The column below reflects the views of the author, and these opinions are neither endorsed nor supported by WisOpinion.com.
The UW System is, besides Wisconsinites, the greatest resource in Wisconsin. It’s an economic engine for the entire state: creating tens of thousands of jobs, hundreds of millions in tax revenues, conducting vital research for all sectors of the state economy and educating Wisconsinites to lead and work in rural, suburban and urban Wisconsin. Yet Wisconsin has dropped “to 44th in public funding of four-year universities” (UW System press release).
It’s taken some time to sink that low. As recently as the 1990s state funding comprised 50 percent of the UW System budget. Today that’s about 18%. During a severe recession Democratic Governor Jim Doyle cut $250 million. GOP Governor Scott Walker later cut $500 million. Democratic Governor Tony Evers wisely wants an increase. But despite a state surplus of about $4 billion, GOP state legislative leaders want to cut an additional $87 million.
Assembly Speaker Robin Vos said: “I think we look and say there is still too much political correctness on campus. … We want to ensure that whatever happens on campus, it is a free issue of ideas, and that people understand that’s the basis for what the university should be.” I have heard that canard all my life.
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Supposed UW “indoctrination” has completely failed to change leading conservatives. Ohio GOP Representative Jim Jordan, ultra-conservative chair of the House Judiciary Committee, graduated from UW-Madison and is in the Badger Hall of Fame (wrestling). Moreover, 4-time elected GOP Governor Tommy Thompson graduated with a BA and law degree from UW-Madison. We are friends, but Thompson remains a bedrock conservative. The 1960s passed him by, God love him.
Listen to conservative UW System President Jay Rothman: “We don’t want to fall further behind. But that’s what will happen without investment. And falling behind means (more) campus closures, decreased affordability, layoffs, and program cuts – all of which will hit hardest at our most vulnerable UWs.” He isn’t alone.
In 2021, then UW System President Tommy Thompson said: “The facts are straightforward. State support for the UW has dropped. Despite being a public university that directly serves the people of Wisconsin, we receive just 17% of our support from the state of Wisconsin. That means to operate this huge economic engine for Wisconsin, we must raise the other 83%.” Raising 83% has become much harder.
“Since January 2025, the Trump administration has issued several directives to federal agencies that resulted in the wrongful termination of approved, federally-funded projects at UW-Madison that support the university’s mission of research, teaching and service. In addition, the National Institutes of Health … delayed grant application reviews and attempted to drastically cut overhead payments for critical research” (UW-Madison Federal Relations). Moreover, the GOP-led Congress wants to severely limit tuition loans and grants for middle and working class students.
Dismantling the UW System is akin to shooting oneself in the foot. Let’s use part of the $4 billion state surplus to fully fund the UW System, which serves the entire state. Let’s go forward, not backward.
-Kaplan wrote a guest column from Washington, D.C., for the Wisconsin State Journal from 1995 – 2009.
