I had not figured on going to college. We have a world premier university just 45 miles up the road from the home farm. Students from all over the world come to Madison for its undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs. University of Wisconsin graduates hold positions of leadership in agriculture, medicine, business, science, technology, government, and the arts throughout the world.
UW-Madison seemed like an intimidating place to a backward farm kid whose high school record was not all that outstanding. I wasn't ready.
After high school, a year on the farm, and three years in the Marines changed my outlook. Madison was no longer intimidating. It would be UW-Madison's College of Agriculture for me.
When six weeks into that freshman semester I passed that first chemistry exam with flying colors, I knew I was going to make it. Those four years opened up doors for me that I could never have imagined - graduate work at Arizona and University of California-Berkeley, faculty positions at the University of Minnesota and New Mexico State University, posts at universities in Kenya and the Middle East, and even a year in the Pentagon in a non-partisan appointment as Economic Advisor to the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works.
I credit UW-Madison for laying the foundation, and will fiercely defend it and what it stands for - its mission embedded in Wisconsin statutes embracing "The Wisconsin Idea," articulated by former UW President Charles Van Hise in 1904.
Wisconsin Statutes: Section 1111. 36.01 (2) The mission of the system is to develop human resources to extend knowledge and its application beyond the boundaries of its campuses and to serve and stimulate society by developing in students heightened intellectual, cultural, and humane sensitivities, scientific, professional and technological expertise, and a sense of purpose. Inherent in this broad mission are methods of instruction, research, extended training and public service designed to educate people and improve the human condition. Basic to every purpose of the system is the search for truth.
UW-Madison is our state's "Land Grant University," based on the Morill Act of 1862 that provided for an educational institution in every state dedicated to instruction and practical research, emphasizing agriculture and engineering, or "the mechanic arts," as known during that era. The Smith Lever Act of 1915 provided for a Cooperative Extension System that would extend knowledge and research results to every corner of every state. Monroe native, highly regarded Mark Mayor, heads our Green County UW Extension office that carries out these responsibilities, all consistent with "The Wisconsin Idea."
"The Wisconsin Idea," embedded in our statutes, our traditions, and institutions has served us well, being a source of "improving the human condition" for our state, the nation and, indeed, the world.
It should come as no surprise that Gov. Walker unleashed a firestorm and backlash when he told reporters that a proposed language change in his 2015-17 budget plan would "better focus the University of Wisconsin system." What were these proposed changes?
In the above mission statutes, the last two sentences would be eliminated. That is, the sentence including "public service designed to educate people and improve the human condition" would no longer be included in UW's mission. Most incredibly, "... every purpose of the system is the search for truth" would be eliminated from the revised statutes.
The governor would add "to meet the state's workforce needs" to the opening sentence which, of course, is redundant. Meeting workforce needs is certainly implicit in the broader, original mission statement. And let us emphasize that our statewide system of technical colleges is a vital link in this goal.
In addition, the changes would have eliminated "to extend knowledge and its application beyond the boundaries of its campuses."
The governor defended the change in language, insisting that it would better focus the UW System. Under criticism, including from Democratic, and some Republican, legislators, he said he initially defended the changes because he thought the only change was language adding "workforce development."
So how could a proposed major change in UW's mission statement (including eliminating "the search for truth") that has served the broad public so well have occurred?
Simple - it was a "drafting error."
The governor elaborated on a series of miscommunications between personnel in his Department of Administration and his Budget Director, who accepted responsibility, and stated that, "Gov. Walker never intended for the Wisconsin Idea language to be changed." This, amidst allegations that the governor had earlier suggested such changes to his staff.
According to the Wisconsin State Journal, a top Department of Administration official apologized to UW System President, Ray Cross, who accepted the apology and agreed with the governor's chronology of events. Cross thanked the governor "for his commitment to the Wisconsin Idea."
This "drafting error" was more than a comma fault and a couple of misspelled words. It is inconceivable that experienced operatives could have imagined changing a long-held, cherished mission statement so embedded in UW's DNA, and statutes, without substantial public discussion by legislators, and University administrators and faculty who are ultimately responsible for carrying it out.
This outrageous "drafting error" comes on the heels of Gov. Walker's proposed UW system-wide cut of $300 million over the next two years, coupled with urging professors to "work harder." Okay, it's mostly inside work, no heavy lifting, and I'm partial to the profession. But I don't see our UW professors as slackers.
Wisconsin is in deep financial trouble. The UW System, along with K-12 education, will take a financial hit; the question is "how large." This is especially bitter as the governor has expressed intentions to increase the voucher program for private schools.
Every citizen of Wisconsin can be proud that a medium sized, rural/small town state harbors a world class university system of UW's caliber.
The system will be financially stressed. But DON'T MESS WITH THE WISCONSIN IDEA.
