Here & Now

How UW System Contributes To State Economic Development

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

NOW TO HIGHER EDUCATION. WE’VE COVERED THE BATTLE OF WORDS RECENTLY BETWEEN UW FACULTY MEMBERS AND SYSTEM ADMINISTRATORS FROM THE FACULTY NO-CONFIDENCE VOTE TO GOVERNOR WALKER SCOLDING PROFESSORS FOR BEING MORE INTERESTED IN A JOB FOR LIFE THAN HELPING STUDENTS. THAT WASN’T THE SENTIMENT OF FORMER GOVERNOR TOMMY THOMPSON AFTER RECEIVING AN HONORARY DOCTORATE AT LAST WEEK’S UW-MADISON’S COMMENCEMENT. HE REMEMBERED CONFRONTING THE THREAT OF FACULTY LEAVING THE UW WHEN HE WAS IN THE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE.

TOMMY THOMPSON:

THEN SOMEBODY SAYS WE’RE LOSING PROFESSORS. THAT’S NOT GOOD. SO I STARTED ANOTHER PROGRAM. PROFESSOR SUSSMAN WHO WAS A DEMOCRAT. NOT MY POLITICAL PROFESSION. NEVER VOTED FOR ME, BUT HE CAME IN AND SAID I’M LEAVING TO GO INTO NEW YORK. I SAYS TO HECK YOU ARE. YOU’RE STAYING IN WISCONSIN. WE RAISED THE MONEY AND WE KEPT THOSE PROFESSORS HERE AND YOU BENEFITED FROM IT.

[APPLAUSE]

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

IN THE SAME WEEK, THE FORMER GOVERNOR RALLIED ROUND THE UW TROOPS A NEW REPORT FROM THE WISCONSIN TECHNOLOGY COUNCIL TITLED “THE VALUE OF HIGHER EDUCATION TO WISCONSIN’S ECONOMY” SEEKS TO RALLY SUPPORT FOR THE STATE INSTITUTION. THE THEME OF THE REPORT IS THAT FURTHER CUTS TO THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN WILL HARM THE STATE’S ECONOMY. TOM STILL IS EDITOR OF THE REPORT AND PRESIDENT OF THE WISCONSIN TECHNOLOGY COUNCIL. HE JOINS US NOW FROM MINOCQUA WHERE HIS WORK TAKES HIM THIS WEEK. THANKS VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE.

TOM STILL:

OH, THANK YOU, FRED. GLAD TO BE HERE.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

KIND OF A NICE SPOT TO START THE WEEKEND FROM.

TOM STILL:

WELL, IT IS. I WAS UP HERE FOR A BROADBAND MEETING WITH A LOT OF FOLKS, BOTH IN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTOR IN VILAS COUNTY AND A LOT GOT DONE. SO THAT’S AN ISSUE IN THE NORTHWOODS, AS YOU KNOW.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

ABSOLUTELY. WELL, BACK TO THE UNIVERSITY. DO YOU THINK THAT THE CUTS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN MADE HAVE HURT THE ECONOMY? OR IS THE UW AT SOME KIND OF TIPPING POINT RIGHT NOW IN YOUR MIND?

TOM STILL:

I THINK OUR BOARD BELIEVED — AND, BY THE WAY, PROBABLY THREE-QUARTERS OF OUR BOARD ARE ALL PRIVATE SECTOR REPRESENTATIVES — THAT WE ARE AT A TIPPING POINT. THAT CERTAINLY EFFICIENCIES COULD BE MADE, CERTAINLY EVERY STATE, ALMOST EVERY STATE IS GOING THROUGH SIMILAR EXERCISES. AND IT’S NOT THAT THIS BEGAN YESTERDAY. YOU CAN LOOK AT UW CUTS THAT GO BACK TO THE EARLY 2000s. BUT IT’S REACHED THE POINT WHERE PROBABLY IT’S BEYOND CUTTING FAT. IT’S NOW ABOUT CUTTING BONE AND MUSCLE. AND THAT REALLY HURTS IF WE’RE GOING TO WORK ON BUILDING A MUCH MORE DIVERSE, STRONG ECONOMY.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

NOW, ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT YOU ASK IN YOUR REPORT IS IF THE STATE LEGISLATURE HAS KIND OF AN OUTSIZED ROLE IN ITS CONTROL OVER THINGS LIKE TUITION, PERSONNEL AND CAPITAL PROJECTS WHEN ONLY ONE-FIFTH OF THE UW’S FUNDING COMES FROM STATE TAX DOLLARS. DO YOU THINK THE LEGISLATURE DOES HAVE AN OUTSIZED ROLE?

