DAVID VANNES:
WE WILL SIFT WHERE IT IS SAFE TO SIFT. WE WILL WINNOW WHERE WE ARE TOLD TO WINNOW. OUR PACE OF DISCOVERY WILL SLOW AND OUR REPUTATION WILL FALTER.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:
CITING AN ICONIC QUOTE FOUND AT THE TOP OF BASCOM HILL, THIS TENURED PROFESSOR CALLED THE BUDGET LANGUAGE A COORDINATED ASSAULT ON THE UNIVERSITY SYSTEM.

DAVID VANNES:
THE WORLD IS WATCHING WHAT WE DO IN WISCONSIN.

[APPLAUSE]

FREDERICA FREYBERG:
HUNDREDS OF FACULTY ADDRESSED MADISON CHANCELLOR REBECCA BLANK WITH CONCERNS AND QUESTIONS ABOUT THE BUDGET LANGUAGE. SHE ACKNOWLEDGED NATIONAL COVERAGE OF THE ISSUE HEIGHTENS THE THREAT OF HER BEST FACULTY BEING POACHED.

REBECCA BLANK:
THAT IS WHY I AM BOTH WORRIED AND ANGRY ABOUT THESE CHANGES. I KNOW SOME ARE ALREADY RECEIVING PHONE CALLS FROM SOME OF OUR PEERS AND COMPETITORS, AND I VERY MUCH HOPE THEY WILL GIVE A CHANCE FOR THIS PROCESS TO MOVE FORWARD BEFORE THEY MAKE ANY DECISIONS, MUCH LESS ANSWER THAT PHONE.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:
BLANK ASSURED FACULTY SHE AND SYSTEM PRESIDENT RAY CROSS WILL WORK ON GETTING THE JOINT FINANCE COMMITTEE TO REMOVE OR MODIFY THE TENURE LANGUAGE IN THE BUDGET BILL. WE ASKED REPUBLICAN CO-CHAIR JOHN NYGREN ABOUT THE PROSPECT OF THAT.

JOHN NYGREN:
I DON’T BELIEVE THAT’S SOMETHING WE’RE LOOKING TO CHANGE AT THIS POINT IN TIME, BUT NEVER SAY NEVER.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:
CHANCELLOR BLANK SAYS ABSENT A CHANGE IN THE BUDGET LANGUAGE, SHE WILL MAKE SURE MADISON HAS TENURE POLICY THAT IS CONSISTANT WITH PEER UNIVERSITIES.

REBECCA BLANK:
I HAVE CLEAR APPROVAL AND I’VE BEEN ALLOWED TO SAY THIS. I ASKED BOTH OF THEM. I’VE SAID IT IN WRITING AND I WILL SAY IT PUBLICLY, THAT BOTH PRESIDENT RAY CROSS AND REGENT PRESIDENT REGINA MILLNER HAVE GIVEN AUTHORITY FOR UW-MADISON TO MOVE FORWARD WITH WRITING POLICIES FOR OUR CAMPUS.

BASSAM SHAKHASHIRI:
MY PROUDEST PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT IS BEING A TENURED FACULTY MEMBER AT UW-MADISON.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:
BASSAM SHAKHASHIRI IS A HIGHLY-ESTEEMED UW-MADISON CHEMISTRY PROFESSOR OF 45 YEARS. SHAKHASHIRI IS ALSO RENOWNED FOR HIS “SCIENCE IS FUN” DEMONSTRATIONS. HE CONSIDERS HIMSELF AND OTHER FACULTY TO HAVE WHAT HE CALLS A SOCIAL CONTRACT WITH THE CITIZENS OF WISCONSIN, A CONTRACT THAT EMBODIES THE WISCONSIN IDEA, AND HE SAYS FACULTY MUST REACH OUT TO EVERY CORNER OF THE STATE.

BASSAM SHAKHASHIRI:
WE ARE NOT A SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP. WE ARE A VERY SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP.

[LAUGHTER]

FACULTY MEMBER:
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE FACULTY SENATE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON CALLS ON THE JOINT COMMITTEE ON FINANCE AND/OR STATE LEGISLATURE–

FREDERICA FREYBERG:
THE RESOLUTION CALLING FOR CHANGES TO LANGUAGE IN THE BUDGET RELATED TO TENURE PASSED OVERWHELMINGLY. ONE FACULTY SENATE MEMBER WHO VOTED FOR IT MADE THE CLEAR CONNECTION BETWEEN ACADEMIC FREEDOM SECURED IN TENURE AND RESEARCH THAT COULD BE CONSIDERED CONTROVERSIAL.

DAN VIMONT:
TENURE ALLOWS ME A LITTLE MORE FREEDOM TO FEEL LIKE I CAN GO OUT AND WORK WITH PEOPLE ON UNDERSTANDING HOW CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS THE IMPORTANT NATURAL AND ECONOMIC RESOURCES IN OUR STATE.

REBECCA BLANK:
IN MANY WAYS IT’S LESS ABOUT ANY ONE THING THAT’S HAPPENED THAN A WHOLE STRING OF EVENTS OVER THIS PAST YEAR AND EVEN YEARS BEFORE THAT WHICH HAVE MADE FACULTY HERE FEEL SOMEWHAT UNDER ATTACK. WE’VE GOT A LOT OF OTHER PEER INSTITUTIONS CALLING OUR FACULTY THINKING THAT WE’RE RAIDABLE. AND AS YOU KNOW, THE REPUTATION OF THIS UNIVERSITY DEPENDS UPON THE QUALITY AND STRENGTH OF OUR FACULTY. SO MY FIRST JOB HAS TO BE TO RETAIN THE BEST FACULTY.