Tuesday, May 10, 2011

University of Wis-Koch-Sin?

Among the million and one things wrong with Scott Walker's proposed budget (did the man get anything correct?) was the proposal to cut the University of Wisconsin - Madison and separate it from the rest of the UW system.  This an idea that is already being panned by members of the Board of Regents.

Walker claims that the proposal is to save the state money and to allow UW-Madison to grow via private sector donations.  But as with all things Walker, one has to brush aside whatever nonsense he is spouting and seek out the truth behind the maneuver.

In this case, a post from Facebook leads us to a blogpost which leads us to the news story that explains all we need to know behind Walker's and the WISGOP's motivation for selling off one of the state's greatest assets. That reason is, of course, to appease the Koch Brothers and their big money:
A conservative billionaire who opposes government meddling in business has bought a rare
commodity: the right to interfere in faculty hiring at a publicly funded university.

A foundation bankrolled by Libertarian businessman Charles G. Koch has pledged $1.5 million for positions in Florida State University's economics department. In return, his representatives get to screen and sign off on any hires for a new program promoting "political economy and free enterprise."

Traditionally, university donors have little official input into choosing the person who fills a chair they've funded. The power of university faculty and officials to choose professors without outside interference is considered a hallmark of academic freedom.

Under the agreement with the Charles G. Koch Charitable Foundation, however, faculty only retain the illusion of control. The contract specifies that an advisory committee appointed by Koch decides which candidates should be considered. The foundation can also withdraw its funding if it's not happy with the faculty's choice or if the hires don't meet "objectives" set by Koch during annual evaluations.
Read on and later in the article you find that the Koch Boyzzz have had their fingers in a lot of pies, including the federal pie, for many years.

What is really sad is how many people who have been put in a role of responsibility suddenly roll over and become mewling sycophants at the first sight of a few bucks.  And that is exactly why, after we clean up the current mess in Madison, we remain vigilant for any other infections, before they too spread.

2 comments:

  1. If things keep on as they are, history books will mark this as the turning point for the United States. After which teachers can't teach anything the rich don't like, students can't write anything against corporations, elected officials can't vote against the rich, citizens can't sue corporations, ballots against the rich won't be counted etc. Corporate fascism starts now. Sheesh, I guess I've been radicalized.

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  2. It's a sad statement when wanting justice and what is best for society is deemed being a radical.

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