TOM STILL:

I THINK IT’S TIME FOR THEM TO CONSIDER THAT, CERTAINLY. AND THAT’S WHY WE PROPOSED A BLUE RIBBON COMMISSION THAT WOULD INCLUDE SOME PEOPLE HOPEFULLY BEYOND THE LEGISLATURE AND THOSE DIRECT STATE POLICYMAKERS. BECAUSE IT HAS REACHED THE POINT WITH THE DECLINE IN OVERALL STATE SUPPORT, WHICH AGAIN IS HISTORIC. IT’S NOT JUST IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS. THAT IT’S TIME TO LOOK ABOUT, OKAY, IF YOU’RE ONLY GOING TO PAY SO MUCH TOWARDS SUPPORT OF THE UNIVERSITY SYSTEM, WHAT IS THE COMMENSURATE AMOUNT OF CONTROL? AND I GUESS LOOKED AT ANOTHER WAY, WHAT IS THE COMMENSURATE AMOUNT OF AUTONOMY THAT SHOULD REMAIN WITHIN THE SYSTEM.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

AND IS THAT FUNDAMENTALLY WHAT YOUR PROPOSED BLUE RIBBON COMMISSION WOULD ANSWER?

TOM STILL:

OH, I THINK THAT THERE ARE A VARIETY OF THINGS THAT COMMISSION COULD LOOK AT. I THINK THE GENERAL DECLINE IN GPR FUNDING, GENERAL PURPOSE REVENUE FUNDING, WHICH IS STATE TAX DOLLARS. TUITION, WHETHER THE TUITION FREEZES SHOULD CONTINUE, IN WHOLE OR IN PART. WHAT IT MIGHT LOOK LIKE TO ACTUALLY NOT HAVE ALL OF THE CURRENT INSTITUTIONS REMAIN OPEN. WHAT IT MIGHT LOOK LIKE TO HAVE MORE EFFICIENCIES WITHIN PARTS OF THE SYSTEM THAT ARE NOW REALLY BOTH COVERING TWO-YEAR EDUCATION. THAT WOULD BE THE TECH COLLEGES AND THE SYSTEM TWO-YEAR CENTERS. SO THERE ARE A VARIETY OF THINGS SUCH A COMMISSION COULD LOOK AT. THERE’S A HISTORY IN WISCONSIN OF HAVING REALLY STRONG, BIPARTISAN, OFTEN PRIVATELY-LED COMMISSIONS THAT HAVE DONE SOME GREAT WORK IN THE PAST.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

AND KEY WORDS THERE, “IN THE PAST.” DO YOU FEEL LIKE A BIPARTISAN COMMISSION IS EVEN POSSIBLE AT THIS POINT, ESPECIALLY IN THE MIDST OF THE LATEST KIND OF ACRIMONY, INCLUDING THE NO-CONFIDENCE VOTES FOR THE UW PRESIDENT WHO’S HAD TO CARRY OUT THE ROLE OF THE GOVERNOR IN REALLY MANY RESPECTS?

TOM STILL:

I THINK IT REMAINS POSSIBLE. I THINK THERE’S ENOUGH COMMON GROUND ESPECIALLY AROUND ECONOMIC GROWTH AND PROSPERITY. THAT’S WHY WE ZEROED IN ON THAT SPECIFICALLY AS A TECH COUNCIL. THAT’S WHERE OUR EXPERTISE LIES AND WHY WE THOUGHT THAT — IT’S AN AREA THAT EVERYONE SHOULD BE ABLE TO AGREE ON, DEMOCRAT, REPUBLICAN, IN BETWEEN. THAT THE ECONOMIC VITALITY OF THE STATE IS REALLY IMPORTANT, ESPECIALLY IN THIS TIME WHEN WE’RE TRYING TO ATTRACT AND RETAIN TALENT. WHEN WE’RE TRYING TO BUILD A MORE DIVERSE ECONOMY. SO IF THERE’S A CHANCE TO DO SOMETHING IN A BIPARTISAN WAY FOCUSED AROUND ECONOMIC IMPACT AND HIGHER ED, THAT’S WHERE THAT BIPARTISAN APPROACH COULD WORK.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

NOW, YOUR REPORT SAYS THAT CHANGES TO TENURE REFLECT THE BEST POLICY PRACTICES NATIONALLY. SO YOU DON’T THINK THAT THE CHANGES TO TENURE HURT THE ABILITY TO ATTRACT AND RETAIN THE BEST FACULTY?

TOM STILL:

NO. WE DON’T. IF YOU LOOK — IF YOU STAND BACK AND LOOK AT WHAT THE REGENTS ACTUALLY APPROVED, ON BALANCE THESE ARE RULES THAT STAND UP UNDER NATIONAL SCRUTINY. THEY ARE IN LINE WITH SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU SEE IN OTHER SYSTEMS AROUND THE COUNTRY. SO DESPITE THE FACT THAT I KNOW THERE WAS SOME OPPOSITION TO THAT, WE THINK THAT ON BALANCE THOSE POLICIES SHOULD HELP US CONTINUE TO RETAIN AND ATTRACT.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

ALL RIGHT. TOM STILL, THANKS VERY MUCH FOR JOINING US.

TOM STILL:

THANK YOU SO MUCH, FRED.