2. EDUCATIONAL REFORMIN WISCONSIN 1
Educational Reform in Wisconsin
In Julyof 2015, second-termWisconsinGovernorScottWalkersignedabill riddingmanyjob
guaranteesof tenuredfaculty(Schmidt,2015). Tenure isa statusgrantedto an employee aftera
probationaryperiod,typically6-7years,indicatingthat theirpositionof employmentispermanent
(Stephey,2008).Thoughfiringa tenuredteacherisn’timpossible,itis anextremelydifficultand
expensive process.These facultycouldnow be letgofor reasonsbeyond“justcause”,including budget
and programcuts. In addition,facultylostpartof theirvoice inthattheyhave much lessinfluence over
institutional changes.Followingthe passingof thisbill,manyfacultymembers inthe Universityof
Wisconsinsystem foughttopreserve theirprotections,but have faceddefeatafterdefeatfromthe
Board of Regents(Schmidt,2016a). Tenure wasoriginallycreatedtoprotectacademicfreedom,
meaningprofessorscouldnotbe firedfortopicstheychoose toresearchordiscussinthe classroom,so
longas theydo so ina relevantmanner(AAUP,n.d.).Thoughfacultycanstill appealdismissalsforthings
protectedunderacademicfreedom,theyare still more vulnerable thantheirpeersatotherinstitutions
(Schmidt,2016b). LookingfurtherintoGovernorWalker’sideasforthisdrasticchange andthe faculty’s
response,we canfurtherexaminehowthisstate eithersetaprecedence forthe future ortooka large
stepbackwards.
Changes under Governor Scott Walker
In a ReaganForum in2012, GovernorScott Walkeraddressedhiscurrentandfuture plansto
combat economicissuesinWisconsin(Kingkade,2012).Duringhisfirsttwo yearsas Governorhe
implementedtax reforms,lowerthe unemploymentrate bycreatingnew jobs,improvedthe public’s
viewof the state’sfuture, improvedstate rankingfor“placestodo business”,lowedtaxes,controlled
costs of Medicaidovertime while addingmoneytothe programnow,andputtinginplace longterm
structural reforms.He believesthatthese longtermgoalsandempoweringlocal governmentstodothe
3. EDUCATIONAL REFORMIN WISCONSIN 2
balance theirbudgetswill fix the deficitproblemovertime,whichispreferredoverashorttermfixes.
The deficitisnowa surplus,andmoneyhasbeendepositedintothe rainydayfund.
In 2011, he passeda budgetrepairbill thateliminatedcollective bargainingrights(Biography,
n.d.). Thisremovedeverythingfroman employee’s contractexceptbase salary.While thishassofar
savedthe state over$2 billion,itdidnotcome withoutbacklash. Afteranoverturnedjudge’srulingby
the Supreme Court,protestsbeganwhicheventuallyleadtoarecall election.Walkerwasthe first
governorinAmericanhistorytowinthe recall election.
Lookingforwardinregardsto highereducation,GovernorWalkerhasbigplans. Wisconsin’s
four-yearinstitutioncompletionrate is34%.He believestyingtheirfundingtocompletionrateswill
improve the college experience forstudentsresultinginhighercompletionrates,overall helpingwith
state.Thisfollowsacommonbusinessmodel,thatif you wantmore moneyyouneedtoperform.
Additionally,he believesinpushingmore studentstostudymajorsthatprepare them toenterhigh-
demandjobs. If studentsare encouragedtogetthese degreestheywill be more likelytoobtainajob
aftergraduation.“…Inhighereducation,thatmeansnotonlydegrees,butare youngpeople getting
degreesinjobsthatare openandneededtoday — notjustthe jobsthat the universitieswanttogive us,
or degreesthatpeople wanttogive us.” (Kingkade,2012).
Higher Education Reform
In Walker’s 2015-17 budgetplan,he’scut millionsof dollarsfromthe state fundingbudget,
frozenundergraduate tuition,andimplementedanew tenure policy(Savidge,2016). He suggestedthe
WisconsinIdea– a principle thatthe state’spublicuniversitiesexisttoseektruthandserve the people
of the entire state – shouldbe cutout frombudget(Simmons,2015).Howeveraftera storm of backlash
theydecidedtokeepthe language.This“Idea”iscentral tothe university’smissioncreatedoverone
hundredyearsagoand includespassagesaboutstate outreachandhumanimprovement.
