NEWS
UW System rings in 35 years
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Also by Tom Schalmo:
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- Winter storm hits Madison (December 1, 2007)
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- 'Keep fit, thank you' (November 9, 2007)
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- Reilly suggests UW head cuts (January 20, 2005)
- Report eyes UWM-Waukesha merger (February 10, 2006)
- Merger nears finish line (October 28, 2005)
- Reilly: merger not efficient (March 6, 2007)
- College boards get active (March 7, 2007)
by Tom Schalmo
Thursday, October 12, 2006
Wednesday marked the 35th anniversary of the creation of the University of Wisconsin System, following the merger of the state's two public university systems in 1971.
The merger of the University of Wisconsin and the Wisconsin State Universities formed one governing Board of Regents to oversee the entire System.
According to current Regent President David Walsh, the merger has significantly strengthened higher education in the state.
"[The two old systems] have both become stronger by the merger, not just in efficiency, but in taking advantage of the national reputation of the University of Wisconsin-Madison," Walsh said. "They've grown well and worked well together."
Judy Temby, secretary of the Office of the Board of Regents, said former Gov. Pat Lucey proposed the idea at a time when public education was governed by two separate boards of regents.
"The reason [the plan] was put forth was to promote efficiency and save money among the universities in the state at that time," Temby said. "Instead of all being under one board of regents, they each had their own board."
Temby added that rather than collaboration, there used to be competition between the old systems for resources.
Before 1971, the University of Wisconsin, which was created with the state's inception in 1848, consisted of UW-Madison and, later, UW-Milwaukee, UW-Green Bay and UW-Parkside.
The Wisconsin State Universities commenced in 1857 and included schools in Eau Claire, Platteville and seven other cities. Governed by its own board of regents, the Wisconsin State Universities had an enrollment just over 64,000 when the two merged.
Although the merger has since proven effective, UW System Communications Director Doug Bradley said not everyone was in accord about the collaboration in 1971.
"There were still skeptics and [there was] arm-twisting going on," Bradley said, noting the merger passed by just one vote.
But at last Friday's Board of Regents meeting in Platteville, UW System President Kevin Reilly said the unified merger has benefited the state academically and financially, and added there is little doubt about its effectiveness today.
"This merger … continues to serve Wisconsin well," Reilly said at the meeting. "Thirty-five years later, I think we take it for granted."
Financially, the unified UW System benefits everyone in the state, Reilly added.
Wisconsin citizens pay just over $200 per capita annually for the UW System, a figure that ranks 33rd out of all 50 states, Reilly said. The UW System, meanwhile, is the third-biggest university system in the state, behind the University of California System and the State Universities of New York.
According to Temby, a single unified system is essential in not duplicating programs around the state. For example, Wisconsin used to be home to two medical schools and two law schools, which were reduced to one each with the merger.
"We're in a situation where we have collaborative programs across the university system," Temby said. "There is an ongoing effort to ensure programs are offered in enough places and not too many places; there is accountability on a system-wide basis."
Walsh added the system now does more than was originally intended, as the merger has led to better faculty at all institutions, giving the state a sense of identity.
Bradley stressed the importance of having one governing body for all of the state's higher education.
"You get one board that listens to you and, in many cases, communities get responses," Bradley said. "It's a great way for a system and state to operate; the challenge is how do we maintain it and keep it great."
