UW System Clipsheet

July 2, 2009

Note that some links may expire. If you need assistance with a specific article, please contact us at clipsheet@uwsa.edu

UW System

"UW unions: Louder voice or threat to shared governance," La Crosse Tribune, July 2.

Starting now, faculty and academic staff at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse and throughout the UW System have the right to organize and vote if they want to form unions on campus. It may mean a louder, collective voice for these groups, but also has the potential to pit faculty and staff against management according to some UW-L officials...Collective bargaining rights give a meaningful voice to UW-L faculty and staff, said Tom Hench, president of UW-L's local Association of University of Wisconsin Professionals chapter...On the other hand, Gow hopes the rights don't erode Wisconsin's strong tradition of shared governance -- a pillar of the UW System that allows groups of faculty, staff and students to partake in the university's decision-making process...

On Campus

"UWGB extends application deadlines for local counties," Green Bay Press-Gazette, July 1.

The University of Wisconsin-Green Bay is taking the unusual step of keeping applications open through August -- but only for students in 11 local counties. The university stopped taking most freshman applications in May, and the application period for most transfer students ends today. But officials decided to give local students more time, in part because of the slumping economy...

"UWSP leader to join USDA," Marshfield News Herald, July 2.

A University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point employee and former state assemblyman has been named Wisconsin state director of Rural Development for the United States Department of Agriculture. Stan Gruszynski will take over the department, which administers money for facilities projects, housing and small-business development in rural communities. He is scheduled to start by Aug. 1, and he will leave his job as the interim director of university development for the UWSP Foundation...

"Empty chair no more," Inside Higher Ed, July 2.

When conservative critics look at the field of history, one much repeated charge is that departments have obliterated fields like military history in favor of multiculturalism. And for those who have questioned the academy's commitment to military history in recent years, no institution has been more of a target than the University of Wisconsin at Madison.Wisconsin has for several years been trying to fill an endowed chair in military history and the length of the search (extended in part to raise more money) left some suspicious...As of Wednesday, military history is in fact alive and well at Madison -- with John W. Hall in place as the first Ambrose-Hesseltine Professor in U.S. Military History...

State

"Doyle: Stimulus money kept state from even deeper cuts," La Crosse Tribune, July 2.

A combination of "steep" cuts to state agencies and $2.2 billion in federal economic stimulus money helped to overcome a $6.6 billion budget deficit, Gov. Jim Doyle said Wednesday. In an interview with the La Crosse Tribune editorial board, Doyle discussed the state budget that he had just signed on Monday...Still, the budget actually increases spending by 6 percent -- a fact that Republicans have pointed out. Doyle said those increases were the result of $2.2 billion in federal recovery act money, which also allowed cuts to local school districts to be less than they might have been...

"Wisconsin to recognize domestic partnerships," Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, July 1.

With the budget signed Monday by Gov. Jim Doyle, Wisconsin has become the first state with a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage and civil unions to put in place domestic partnerships for same-sex couples. Wisconsin also is the first Midwestern state to legislatively put in place legal protections for same-sex couples, according to advocates. But supporters of the ban still contend the creation of domestic partner benefits violates the constitutional amendment on marriage because it creates a legal status that approximates marriage - and they could file a legal challenge soon...

"Clerks prepare for domestic partnerships," Wisconsin Radio Network, July 2.

County clerks around Wisconsin are scrambling to comply with a provision under the state budget that recognizes same sex partnerships and affords some of the same protections as marriage...

National

"As more colleges sign up to offer veterans aid, some veterans criticize application process," Chronicle of Higher Education, July 2.

An updated chart on the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs' Web site indicates that the department has reached more than 2,500 agreements with colleges nationwide under its new Yellow Ribbon Program, but it is unclear how many colleges that number represents because many institutions entered into multiple agreements with the department...Earlier in the week, advocates for student veterans criticized the way some participating colleges plan to distribute the program's benefits, which were created as part of last year's legislation to expand GI Bill aid...(paid subscription required)

"Finding debt a bigger hurdle than bar exam," New York Times, July 2.

...He put himself through community college, worked and borrowed heavily to help pay for college, graduate school and even law school. He took the New York bar examination not once, not twice, not three times, but four, passing it last year. Finally, he seemed to be on his way. In January, the committee of New York lawyers that reviews applications for admission to the bar interviewed Mr. Bowman, studied his history and the debt he had amassed, and called his persistence remarkable. It recommended his approval. But a group of five state appellate judges decided this spring that his student loans were too big and his efforts to repay them too meager for him to be a lawyer...