UW System’s future unsure – TAA | Graduate Worker Union of UW-Madison

During the debate, which was hosted by the Teaching Assistants’ Association, Chancellor Biddy Martin debated with UW System and United Council representatives to advocate the New Badger Partnership, saying the proposal would serve to preserve the campus’s status as an internationally dominant research university rather than damage the other system campuses.

Opponents of the plan maintain that public authority status for the campus will weaken collaboration between campuses and, in turn, hurt the university’s tradition of affordability for Wisconsin residents.

“Going forward with the New Badger Partnership would isolate Madison not only from other UW campuses but from many of the political players in the state,” UW-Baraboo-Sauk County Dean Tom Pleger said. “It will damage this university.”