I did not intend to have a political blog. I intended to raise questions and issues that come up in higher education, from social media to student loans. However, current events cannot be left without comment.
It is with a heavy heart that I have watched things unfold. The repair bill effectively destroys the very heart of organized labor and will have devastating financial consequences for many workers and their families, especially those in lower income brackets. The proposed state budget is more of the same.
While the impact on public schools has been highly publicized, the impact on higher education has not. Over the last several years, public higher education has had to absorb significant cuts in funding (here and in other states). Furlough days are only part of the picture. In an effort to sustain teaching and research, the core of the university, most deeper cuts begin with support staff, from custodial to secretarial. These employees are tax paying citizens that put money into local businesses. Part time instructors, who have very little security to begin with, are less likely to be given work when cuts are made. When more even cuts are required, student services are often next to go. This can include academic support, but can include programs in health services, campus safety, and more.
Whole departments can be restructured, downsized, and made “more efficient.” Wages for current employees become frozen and hiring stops. It’s not so different from any other business. This often happens quietly, though, with no public attention. Tuition continues to go up, but students are effectively paying more and getting less. Employees are asked to do more with less, too–less money, less support, and more work. No one wins. Wisconsin is headed down this road at breakneck speed and the consequences will be immeasurable.
Universities provide more than an education though books. They provide many cultural and social resources for students and the wider community. Universities house history, information, art, artifacts, and so much more. Public universities, like public schools more broadly, also tend to provide access to the widest range of students. They provide endless opportunities. The decline of public education harms those who need it most. The continued defunding and devaluating of our schools is not the way forward, but a giant step backward. Wisconsin can do better; it must do better.
