{"id":7229,"date":"2015-03-13T10:39:30","date_gmt":"2015-03-13T15:39:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/profs.wisc.edu\/?p=7229"},"modified":"2015-03-13T10:43:58","modified_gmt":"2015-03-13T15:43:58","slug":"vos-budget-cut-is-deeper-than-what-i-would-have-done-legislature-could-change-tenure","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/profs.wisc.edu\/?p=7229","title":{"rendered":"Vos: Budget Cut is Deeper Than What I Would Have Done; Legislature Could Change Tenure"},"content":{"rendered":"

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester) told WisconsinEye<\/a> senior producer Steve Walters he believed\u00a0Governor Scott Walker’s proposed $300 million cut to the University of Wisconsin System budget was too large and he would support a smaller cut if state revenues allow.<\/p>\n

Vos, appearing with Assembly Minority Leader Peter Barca (D-Kenosha) on Civil Dialogue<\/a>, also said he does not support full public authority status for the system. The full video is embedded below. Remarks about the UW System begin at the 13 minute mark and continue for about 7 minutes.<\/p>\n

Vos said Board of Regent action last week suggests the Regents\u00a0are unlikely to implement major changes to tenure and “all these different things,” making full public authority unnecessary.\u00a0He questioned the need for public authority if the board is going to protect the status quo and fears a large tuition increase would be the outcome of public authority.<\/p>\n

Instead, Vos said he supports specific\u00a0management flexibilities in procurement and building projects. Vos later told<\/a> the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel<\/em>\u00a0the legislature has the ability to end tenure and shared governance.<\/p>\n

Barca told Walters\u00a0the budget proposal would devastate the UW System\u00a0and would result in increased time to degree for students and the loss of faculty members to other universities. Barca\u00a0also noted the average UW-Madison faculty member brings in an average of $250,000 in outside funding which would also be lost.<\/p>\n

With regard to flexibility, Barca said he supports flexibility, but increased autonomy would make up only a small percentage of the budget cuts.<\/p>\n