Shared Governance At UW Schools Would Be Altered Under Budget Plan

University of Wisconsin System faculty, staff and student government groups could soon lose influence on their campuses after Wisconsin’s Joint Finance Committee voted last week to change shared governance laws.

Shared governance is a system outlined in state law: UW faculty are responsible for academics and faculty personnel issues, academic staff develop campus operations policies, and student groups create student life policies and decide how student fees are spent on campus activities.

However, the Joint Finance Committee voted to alter the unique laws on Friday, making shared governance groups more like advisors to their chancellors and the Board of Regents.

UW-La Crosse Faculty Senate Chair Brad Seebach said this reduces the balance of power on campuses.

“What we’re losing is an ability to have a guaranteed voice to try and maintain those aspects of the institution that we’re most involved in on a day-to-day basis,” he said.

Seebach is also concerned that the changes could cause schools to be impacted by political agendas.

UW-La Crosse Student Association President Kaylee Otterbacher said she’s concerned student fees could be used to offset state budget cuts.

“Students are really good at making sure those fees go to student programs with student support. And we worry that if students are taken out of the equation that those fees may be allocated elsewhere,” she said.

UW-La Crosse Chancellor Joe Gow said he’ll continue listening to students on how they want their fees spent. Both Otterbacher and Gow say they have a good working relationship, but other campuses have disagreed on how to use student fees in the past.

UW System President Ray Cross said in a statement that he and the Board of Regents believe in the tenets of shared governance, and are reviewing proposed changes to the law.