- John Waelti's column appears every Friday in the Times. He is a 1962 graduate of UW-Madison, and can be reached at jjwaelti1@tds.net.
UW-Madison seemed like an intimidating place to a backward farm kid whose high school record was not all that outstanding. I wasn't ready.
After high school, a year on the farm, and three years in the Marines changed my outlook. Madison was no longer intimidating. It would be UW-Madison's College of Agriculture for me.
When six weeks into that freshman semester I passed that first chemistry exam with flying colors, I knew I was going to make it. Those four years opened up doors for me that I could never have imagined - graduate work at Arizona and University of California-Berkeley, faculty positions at the University of Minnesota and New Mexico State University, posts at universities in Kenya and the Middle East, and even a year in the Pentagon in a non-partisan appointment as Economic Advisor to the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works.
I credit UW-Madison for laying the foundation, and will fiercely defend it and what it stands for - its mission embedded in Wisconsin statutes embracing "The Wisconsin Idea," articulated by former UW President Charles Van Hise in 1904.
Wisconsin Statutes: Section 1111. 36.01 (2) The mission of the system is to develop human resources to extend knowledge and its application beyond the boundaries of its campuses and to serve and stimulate society by developing in students heightened intellectual, cultural, and humane sensitivities, scientific, professional and technological expertise, and a sense of purpose. Inherent in this broad mission are methods of instruction, research, extended training and public service designed to educate people and improve the human condition. Basic to every purpose of the system is the search for truth.
UW-Madison is our state's "Land Grant University," based on the Morill Act of 1862 that provided for an educational institution in every state dedicated to instruction and practical research, emphasizing agriculture and engineering, or "the mechanic arts," as known during that era. The Smith Lever Act of 1915 provided for a Cooperative Extension System that would extend knowledge and research results to every corner of every state. Monroe native, highly regarded Mark Mayor, heads our Green County UW Extension office that carries out these responsibilities, all consistent with "The Wisconsin Idea."
"The Wisconsin Idea," embedded in our statutes, our traditions, and institutions has served us well, being a source of "improving the human condition" for our state, the nation and, indeed, the world.
It should come as no surprise that Gov. Walker unleashed a firestorm and backlash when he told reporters that a proposed language change in his 2015-17 budget plan would "better focus the University of Wisconsin system." What were these proposed changes?
In the above mission statutes, the last two sentences would be eliminated. That is, the sentence including "public service designed to educate people and improve the human condition" would no longer be included in UW's mission. Most incredibly, "... every purpose of the system is the search for truth" would be eliminated from the revised statutes.
The governor would add "to meet the state's workforce needs" to the opening sentence which, of course, is redundant. Meeting workforce needs is certainly implicit in the broader, original mission statement. And let us emphasize that our statewide system of technical colleges is a vital link in this goal.
In addition, the changes would have eliminated "to extend knowledge and its application beyond the boundaries of its campuses."
The governor defended the change in language, insisting that it would better focus the UW System. Under criticism, including from Democratic, and some Republican, legislators, he said he initially defended the changes because he thought the only change was language adding "workforce development."
So how could a proposed major change in UW's mission statement (including eliminating "the search for truth") that has served the broad public so well have occurred?
Simple - it was a "drafting error."
The governor elaborated on a series of miscommunications between personnel in his Department of Administration and his Budget Director, who accepted responsibility, and stated that, "Gov. Walker never intended for the Wisconsin Idea language to be changed." This, amidst allegations that the governor had earlier suggested such changes to his staff.
According to the Wisconsin State Journal, a top Department of Administration official apologized to UW System President, Ray Cross, who accepted the apology and agreed with the governor's chronology of events. Cross thanked the governor "for his commitment to the Wisconsin Idea."
This "drafting error" was more than a comma fault and a couple of misspelled words. It is inconceivable that experienced operatives could have imagined changing a long-held, cherished mission statement so embedded in UW's DNA, and statutes, without substantial public discussion by legislators, and University administrators and faculty who are ultimately responsible for carrying it out.
This outrageous "drafting error" comes on the heels of Gov. Walker's proposed UW system-wide cut of $300 million over the next two years, coupled with urging professors to "work harder." Okay, it's mostly inside work, no heavy lifting, and I'm partial to the profession. But I don't see our UW professors as slackers.
Wisconsin is in deep financial trouble. The UW System, along with K-12 education, will take a financial hit; the question is "how large." This is especially bitter as the governor has expressed intentions to increase the voucher program for private schools.
Every citizen of Wisconsin can be proud that a medium sized, rural/small town state harbors a world class university system of UW's caliber.
The system will be financially stressed. But DON'T MESS WITH THE WISCONSIN IDEA.
- John Waelti's column appears every Friday in the Times. He is a 1962 graduate of UW-Madison, and can be reached at jjwaelti1@tds.net.