4. EDUCATIONAL REFORMIN WISCONSIN 3
GovernorWalkerhas cut over$250 millionfromthe overallpublichighereducationbudget,the
fifthandlargestcut inthe lastsix cycles(Simmons&Hall,2015). The UW systemtakesin7% of the
state’sspending,yetthesecutsrepresent38% of the overall budget(Kingkade,2012). While these cuts
helpwiththe overall state deficit,isitworthitto the students,faculty,andfuture of the institutionsand
state?
In regardsto faculty,state lawsabouttenure were removedandsome decision-makingpowers
were takenawaydue to changesto shared-governance.Underthesenew rulings,chancellorsandthe
board of regentswere givenmore power. Thoughfaculty,staff,andstudentswouldstillhave avoice
aboutchangesto theirrespective groups,theywere strippedof theirabilitytocontribute tocampus-
wide decision. Inresponse tothischange insharedgovernance,committee co-chairmanJohnNygren
stated“we believeinempoweringthe Boardof Regentsandthe chancellorsthroughoutthe state of
Wisconsintobe able to manage the System.Ithinkthisisa tool to enable themtodothat,” (Simmons&
Hall,2015).
Walker’sideaisthatif there are unproductive tenuredfacultyeatingachunkof the college’s
budgetandnot producingresults thenthatperson isnolongerbeneficial tothe university.QuotingMr.
Walkeron the efficiencyof professorsinthe Universityof Wisconsinsystem, “maybe it’stime forfaculty
and staff to start thinkingaboutteachingmore classesanddoingmore work,”(Schmidt,2015). These
tenure changesmeantthe facultylay-off processwouldbe quicker,simpler,andcheaper.Currently,the
processto layoff a tenuredfacultymembercantake monthsor yearsof goingback andforth,resulting
incourt and lawyerfeesaswell asthe addedcost of hiringan adjunctto teachthat professor’scourses
while the processoccurs.
Additionally,if there are academicprogramsthatare no longerviewed asprofitableor
necessaryitismuch easiertoridthese programsand those whoworkunderit withlessjobprotections.
5. EDUCATIONAL REFORMIN WISCONSIN 4
These cutsare alsoeasierto make since faculty,students,andstaff have lessof avoice ininstitutional
changes.Insum, GovernorWalkerbelievesthese newpolicies willhelpinfindingthe $250 million.
These changesmade at the state level were takenbacktothe Board of Regentsforreview.BOR
and Chancellors coulddecidewhichnew rules,if any, toimplementandonwhichcampuses.Facultyat
the mainU. Wisconsincampus,Madison,draftedproposalsforthese changes.Theyaskedtobringback
tenure fortheircampus,expectingtoset precedenceforothercampusestofollow (Schmidt,2016d).
These provisionswere notincludedinthe final policy.Alsostrickenwaslanguage givingfacultyasayin
whichprogramsand facultywere cutand an amendmentcallingforadministratorstopursue all
alternative optionsbefore startinglay-offs.
There has beenandcontinuestobe supportforthese changesandGovernorWalker’soverall
mission,aswell asforthe facultyand reinstatingtenure.Some argue thisisa mere political debate,
DemocraticversusRepublican(Savidge,2016).Others debate whethertenure doesmore good thanbad
inpreservinghighereducation consideringthese jobsecuritiescouldleadtolazy,unproductive faculty
members (Riley&Nelson,2012). Regardless,there isacleardivisioninregardstothe future of higher
educationinthe State of Wisconsin,andpossiblythe restof the country.
Faculty Resistance
Faculty members have expressedtheiroverwhelmingdistaste inthese newstate-level changes.
Whenthese newchangeswere firstenacted,facultycame togetherfromall UWcampusesto compose
a planto urge theircampusestoresponse some jobprotections(Schmidt,2016c). These suggestions
were takentothe Board of Regentforapproval,thoughthisseemedunlikelysince thesewere the same
people thatjustvotedtoabolishthese policiesatthe state level.Facultyurgedthe Boardtoimplement
similartenure policies,give facultyarole incampusdecisions,prioritizeeducational considerationsover
financial ones,andrequire chancellorstoactivelypursue all feasible alternativesto layoffs.
