As students at the University of Wisconsin, the 2015-16 academic year is of great importance.
The 2015-17 biennial budget has been signed, cutting $250 million from the UW System; legal tenure protections for faculty have been removed from state statute, sparking controversy; and UW, as a whole, ranked 25th in the world and 18th nationally, according to the 2015 results provided by The Center for World University Rankings.
This is only a handful of recent sociopolitical events that have taken place within the UW community.
Now what?
Motion passed to reduce UW System cuts, modify shared governance, tenure
Initially this is a seemingly unproductive question. These events have occurred and the changes have been made. Case closed, right? Well, not exactly. What may appear to be a simple and straightforward question is actually multifaceted and of great importance.
I pose this question not to address the next set of actions that must be taken, but rather to highlight the importance of critical thought amid a sea of change the university community is currently experiencing.
The Wisconsin Idea and UW are derived from the history of the state of Wisconsin as a “laboratory for democracy.” Our university is a scholastic experiment in a state of constant flux. New ideas surface, and new testing methods and ideas are developed. While the physical university is stationary, the visions of its human components are fluid.
Out of the $250 million cut from the UW System budget, UW’s share is $59 million. Then, cuts to specific programs and current spending result in an additional $27 million, totaling $86 million. Tuition for out-of-state and professional students must be inflated to compensate.
The numbers speak for themselves: starting this year, thousands of students will be affected. But this is not the end of the line.
Though Gov. Scott Walker’s name is etched into the financial paperwork, a name on paper cannot, and will not, shut down a democratic laboratory. As students, when we move forward, our university moves forward. Possessing the ability to adapt to a new sociopolitical climate is a fundamental aspect of belonging to a progressive institution. So, again …
Now what?
The answer is dependent on us, the student body. We are students at a university that is driven by those who seek its advancement. But if we truly wish to determine the course of our institution, thought must precede action.
A fundamental criterion of true change is critical thought, an activity our UW community is built upon. But it does not, and will not, happen on its own. As mentioned, legal tenure protections for faculty have been removed from state statute, provoking nervousness; the UW System may soon witness the departure of many of its most important educational assets.
Pedagogical liberty is under attack, and this time-sensitive issue only adds to our brewing political storm. This storm is precisely why we can never abandon a defining characteristic of our academic community: the desire for discovery.
Now more than ever, we have a reason to involve ourselves. There is simply too much happening around us to turn a blind eye. An election is gradually approaching, and with Walker racing for the nomination, Madison is particularly politically charged (an environment that will certainly influence various aspects of student life).
Historically, UW has been good at adapting to sociopolitical change. It’s why we consistently receive world-class rankings (ahead of Duke, Kentucky and Minnesota). We must live up to this reputation.
If we want to truly learn something, we must step outside of our comfort zones. If we want to truly change something, however, we must live outside of our comfort zones. By no means is this a simple endeavor, but it begins with critical thought.
As students, we must constantly remind ourselves to remain aware and informed. Not only will we feel empowered, but we will also see we are the catalysts for change and progress.
Danny Walzer ([email protected]) is a sophomore majoring in Spanish and communications.
