Wisconsin's future depends on investing in UW System, not trashing it | Opinion

Our history of investing in higher education is perhaps our greatest commitment as a state. Since its inception, the transformative impact of our UW System has been felt across our state and around the globe.

For decades, Wisconsin prioritized higher education funding knowing that it was the most important thing we could do to develop our workforce and innovate for our future. Our public universities attract people from the Great Lakes region and beyond because our institutions offer quality educational opportunities and affordable tuition.

For that reason, business leaders have historically been eager to establish businesses in our state, knowing that they will have a wellspring of talented UW System graduates to choose from, no matter the field. We continue to see the benefits of our dynamic milieu of higher education in every community in our state.

Investing in universities boosts Wisconsin's economy

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, for example, has established over 500 clinical partnerships across the state to meet the needs of our public and private healthcare networks while offering students hands-on, real-world experience before entering the workforce full-time. With Wisconsin’s aging population and the need for highly-skilled healthcare professionals, UW-Milwaukee is continuously looking for more ways to support our community. Since 2000, it has increased its enrollment in Health Sciences Degree programs by 120%, and has solidified itself as a premier institution for healthcare training in southeastern Wisconsin.

We have a century of research and results which make clear that education boosts our economy: investing in higher education leads to family-supporting jobs in our communities.

Why don't UW employees get a raise?We're just pawns in GOP's war against DEI.

Despite the indisputable successes of our UW institutions, we’ve seen damaging disinvestment by lawmakers over the last several decades, which has greatly accelerated over the last 12 years of unchecked Republican majorities in the Legislature. This disinvestment always comes with excuses and often partisan culture wars. The most recent example is Assembly Speaker Robin Vos’ tantrum about efforts to ensure that our universities are welcoming to and inclusive of all students.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion programs help first-generation college students, veterans returning from service, women in STEM, single parents attending night classes, and many other students on every campus in the state. Despite their success, in the most recent budget, these programs were scapegoated when Vos and his allies cut $32 million from UW campuses.

Our universities help people establish careers, facilitate career transitions, and make valuable contributions to their communities. The UW System gives people the ability to establish financial security for themselves and future generations while building a vibrant economy throughout our state.

UW campuses form deep community partnerships

The last few years have been difficult, but our state can still make the right choices to give people and communities hope. Our campuses are forming innovative partnerships with employers, governmental organizations, and nonprofits that will serve our state for decades to come. They are pursuing these partnerships despite the Republicans-led legislature’s efforts to undermine and underfund public higher education.

Whether it be innovations in the Fox Valley paper industry from UW-Stevens Point or UW-Madison helping EXACT Sciences develop lifesaving colon cancer screening, Wisconsin’s public universities continue to embody the best of the Wisconsin Idea. Wisconsin became the agricultural giant that it is in part because of our commitment to water conservation and soil health, made possible by research and collaboration among farmers and faculty at the Universities of Wisconsin.

UW System needs urgent reforms:Protect speech. Hire conservative faculty. Teach civics.

It’s a sad state of affairs when no legislative Republicans are willing to stand up to Vos, even though their constituents directly benefit from investments in UW.

The latest canard is holding back long overdue raises for UW employees unless each campus ends all diversity and inclusion efforts. This is a demand that no Fortune 500 company would agree to and that our schools simply cannot accept.

Finally, to confront the challenges of our workforce shortage, fight climate change, and meet our state’s growing healthcare needs, we need to ensure that everyone who seeks a high-quality public education can receive it – that every UW campus can serve the tens of thousands of promising students who seek to further their education and participate in our economy. We need investments in social work and nursing programs, mental health care, childcare, education, scientific research, engineering, agriculture, and sustainability.

The Universities of Wisconsin are the crown jewel in our state’s public education system. We must continue to support them if we are to have any hope of addressing our current economic and workforce challenges, and lay the groundwork for a brighter future for generations to come.

State Sen. Chris Larson, D-Milwaukee, represents the 7th Senate District. State Sen. Kelda Roys, D-Madison, represents the 26th Senate District.