Posted on 06/18/2015 1:29:28 PM PDT by Kaslin
Scott Walker has formed a Testing the Waters Committee, which I assume has something to do with Marco Rubio’s response to the State of the Union in 2013. (Those who do not learn from the past are doomed to repeat it.) The new committee will provide him with an additional conduit to raise funds between now and when he announces his presidential bid in July. But at the same time, he’s making some other moves, particularly in the area of tenure for professors at public colleges and universities.
As Republican Gov. Scott Walker prepares to campaign for president as the man who tamed Wisconsin’s unions, he’s taking on a new labor fight: weakening tenure protections for professors at public colleges and universities.
Walker insists that by allowing the University of Wisconsin system Board of Regents, 16 of whose 18 members are appointed by the governor, to set tenure policies instead of having tenure protections spelled out in state law will help give the state university system more flexibility and financial leverage.
His effort could endear him to conservatives who are scornful of what they view as higher education’s ivory tower — a perception Walker has encouraged by suggesting that “maybe it’s time for faculty and staff to think about teaching more classes and doing more work” — but it has infuriated academics and others who consider tenure a vital protection of academic freedom.
Note that Walker isn’t proposing some sort of blanket ban on tenure. That’s probably a smart play, since such an unconditional declaration of war would be yet another bruising battle to engage in just as he’s getting ready to launch a national campaign. Instead of that, he’s proposing that tenure policy be set by the Board of Regents. The effect would probably not, in all likelihood, be the same as some sort of complete ban on tenure, but it could institute some long overdue reviews and corrections.
This will likely reignite the long simmering fight over the tenure system in general. The ivory tower elite will continue to insist that tenure serves the dual purpose of protecting educators from baseless accusations while ensuring that they are not beholden to the shifting tides of political opinion. As I’ve said in the past, the sad part of all this is that those would actually be fairly persuasive arguments in a perfect world. Students may behave maliciously and irresponsibly at times and could bring false accusations against an instructor. And inside of a state run system such as the colleges, it would be nice to think that teachers were all enlightened and pure of motive. Much like judges, it’s not difficult to imagine situations where elected officials put their thumbs on the scale in terms of appointments and hiring.
And yet, tenure turned out to be such a powerful and easily abused weapon that its downside eventually swamped whatever good it hoped to accomplish. The incompetent or even abusive were shielded along with the diligent workers. And rather than providing a nonpartisan safe space for academics, our universities largely turned into liberal or even socialist enclaves where no dissenting opinions would be allowed. The tenure system was simply a tool to cement that structure in place over generations.
Of course, Walker is being accused of doing this as some sort of “stunt” to burnish his conservative credentials as he moves into the primary race. But does anyone think those credentials really needed any polishing when it comes to conservative doctrine regarding unions and universities? Sounds precisely in character to me.
He’s not President nor his he in Congress, he doing something he has the power to do, not just talk about it. Good for him, that is how fundamental change gets done. I wish we had more folks that understood how real fundamental change gets done.
I was dating future husband but they did not play it on the post where he was stationed. At least not that I remember
Really because everyone with a 3.0 and above, obviously know best.
“he doing something he has the power to do,”
Yeh something stupid and meaningless.
Well it does show a little bit about a persons efforts, perserverance and intellect. Most employers look at such things and when someone is applying for the top position in the country, it ought to be factored in.
Why are you pushing a non issue? Nobody outside of the 30 or so people on this thread give a rats bazoo about tenure in Wisconsin. Its pathetic.
If Walker wants to be President he better find better causes to go after than a few tenured professors in Wi. Its ridiculous and frankly embarrassing. You don’t think the MSM will ridicule him for this. If I thought it up they will be even worse.
Walker needs to stay in WI. The general election with him in it will be a disaster. We will be watching President Clinton get sworn in.
Apparently NOT to many of us...Conservatives. And I'd expect many American Citizens also...........
He loves grandstanding and no issue is too ridiculous if he gets some attention.
Then WHY are you so worked up about it????
Why don't you just go on your way...if this is a non-issue?
You have an agenda...it's obvious to those that notice.
BTW....I think tenure in this country is a BIG issue...and needs addressed.
Do you not think...progressive liberal socialist marxist democrats control our state colleges?
Answer me that.
Yeh the Walkerbots are losing their minds over the stats on tenured professors that are freely available online. This moron is trying to make a big deal over 996 tenured professors out of 3470 fulltime teaching faculty. Total fulltime faculty is over 13,000 in WI. This is hugh and series. LOL!
Yeh I want to vote for Walker because he is crucifying the college professors. Oh yeh. LOL! What a marone!
This is the guy we are going to send up agains’t Hillary? Epic fail alert.
The Walkerbots seem to be so worked up about a non issue I just can’t resist. If this is it Walker is done. :-)
Noticed you didn’t answer my other question..........
OK one last time before I totally lose interest. Less than 30% of the Wisconsin College faculty have tenure. Tenure is now and always has been very hard to get. I am a former college professor. Very few ever get it. Its a small potatoes issue. Why is a guy who wants to be president of the United States bothering with this when we have so many really bad problems in our country?
I’ll go farther. Why won’t Walker announce his candidacy if he is supposed to be the front runner? What is he scared of?
Those 1/3 are likely lying liberal socialist marxist progessive democrats that are supposedly "teaching" our future.
You think that's okay? You and C.J. thinks that's just fine? At least Walker is trying to do something about it.
You and C.J. have your mission...and it's obvious. But you aren't supporting Conservative's here...you are not.
Ah...the truth comes out.
I see where you are at.........
Well lets get into record. Right now Wisconsin is 50th in new business start ups, 40th in job creation, and the WEDC that Walker created and chaired lost 2 jobs for every one job created. Those jobs were shipped overseas by companies whose owners received milllions from WEDC. It is not yet know whether the current investigation will prove “Pay to Play” went on, but the whole mess was a huge waste of taxpayers money. The Wisconsin budget deficit is not looking good either.
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