6. EDUCATIONAL REFORMIN WISCONSIN 5
In the end,the Board of Regentsapprovedanew policyforthe Madisoncampus withoutthe
recommendationsthe facultysenate offered(Schmidt,2016b).DavidJ. Vanness,presidentof the
Madisoncampus’schapterof the AmericanAssociationof UniversityProfessorsviewedthis
implementationas“…the boardexertingitsmaximumauthorityoverthe faculty.Itsetsaverybad
precedent,”(Schmidt,2016d).A fewmonthslater,UW – Madison professorscastedasymbolicvote of
no confidence inboththe UW systempresidentandthe Boardof Regents(Read,2016).
Many argue that if the systemandschoolswantto forgotenure all together,thenprofessors
will require salaryraisestocompensateforthe lossof jobsecurity.Consideringthe state cut$250
million,thisdoesnotseemlikely. NoelRadomski,directorof UW-Madison’sWisconsinCentergot
Advancementof PostsecondaryEducation,stated,“if Iwere otheruniversities,I’dbe poachingasmany
of ourtop facultyas possible,”(Simmons&Hall,2015). Especiallysince“star”facultytypicallyhave hefty
researchgrants thattravel withthem. Tenure isanotherperkof the job.Whenyou remove certain
benefits,people ahighersalary – they’re ata largerrisk.Especiallysince thisisnota national trend.
Facultyalsoprotestthese changesgive themlittle incentive toperformwellanddonotprovide
poor-performingfacultytime toimprovebeforebeingletgo(Schmidt,2016a). Underthe previous
system,goodperformance duringthe critical yearseventually resultedinreceivingtenure andthe
benefitsof jobsecurity.Thisalsoresultedinraisesandotherbenefitssuchasacademicfreedomin
regardsto topicsof researchandclass conversations.Professorsthatreceivedpoorreviewsinteaching,
research,or service were giventime forremediationandsupportforimprovinginthose areas.Under
the newpoliciesfacultyare threatenedbyeventhe smallestflawsintheirperformance.
Whenconsideringsharedgovernance,we see political agendasplayingalarge role invery
importance decisions.Manystateselectedrepublicanleadersin2010, Wisconsinincluded(Kelderman,
2016). Theirviewsof academiaandfacultyhasresultedina pushfor more control inthese governing
7. EDUCATIONAL REFORMIN WISCONSIN 6
boardsand lessinthe handsof faculty senates.Thisworksinoppositiontomosttheoriesandpractices
suggestedinbooksof governance andorganizationof HigherEducation.Michael Bastedo(2012),for
example,discussesinmultiple contextshow top-downdirectivesfailwithoutsupportof the faculty(p.
24, 56, 58). “Ideal-type bureaucracydoesnotmapwell ontoacademicorganizations,(p.24).Studies
exploringthisconcepthave beenongoingfornearlyfiftyyears,sowhydoesWisconsinfeelitwould
workotherwise?
Faculty’srole inshared governance isfurtherexaminedbylookingintothe decision-making
activitiesof facultysenates(Hendrickson etal.,2013). TierneyandMinor (ascitedin Hendricksonetal.,
2013) note facultysenates mainlyfocusonacademics,includingcurriculum, courses,programs,
requirements,tenure,evaluations,facultypolicy,presidentandCAOselection,andsome strategic
planningandbudgeting(p.267-77).Note that two of these points,tenure andprograms,includethe
policiesof tenure,the post-tenure reviewprocess,creatingnew programs,modifyingexistingones,and
the endorsementof closingprograms.Underthe new Wisconsinstate law andUniversityof Wisconsin
systempolicychanges,all of these itemshave beenstrippedfromthe faculty.
So where does thisleave the once-tenuredprofessors?How are these changes,whichwere
designedtoimprove the overall wellbeingof the state andhighereducationsystem, affectingthe
individuals?Willotherstatesadoptasimilarmodel?Whatisthe future of tenure andshared
governance?These are all critical questionsthatdon’tseemlike theywere exploredbefore making
these drasticimplementations.
