Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) and the Republican-controlled Wisconsin state legislature are working to gut university professor tenure and shared governance, reported the Guardian. This is a Republican effort to destroy academic work that opposes Walker’s political platform.
Professors earn tenure through the length of their careers, original contributions to their respective fields, and recommendations made by their colleagues. Shared governance is the process through which professors create their institutions’ academic programs. Professor tenure and shared governance are paramount to academic freedom, integrity, and the development of strong, objective curriculums. Walker seeks to end that.
For instance, Walker’s changes could have detrimental effects on climate change research in the state of Wisconsin. The governor strips away academic freedom and knowledge under the guise of economic flexibility with his latest state budget which slashes $250 million from the University of Wisconsin.
Walker’s attack on education and knowledge threatens to create crippling change in the state of Wisconsin, and yet he wants to now be our President.
