Here & Now

UW System President On Faculty Tenure Policy Changes

THE HOT BUTTON ISSUE OF UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN FACULTY TENURE CAME TO A VOTE LATE THIS WEEK WITH THE UW BOARD OF REGENTS VOTING TO APPROVE ITS OWN POLICY AFTER THE STATE BUDGET STRIPPED TENURE LANGUAGE FROM STATE LAW. ADMINISTRATORS SAY THE NEW REGENT POLICY IS IN KEEPING WITH PEER UNIVERSITIES, WHERE LAYOFFS ARE ALLOWED WHEN PROGRAMS ARE DISCONTINUED FOR EDUCATIONAL REASONS. AT UW NOW EDUCATIONAL REASONS INCLUDE MARKET DEMAND AND FINANCES. FACULTY AMENDMENTS TO PRIORITIZE EDUCATIONAL REASONS OVER FINANCIAL ONES WERE REJECTED BY THE REGENTS. A DISCLOSURE WISCONSIN PUBLIC TELEVISION IS PART OF THE UNIVERSITY SYSTEM. UW SYSTEM PRESIDENT RAY CROSS IS HERE. THANKS VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE.

RAY CROSS:

THANKS. IT’S A PLEASURE TO BE HERE.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

WELL, DESCRIBE HOW YOU BELIEVE THE TENURE POLICY THAT THE BOARD OF REGENTS PASSED WILL HELP THIS UNIVERSITY.

RAY CROSS:

WELL, I THINK THAT THERE ARE SEVERAL ASPECTS, BUT FIRST OF ALL, JUST ESTABLISHING IT. GIVEN THE UNCERTAINTY OF THE LAST FEW MONTHS, I THINK THAT’S IMPORTANT. SECONDLY, I THINK IT MAKES US VERY COMPATIBLE WITH WHAT OTHER INSTITUTIONS AROUND THE COUNTRY CAN DO. THAT IS, MOST TENURED FACULTY CAN BE DISMISSED FOR JUST CAUSE IF THERE ARE SOME IMPROPRIETIES. WE STILL HAVE THAT. ALSO FOR WHAT’S CONSIDERED A FINANCIAL EMERGENCY OR FISCAL EXIGENCY FOR A WHOLE INSTITUTION. ONCE THAT’S DECLARED, THEN LAYOFFS CAN OCCUR AD NAUSEUM. THEN THAT WAS THE EXTENT OF THE PRIVILEGES THAT WISCONSIN EXPERIENCED BEFORE. NOW PROGRAM DISCONTINUANCE HAS BEEN ADDED TO THAT. AND THAT’S WHAT JUST ABOUT EVERY OTHER INSTITUTION IN THE COUNTRY HAS. AND THE PROCESS TO DO THAT IS WHAT WE’RE WORKING WITH HERE.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

WHAT DO YOU SAY TO FACULTY MEMBERS CONCERNED THAT THEY’LL BE LAID OFF IF ADMINISTRATORS DECIDE TO DISCONTINUE PROGRAMS OVER POLITICAL OR FINANCIAL PRESSURE?

RAY CROSS:

I THINK THAT WOULD BE VERY, VERY UNLIKELY. I THINK THE PROCESS OF TENURE AT ITS VERY ROOTS IS TO PROTECT FACULTY WHO HOLD DIFFERENT VIEWS. THE ACADEMY IS THE PLACE WHERE DIFFERENT VIEWS CLASH. AND WE SHOULD DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO PROTECT THAT. IT, HOWEVER, IS NOT A PLACE THAT SHOULD BE ONE OF THOSE ENTITIES THAT ENCOURAGES A JOB FOR LIFE, REGARDLESS OF WHAT YOU DO OR YOUR PERFORMANCE. I THINK BALANCING THOSE TWO IS IMPORTANT. AND I BELIEVE THAT’S WHAT TENURE IS INTENDED TO DO. IT IS NOT A JOB FOR LIFE.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

WHAT IS YOUR REACTION TO OUT-SPOKEN PROFESSOR SARA GOLDRICK-RAB, WHO ANNOUNCED SHE IS LEAVING THIS WEEK OVER THIS TENURE ISSUE. WE PLAN TO SPEAK WITH HER IN JUST A MOMENT. BUT SHE AND OTHERS MAINTAIN THAT THE CHANGES WILL DAMPEN ACADEMIC FREEDOM.

