available live on the WisconsinEye website, the WisconsinEye YouTube channel, Charter Cable channel 995, and Time Warner Cable channel 363.

 

 

Legislative Update

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Elections
Fall elections will be held tomorrow, Tuesday, November 4. Polls will be open statewide from 7 am to 8 pm. Polling places in Madison are available here. Statewide polling information is here.

Photo identification is not necessary to vote as a result of last month’s United States Supreme Court ruling. Voters with proof of residence may register at the polls on Election Day. More information is available on the Government Accountability Board website.

In addition to the statewide constitutional offices, all members of the Assembly and 17 members of the Senate are on the ballot. Republicans are expected to maintain control of the Assembly, but Democrats hope to win control of the Senate by flipping three seats:

  • District 9 (Fond du Lac/Manitowoc/Sheboygan): Democrat Martha Laning and Republican Devin LeMahieu face off in this traditionally conservative area. This seat became open when Senator Joe Leibham ran for Congress.
  • District 17 (Southwestern Wisconsin): Democrat Pat Bomhack and Republican Howard Marklein are vying for this seat vacated by retiring Senator Dale Schultz (R-Richland Center).
  • District 19 (Fox Valley): Democrat Penny Bernard Schaber will face Republican Roger Roth in this race which became open after Senator Michael Ellis (R-Neenah) announced he would not run for reelection.

Assembly Republicans outlined their agenda for 2015 last month. With regard to the university, they say they would like to “(r)eform UW System schools to be responsive to Wisconsin job markets and economic needs . . . Resources should be focused on major study areas that are identified as needs for today’s economy and for the future of Wisconsin.

Governor Scott Walker and Mary Burke on Higher Education
Both candidates have spoken about higher education on the campaign trail and offer differing points of view:

  • Walker supports a two-year tuition freeze as a way to ensure affordability for students and their families. He also prefers keeping tuition low rather than increasing governmental aid programs.
  • Burke supports a tuition freeze when coupled with increased support for UW System. She also advocates for a larger income tax deduction for tuition and student loan refinancing programs.

Alumni for Wisconsin Event
Faculty are encouraged to attend the fall meeting of Alumni for Wisconsin, the advocacy group of the Wisconsin Alumni Association. The group,will meet at the Pyle Center, 702 Langdon Street on Saturday, November 15. The meeting will begin three hours before the kick-off of the Wisconsin-Nebraska football game, which has not yet been announced.

The chancellor will participate in the meeting, which comes on the heels of the gubernatorial election. The 2015-17 state budget will be the focus of the discussion. The meeting will be followed by a tailgate luncheon (reservation and fee required). More information is available here.

Early Voting Ends Today

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Early voting in Wisconsin ends today. Madison residents may vote at the City Clerk’s office until 7 pm tonight. More information about voting in Madison is here. Statewide information is here.

The polls will be open statewide Tuesday from 7 am to 8 pm.

Center for American Progress: Wisconsin Lags Neighbors in Higher Education Funding

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The Center for American Progress released a report (below) Monday calling for a renewed social compact between states and their institutions of higher education. The report illustrates how the Great Recession resulted in a disinvestment in public higher education, directly resulting in large tuition increases.

Comparing its recommendations to those of the Truman Commission on Higher Education in 1947, the center argues the federal government should offer incentives to states that enroll students receiving Pell Grants or benefits from the G.I. Bill. In particular, states should reach out to low- and middle-income students to ensure access to higher education, while addressing the burden of student debt.

How Wisconsin Fared
The report found from 2008 to 2012 public higher education funding per student in the state fell 18 percent, while overall higher education spending dropped 8 percent. In 2012, state funding per student in Wisconsin was $4,439, the lowest of all Midwestern states with the exception of Michigan.

 

A Great Recession, a Great Retreat: A Call for a Public College Quality Compact by Center for American Progress

Alumni Advocacy Fall Forum November 15

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waa_logo_4cAlumni for Wisconsin, the advocacy group of the Wisconsin Alumni Association, will meet at the Pyle Center, 702 Langdon Street on Saturday, November 15. The meeting will begin three hours before the kick-off of the Wisconsin-Nebraska football game, which has not yet been announced.

Chancellor Rebecca Blank will offer her perspective on UW-Madison and the upcoming state budget process. The extension of a tuition freeze coupled with declining state support has forced UW-Madison to examine its budget priorities. This post-election meeting will be among the first conversations about how the university may fare in 2015 and beyond.

Faculty are encouraged to attend this free event. The meeting will be followed by a tailgate luncheon (reservation and fee required). More information here.

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Maintaining Quality Education Requires Money

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The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel is offering its opinion on key issues in the gubernatorial race, and K-12 and higher education is the focus of today’s editorial.

The editorial board writes that a tuition freeze is politically popular, but ultimately can harm the university:

. . . the fact is that such a continued freeze could hurt the system’s ability to attract and retain faculty. UW schools are a bargain, with average costs, and quality doesn’t come cheap.

The Journal Sentinel maintains the state should eliminate the tuition freeze while improving funding for UW System.

Early Voting Begins Today

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Election_Day_voting12_5570Voters in Wisconsin may begin in-person absentee voting today, Monday, October 20. Polls in Madison will be open from 8 am until 7 pm Monday through Friday, October 20 through 24 and October 27 through 31. All balloting must be completed in the municipal clerk’s office. More information on early voting is here.

Panel Discussion on Gubernatorial Polling

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The University of Wisconsin Department of Political Science is sponsoring a panel discussion on polling in the hotly-contested Wisconsin gubernatorial race at  3 pm, Monday, October 20 in the Pyle Center, 702 Langdon Street. The panel will discuss the accuracy of polls and what we can learn from them.

Panelists include:

This event, which is free and open to the public, is cosponsored by The Capital Times.