Chancellor Ford Statement on JFC Action

Cut to UW System reduced; operational flexibilities added

Colleagues and Friends of UW-Parkside: 

Earlier today, the Wisconsin Legislature's Joint Finance Committee (JFC) passed a motion that reduced Governor Scott Walker's proposed budget cut to the UW System from $300 million to $250 million for the 2015-2017 biennium. 

The motion also includes

• sought-after management and operational flexibilities;
  
• a path to develop relevant accountability metrics; and 
• the opportunity to move tenure from state statute to Regent policy.
  

State Senator Sheila Harsdorf emphasized during JFC discussion that tenure was not eliminated.

Shared governance will remain in state statute, however, modifications were approved by JFC. We will work in close partnership with our colleagues at UW System to fully analyze all aspects of the committee's action. Advocacy efforts will continue with our legislative delegation in Madison as the budget moves toward important debate by the Assembly and Senate. 

I appreciate the work of the committee and applaud the efforts of our entire learning community to advocate for UW-Parkside and the UW System. Included below are statements from UW System President Ray Cross and Board of Regents Vice President Regina Millner. 

Chancellor Debbie Ford 

Statement by UW System President Ray Cross on JFC motion 

"Today's proposed action by the Joint Finance Committee represents a significant reduction in the cut to the UW System. I want to express my gratitude to these legislators as well as the others who have worked to reduce the cut and provide the System with needed flexibilities. 

"I know this has been a difficult budget with many tough decisions. The work of the committee illustrates a willingness to open a new dialogue and partnership between the legislature and the UW System. I am committed to working to build on this foundation to ensure a strong UW System for the future that continues our long tradition of serving students, communities and the state."   

Statement by UW System President Ray Cross and Board of Regents Vice President Regina Millner on JFC motion addressing shared governance and tenure 

"When the Governor released his budget in January, the leadership of UW System and the Board of Regents spoke with one voice and immediately expressed our commitment to uphold the tenets of shared governance and tenure. Whether these important policies continued in statute or Board policy, we vowed they would live on.   

"We remain as committed to these principles now as we were five months ago. We appreciate that the action proposed today by the Joint Finance Committee keeps shared governance language in state statute, and we are reviewing other proposed changes related to shared governance. As tenure was not retained in statute, we will move to incorporate it into Board policies immediately. The Board meets next week. A UW System tenure task force, previously charged with reviewing the tenure issue, will continue its work.   

"Our review of all of the Joint Finance Committee's proposed changes continues. Overall, we are pleased with the substantial reduction of our budget cut and the provision of additional flexibilities, and we are confident our new partnership with the legislature is focused on the future."