The 2023-24 academic year stood out as a year of unprecedented political interference in the affairs of the University of Wisconsin by politicians in Madison.
After voting to approve the 2023-25 Wisconsin budget, Assembly Speaker Robin Vos refused to allow the Joint Committee on Employment Relations to approve the raises for public employees that he voted for because he objected to work being done by universities across the state to ensure that all students were served and welcomed on campus.
UW System President Jay Rothman stayed silent.
UW Regents were bullied into submission.
UW Chancellors did nothing to defend students, staff, and faculty against political meddling.
Only the unions and the students spoke out.
At UW-Eau Claire, union members and friends drafted and passed a University Senate resolution demanding that the administration recommit itself to defending the university's core values, shared governance, and transparency.
We also supported efforts by Student Senate representatives to lead a Teach-In on the value of EDI and the political attacks against academic freedom. The event was attended by over 50 students, staff, and faculty.
We don't expect this to be the end of political attacks against UW, and the union stands prepared to defend our core values against efforts by politicians to silence and control those who choose to exercise their constitutional freedoms.