The Future of Higher Education
The questionstill remains –are the eventsandchangesinWisconsinrepresentative of the
future of highereducationinAmerica?Tenuredfacultyinotherstateshope not.State leadersandthose
incharge of budgetcutsmightsee otherwise.We see fromthe eventsatthe Universityof Wisconsin
8. EDUCATIONAL REFORMIN WISCONSIN 7
that thoughthese policychangesmighthave beenimplementedtocutcosts and improve efficiency,
theycame at a veryhighcost. Thissystemwill likelyloose manytop-notchfacultymembersandtheir
grant money.Theymaylose theircompetitive edge,resultinginstudentandfacultyrecruitment
problems.Pushingstudentsintocertainmajorsmayleadtodissatisfactionandlowerretentionrates.
Thishigherinstitutionsystemneedstoaskitself if it’sworththe savings.
In myopinion,the savings,efficient,andstreamlinedprocessesthese policy changesnowallow
isnot worthit. Facultyare hiredbecause theyare expertsintheirfields.Administratorsare hired
because theyare goodleaders. Whenadministratorsmake majoracademicchangeswithoutconsulting
the faculty,especiallyregardingindividual departments,theyare overexertingtheirpowerand
weakeningtheirrelationshipwiththe facultybody.The policychangesinWisconsinreflectthat
administratorsandgovernmentvalue financial considerationsoveracademicones((Schmidt,2016c).
Chancellors are hiredtoadvocate forthe needsof the universitytopoliticalparties. Yetwhenthe
chancellor’sinterestsare notalignedwiththe facultytherecannotbe collaboration(Schmidt,2016c)
and mattersbecome more political thanacademicinnature.
While these changesmayworkina corporate structure,academiaisdifferent.Forexample,
there isno equal equivalentbenefittotenure inthe businessworld.Inindustry,if youdonotperform
well youhave a higherchance of losingyourjob.If a companyneedstodownsize orthe industryis
failing,itresultsinlayoffs.Sowhydoesn’tacademiaworkthe same way?Whyshoulda lazy,arrogant
professorwhoresearchesAdolf Hitler’sleadershipmodel be guaranteedajob?Thisseemstobe the
presumptionof tenuredprofessors.However,it’simportanttonotonlylookat the qualitiesof these
employees,butalsothe industriesthemselves (McKenzie,n.d.).The goal of a businessistoproduce
profit.Inthe corporate world,people understandthattheir well-beingwithinacompanyislinkedto
howmuch theycan contribute tothat profit. Thisisnot subjecttoa radical change.However,higher
educationinstitutionsare subjecttomanyongoingchangesdue topolitics.Mostfundingcomesfrom
9. EDUCATIONAL REFORMIN WISCONSIN 8
state and federal government.Fundingcanchange dependingonthe countryandstate’seconomyas
well asthe political partyinoffice.Givensuchanunstable workenvironment,tenureisnecessaryfor
professorstokeeptheirjobsecurity.
In conclusion,GovernorWalker’spolicychangestopublichighereducationinstitutionsseemill
thoughtout anddetrimental tothe Universityof Wisconsinsystem.Ifullyexpectfacultytoleave their
institution,takingtheirresearchmoneywiththem.Studentswill feel forcedinto majorsthatdon’t
interestthem.The universitywill notbe able torecruittopnotch facultytoelevate the scholarshipof
theirschools.Eventually,these changeswill likelyleadtoalack of communication,engagement,and
productivityof facultymembers,the verythingsthe policiessoughttoimprove.If politiciansneedhelp
reforminghighereducationandspending,theyneedtostartwithinthe institutionsthemselves.
Empoweringandengagingthe facultytosearchforoverspendingoradditional sourcesof revenue which
couldbe tiedto additional incentiveswill goalongway.These faculty,staff,andstudentsare the ones
whoknowtheirinstitutionbest,whynotaskthemfor supportbefore forcingradical changesuponthem
blindly.
10. EDUCATIONAL REFORMIN WISCONSIN 9
References
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http://www.aaup.org/report/1940-statement-principles-academic-freedom-and-tenure
Bastedo,M. N.(2012). The organization of highereducation:Managing collegesfora new era.The
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Biography.(n.d.).ScottWalkerbiography.Retrievedfrom http://www.biography.com/people/scott-
walker-20941829
Hendrickson,R.M., Lane,J.E., Harris, J. T.,Dorman, R. H. (2013). Academicleadership and governance
of higher education. StylusPublishing:Sterling,VA.
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