RAY CROSS:

WELL, I DIFFER. I KNOW SHE’S GOING TO TEMPLE AND I WISH HER WELL. I THINK SHE’S A VERY CAPABLE RESEARCHER AND I KNOW HER INTERESTS ARE MORE CLOSELY ALIGNED WITH THE URBAN COMMUNITY. THIS GIVES HER A CHANCE TO BE EMBEDDED IN THAT ENVIRONMENT. HOWEVER, I WOULD ENCOURAGE HER TO READ TEMPLE’S TENURE POLICIES.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

WHY?

RAY CROSS:

I THINK THEY’RE VERY SIMILAR TO THE POLICIES THAT WERE JUST ADOPTED HERE IN WISCONSIN.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

IT’S BEEN TALKED ABOUT FOR MONTHS NOW, KIND OF THE MORALE OF THE FACULTY ON CAMPUSES ACROSS THE STATE, OVER NOT JUST TENURE CHANGES, BUT BUDGET CUTS. HOW DO YOU ADDRESS THAT?

RAY CROSS:

WELL, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, THE WHOLE TENURE HERE — ISSUE HERE IN WISCONSIN HAS PROBABLY OVERSHADOWED THE FINANCIAL ISSUES. CLEARLY TENURE IS IMPORTANT, AND I’M COMMITTED TO MAKING SURE THAT REMAINS STRONG AND STABLE. BUT I’M ALSO CONCERNED THAT THE FINANCIAL CHALLENGES FACING THE UNIVERSITY AND THE STATE, BY THE WAY, REALLY, REALLY ARE IMPACTING US SEVERELY AND I’M WORRIED ABOUT THAT IN THE COMING MONTHS.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

HOW SO?

RAY CROSS:

WELL, WE’RE GETTING READY TO ALREADY DEVELOP OUR NEXT BUDGET, WORKING WITH LEGISLATORS IN JUST INITIAL CONVERSATIONS AND SEEING THE ECONOMIC — THE REVENUE FORECAST FOR THE STATE, THE ECONOMIC INDICATORS, DON’T GIVE ME A LOT OF HOPE THAT THINGS ARE TURNING AROUND QUICKLY.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

SO YOU’RE SUGGESTING THAT WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT MORE AND DEEPER CUTS AT THE UNIVERSITY?

RAY CROSS:

I DON’T THINK WE ARE. I THINK — WHAT I’M TALKING ABOUT, FREDERICA, IS I HOPE WE’RE LOOKING FOR ADDITIONAL RESOURCES TO FURTHER FUND THE UNIVERSITY. HOWEVER, I’M CONCERNED THAT AT BEST WE MAY END UP WITH A FLAT BUDGET.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

AND IN THE MIDST OF THAT, WHAT’S YOUR RESPONSE TO THE NUMBER OF FACULTY THAT UW-MADISON HAS BEEN FORCED TO SPEND NEARLY $9 MILLION TO RETAIN IN THE MIDST OF ALL THIS?

RAY CROSS:

WELL, THAT’S WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO IN ORDER TO KEEP THE BEST AND THE BRIGHTEST. WHEN FACULTY WHO DO A LOT OF GREAT WORK ARE BEING RECRUITED BY COMPETING INSTITUTIONS, THAT’S WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO. YOU HAVE TO DO THAT. AND THOSE RESOURCES HAD TO COME FROM OTHER THINGS THAT WE WERE PLANNING TO DO OR HOPING TO DO.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

ALL RIGHT. WE NEED TO LEAVE IT THERE. RAY CROSS, THANKS VERY MUCH.

RAY CROSS:

THANKS.