Thursday, August 24, 2006
Post-Vacation Round Up
Back in Green Bay after what could have been the best vacation in my life. Since I was gone, there was a lot of news that hit in the great state of Wisconsin and I have some thoughts on almost all of them.
Rep. Steven Nass is my hero
OK, so it should come to no surprise that a critic of the UW System is my hero. But this guy just doesn't talk the talk -- Steve Nass, R-Whitewater, walks the walk. In an op/ed from August 14, Nass outlined his vision for a new UW System, and I couldn't agree more. His four points made sense and are much needed.
1.) New Leadership. We need to reinvigorate the management practices used in the UW System. That will require changes in the mindset of current administrators and, in many cases, new people to be hired both System Administration and on each campus. The leaders of public higher education in this state must reflect Wisconsin values.
2.) A Leaner, Meaner Board of Regents. The Board has 18 members. Its current size and composition prevents implementation of timely reforms to address the serious structural problems threatening the future of the System. I suggest that the size of the Board of Regents should be no more than nine. Its membership shouldn’t be selected based on political patronage, but based on each nominee’s ability to establish policies governing public higher education in this state.
3.) Campus Realignment. The current system has 13 four-year campuses and 13 two-year campuses (UW Centers). While this model may have worked in the 1970’s and 1980’s, it has become apparent that a realignment to achieve a better economy of scale is necessary for the financial security of the System. It is possible to serve the same number of students or more, with fewer but larger campuses. I believe the financial need exists to eliminate at least one of the four-year campuses, and to merge of the two-year UW Centers with the Wisconsin Technical College System. Such a move could potentially eliminate at least two-thirds of the UW Center campuses, quite often located in the same communities as facilities of the technical college system. This reorganization can be accomplished through a process similar to the one used for military base realignment at the federal level.
4.) An Academic Bill of Rights. In recent debates over the UW System, we have heard lengthy debate over academic freedom for faculty, tenure rights for faculty, and back-up appointments for administrators. However, there is no written charter that specifically identifies the rights of students to receive a quality education in the classrooms of the UW System. Such a charter would help establish a system of accountability in the educational process that is fair and balanced.
5.) Wisconsin Students First. This one is quite simple. The legislature needs to act quickly by enacting legislation banning “Holistic Admission� procedures in the UW System. It must specify in law that admission to public higher education in Wisconsin is about opportunity earned through academic performance. Additionally, the legislature must recommit to Wisconsin families that enrollment and tuition policies will prioritize resident students over nonresident students. I will offer my Wisconsin Students First Bill when the Legislature reconvenes in January 2007.
I have been calling for the realignment of the UW System for about two years now. Twenty-six campuses are not needed in the state, when an comparable state like Oregon has far fewer. My list of keepers would be: (Four-years) Madison, Milwaukee, Green Bay, Stevens Point, Eau Claire, La Crosse, Whitewater and Platteville; (two-years) Marathon County, Fond du Lac, Sheboygan/Manitowoc, Barron County and Baraboo. Parkside, (which is in my hometown of Kenosha) would be converted into a two-year. The new UW System would have eight four-year universities and six two-year colleges.
Naysayers, and homers alike, will say you're shutting the door to higher education, but I say no. These campuses can grow to accomodate these students, or use satellite campuses in the old two-years. Let's face it, not everyone who applies to a UW should go to a UW. We need to get students in the right educational system instead of pushing the UW onto them. The UW should work with the techs, not against them, to make sure Wisconsin's youth are properly educated.
The other points Nass makes are common sense solutions to the problems within the UW. Educating WISCONSIN residents is the job of the UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN, not education out-of-staters.
A TV Ad Here, a Radio Ad There
The onslaught of political ads has hit Wisconsin. Democratic congressional candidates up here in the 8th Congressional District are putting out their anti-war, Ned Lamont-style ads in hopes of gaining support, in a big-time red district. Jamie Wall, Nancy Nusbaum and wack-job Steve Kagen all put out anti-war ads on the Fox Valley airwaves in the last week. John Gard, on the other hand, puts out a positive pro Women's health care, with the help of his wife
Cate Zueske. Terri McCormick,with less than $100K in hand, put out a radio ad blabbling about honesty and integrity. I'd link it, but she hasn't released an audio version of it to WisPolitics.com or anywhere else.
Catch-and-Release Kate Falk put out a new ad showing how she successfully shut down business in favor of cleaning up un-navigable waters and other envirowacko cases. She also shows her working with "Wisconsin government contracts are for sale" Diamond Jim Doyle. By first thought viewing the ad was, "my God, she looks scary." I think a bit more hair and a more femine look might not scare 75 percent of the state away from you.
The GOP candidates for AG also have radio ads out. Waukesha County DA Paul Bucher hit a slam-dunk with his ad, playing mostly on 620 WTMJ and 1130 WISN in Milwaukee, and other news-talk stations in Wisconsin. The ad tells a story how the rapist of a 15-year-old girl was not caught and committed more crimes, including murder, due to a backup in the state crime lab. It is a moving and poignant ad which should hit home with most mothers.
Former Western Wisconsin U.S. Attorney JB Van Hollen hit the small screen with a horrible 30-second spot outlining his appointments, his endorsements and other staged footage. Van Hollen never talks in the ad and is just seen behind podiums and what not. I'm glad to see he is throwing away the money from his second-mortagage on his home on this garbage.
Rounding out the new TV ads is an anti-Doyle spot paid for by the Republican Governor's Association. The ad outlines how Wisconsin is for sale to the highest contribution. The ad has been in heavy rotation in the Milwaukee and Green Bay TV Markets.
Mark Belling is Really Disgusted With JB Van Hollen
This should come to no surprise, but WISN-AM talker Mark Belling really dislikes Van Hollen. He spent much of his show on Tuesday ranting about how Van Hollen was soft on crime as U.S. Attorney. The whole second hour was priceless. I will dig it up as soon as I can find it.
That's all for now. Enjoy your rain tonight.
Labels: Election 2006, UW System
