Following the passage of a bill by the Wisconsin Legislature, the University of Wisconsin Board of Regents will have more regional representation than just Madison and Milwaukee.
According to Rep. Jeff Smith, D-Eau Claire, the bill would carve Wisconsin into seven regions based on the number of universities and colleges in the area. Each region would then be represented by at least one board member, leaving an additional seven members to represent any region.
He added in previous versions of the bill, the map was drawn according to congressional district, not by campuses per district. Both political parties within the state Legislature voted in favor of the bill.
Concern about equal representation first arose when representatives from Madison and Milwaukee began dominating the Board of Regents, Rep. John Townsend, R-Fond du Lac, said. Currently 10 of the 14 citizen regents are from either the Milwaukee or Madison area.
“There have been some feelings from outlying areas that the University of Wisconsin and UW-Milwaukee are getting a greater share of resources for new facilities, so by having a representative from each region, they will be better able to convey local need,” Townsend said.
Townsend also said the bill is important because skills and academic levels vary by region, and the bill would help to better convey distinct individual needs.
Smith, who authorized the bill, mentioned schools in the northwestern area had not made an appointment with the board in the last 35 years, causing a discrepancy in representation across the state.
“I don’t necessarily think there will be a lot of changes — it is just simply a better deal for democracy and representation,” Smith said.
The bill is aimed at providing equal representation from all areas of the state. Currently, the Board of Regents assigns two regents to four-year universities and two-year colleges. The members are then required to keep in close contact with these schools to learn their needs.?
“The goal of this bill is to make sure there is regional sensitivity. There is regional sensitivity in one way already in that every campus has two regents who are paying close attention to the needs of that campus,” Board of Regents President Mark Bradley said.
Governors have also played a role in creating regional sensitivity by making certain there is a degree of regional expertise in each area, Bradley said.
Bradley also said he believes the misrepresentation on the board by areas in Milwaukee and Dane County is only temporary, as in past years the northern region had a large representation.
He added looking at the expertise and backgrounds of regents is more important in ensuring equal attention is being paid to each campus than required regional representation.
Government Relations Director for the United Council Michael Moscicke believes the bill will benefit traditionally underrepresented areas. He believes the bill provides a benefit for schools in that the regent will receive campus concerns firsthand and bring them directly to the board.
