U of Wisconsin-Madison Chancellor Rebecca Blank appeals to alums

[Scuba]

This message was sent to UW-Madison alumni in Wisconsin by WAA on behalf of Chancellor Blank on Thursday, February 5, 2015.

Dear University of Wisconsin–Madison alum,

As you may know, the university is facing a significant budget cut in the next two years. I am writing to ask for your help in communicating to state policymakers the importance of maintaining an affordable and world-class university.

Governor Scott Walker has proposed cutting the University of Wisconsin System by $300 million over the next two years to help fill a state budget deficit. UW–Madison’s share of that cut is expected to be $57 million per year. This is on top of the $23 million reduction the campus received in the budget passed by the Legislature two years ago. Together with other cuts included in the governor’s budget, UW–Madison is likely to face at least an $86 million budget hole next year if the proposal is enacted.

If the full amount of Governor Walker’s proposed $300 million cut is implemented, it will be the largest cut to the UW in state history. It will diminish our ability to provide our students with a quality education; it will hinder our ability to provide vital services such as academic advising and other student support programs; and it puts at risk the investment that generations of Wisconsinites have made to create a highly ranked university in our state.

The governor has called for another two-year freeze for in-state undergraduate tuition, which I support. He has also proposed a public authority model that would provide flexibilities in areas such as purchasing, management of building projects, and authority over a pay plan for university employees. These are welcome reforms that would eventually allow the System to function more effectively, but the public authority will take some time to implement and will provide no budget relief in the short term.

Our alumni are our most important ambassadors, and your voice can make a difference. I know how much you value your UW–Madison degree and the opportunities that being a graduate of a world-class educational and research institution have provided. I urge you to contact your legislators to ask them to reduce the proposed cut to the university budget so that we can continue to provide Wisconsin students with an outstanding education and serve the state in the best tradition of the Wisconsin Idea. You can contact elected officials and learn more about the budget at uwalumni.com/advocacy. You can also find information about the overall university budget in our Budget in Brief document document and follow news about the budget at budget.wisc.edu.

I urge you to and ask them to reduce the proposed cut to the university budget so that we can continue to provide Wisconsin students with an outstanding education, and serve the state in the best tradition of the Wisconsin Idea. You can find information about the overall university budget in our , and follow news about the budget at .

Thank you,

Chancellor Rebecca Blank
University of Wisconsin–Madison

[Bandit]

1. Many states with Democratic governors are not running huge deficits

I was under the impression that Republican Governorship would bring prosperity for all. It seems that ONLY occurs under Democratic Governors. Republicans would be very hard pressed to show a state under Republican control that is in good economic shape.

[HereSince1628]

2. I'm sure someone knows how many new industries, products and processes UW-Madtown

has generated in the past generation.

My guess at the front end is the contributions are worth more to WI's economy than $80 million.

My guess is it's likely that the contributions to just the dairy industry might be worth $80 million a year.