Ed Garvey: Don’t put UW under right-wing thumb

[lutefisk]

"If one follows that bouncing ball, the Koch brothers could easily become the major “stakeholder” of the UW with what would be pocket change for the billionaires. They would govern, set tuition, decide on research priorities, hire faculty and fire the unorthodox. You can bet the faculty would sound more like Walker than Gaylord Nelson. It is almost certain that would happen, just as the wealthy have taken over our elections. They would let the likes of Walker, Grebe, Sykes and Vicki McKenna make decisions on who gets in the UW, the level of tuition, course selection. You know — the guts of a university. Whoa, Nelly!

Let us join together and declare they do not have the right to dispose of the great state university of Wisconsin. This is not a power plant — it is the font of ideas and dreams. It is us. The real stakeholders are the people of this state and students of the future. Not David Koch."

http://host.madison.com/ct/news/opinion/column/ed_garvey/article_bb7a2de7-10e7-5a7a-89a7-da962cd7bfcc.html

It is so sad to think about what will most certainly come to UW-Madison (not to mention the system schools) if Walker's plans go through. Just devastating.

[dragonlady]

1. When I heard this, I thought it was a bad idea

At this point, anything Walker wants to do should be extremely suspect. Most importantly, he would get to appoint a majority of the new board of regents, and they would start running roughshod, as they are in the legislature.

[sybylla]

2. Good Lord, Ed. Stop scaring me.

I'd never even thought of the possibility of the Kochs taking "financial" control of the University system. SHIT!

[midnight]

4. I never thought of them owning the co. that manages are State pensions but they do.

http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/260979/wisconsin-state-employees-should-have-some-koch-and-smile-christian-schneider

[Viking12]

5. They don't own WRS

WRS has something like 29/10,000ths of it's fund invested in Georgia Pacific.

[lutefisk]

6. Let's go to Koch Field and watch Wisconsin Oilers college football... nt

[Cieran_WI]

7. Why not, we already have the Kohl Center named after our Republican senator...

Herb Kohl (fake D-WI). Why not go all the way.

[lutefisk]

9. Ouch... is Senator Kohl really that bad?

I live here, but honestly don't have that negative an opinion of him. Sure, he's no Russ, but who is?

Go Oily Badgers! Rose Bowl Bound!

[sybylla]

10. Making a one-time donation is not the same as being a sugar daddy

So long as the university system, a land grant university, continues to be funded at healthy levels, we don't have to worry about gazillionaires and quid pro quos.

That was the whole point of the post. Sorry you missed it.

[midnight]

3. I believe this may already have been going on at UW-Milwaukee and could of been the

testing ground for Walker.... There are reasons the UW-Milwaukee Chancellor was shown the door. If those who know in greater detail why that was please share... I already know some have said he was trying to privatize this facility.

[Viking12]

8. Walker had no influence on UWM as Cty Exec...

I'm not real familiar with his departure, but former UWM Chancellor Santiago had one foot out the door from the moment he started at UWM -- he applied and interviewed for numerous jobs over the course of his tenure at UWM. The same can be said for a number of UWS Chancellors -- unfortunately, musical chairs has become the norm in higher ed administration.

[goddess40]

11. Chancellor Biddy Martin

Why is Biddy so in favor of Walker's plan? What is in it for her? Maybe she should be walked out.