Walker's proposed cuts to UW System (estate, paid, drain)

[AminWi]

Originally Posted by ccjarider

3. An interesting question to ask is why does a University even need to be under the purview of a State government? Private enterprise has proven pretty adept at providing the service.

Which private universities do a better job of educating students for less money than our public universities?

[ccjarider]

Originally Posted by AminWi

Which private universities do a better job of educating students for less money than our public universities?

Fair question - I don't know. My comment was not necessarily geared around cost but agree it is a factor. I suspect they are similar all around. Public university "costs" are skewed by tax subsidy so who knows if one could ever even get to the real #.

But your point is interesting.

[KG21]

Originally Posted by aminwi

it's not just that it "sucks". The fact is that every time we accept changes like this - whether it be loss of manufacturing jobs (because it 'costs too much' to produce things here), or the slow erosion of university departments (because, again, they 'cost too much'), we are making a decision about the kind of society we want to have. We are saying that the a strong middle class and an educated populace - all things that our parents' and grandparents' generations worked for and enjoyed - do not matter enough to us to pay for and fight for. I know some on city data are fond of saying our country is broke, there is no money for the nice things prior generations had. I don't buy that. The money is still there, it is just going for other things, like war and making some people fabulously wealthy. It doesn't have to be that way.

Attract another industry to the state, simple. Make it your goal, dream about it, talk to your friends about it, go to people in said industry and discuss why your state would be a great place to build an office.

Become aware if things continue the way they are things will get worse before they get better

[timberline742]

Originally Posted by KG21

Attract another industry to the state, simple. Make it your goal, dream about it, talk to your friends about it, go to people in said industry and discuss why your state would be a great place to build an office.

Become aware if things continue the way they are things will get worse before they get better

That isn't the answer. Lots of times that attracting industry is done based on tax breaks, lower wages, etc etc. It's a race to the bottom. The key is to build industry. That is done through investment in education and a workforce that feeds and creates innovation in growth industries.

[KG21]

Originally Posted by timberline742

That isn't the answer. Lots of times that attracting industry is done based on tax breaks, lower wages, etc etc. It's a race to the bottom. The key is to build industry. That is done through investment in education and a workforce that feeds and creates innovation in growth industries.

Investment in education to what industry? Manufacturing? (Dying) Biotechnology? Health Care? Food Production?

Are you telling your kids to grow up and spend 5+ years in college to become medical scientists, or going to college to manage logistics for a manufacturing company, or work on a farm? Are they actually doing it?

Not saying that anything is wrong with any of those career paths but the simple fact is that there is so much other things you can do with your life that are more lucrative. You can work a help desk job in a tech company and make at least 40K a year. You also have to passionate about something and want to spend that much of your life in school. Its not something that everyone wants to do, especially not in world where the internet is at your fingertips and options are available in 48-49 other states.

Adapt or die slowly

[timberline742]

Originally Posted by KG21

Investment in education to what industry? Manufacturing? (Dying) Biotechnology? Health Care? Food Production?

In education across the board. But heavily in STEM and R&D related to it, and as a compliment in incubators and accelerators, and the other infrastructure needed to foster start ups. These are the areas of growth. Biotech is hardly dying, its booming where I now live (Boston area).

Originally Posted by KG21

Are you telling your kids to grow up and spend 5+ years in college to become medical scientists, or going to college to manage logistics for a manufacturing company, or work on a farm? Are they actually doing it?

That would depend on their interest. I personally studied wildlife biology as an undergrad, as that was my passion.

[adele115]

Weakened tenure leads to higher turnover at UW-L which leads to higher overall expenses:

UW tenure saves the state money -- Taggert J. Brooks and John Nunley | Opinion | host.madison.com

[madisonvisitor]

These unnecessary, politically-motivated changes to tenure are going to cost the state money, both in terms of requiring higher salaries to faculty, as well as losing the better ones who are here. Paradoxically, it is many of those who don't need tenure protection who are now leaving.

[AminWi]

Originally Posted by adele115

Weakened tenure leads to higher turnover at UW-L which leads to higher overall expenses:

UW tenure saves the state money -- Taggert J. Brooks and John Nunley | Opinion | host.madison.com

This seems to be the outcome of many of the cuts Walker has driven throughout his career. He makes changes that are penny wise but pound foolish, and people often only discover the true cost of his reforms after he's moved on to a new office.

[ccjarider]

Originally Posted by adele115

Weakened tenure leads to higher turnover at UW-L which leads to higher overall expenses:

UW tenure saves the state money -- Taggert J. Brooks and John Nunley | Opinion | host.madison.com

This is an opinion piece drafted by people who worked in the University system.
It should not be touted automatically as fact.