Budget cuts have impacts, even if lawmakers don’t want to know about them

When the state cuts funding to higher education, there are noticeable impacts. But some Wisconsin lawmakers don’t want to hear about it. State lawmakers cut funding to the UW System by $250 million in the current budget. The UW Board of Regents had plans for each chancellor of UW System schools to present details of how the cuts have impacted their campus, but that was hastily pulled from the agenda. Now the chairman of the Assembly’s higher education committee says he won’t hold a hearing into what impact the budget cuts have had on campuses like UW La Crosse. Its probably not a surprise than the budget cuts have meant less campus resources. Generally, class sizes are growing, teachers who are resigning aren’t being replaced. At UWL, the budget cuts also mean students have reduced access to academic journals and course materials. Our lawmakers should be interested in finding out the specific results of these cuts, especially as they are poised to soon consider funding for the UW System’s next budget. Those behind the cuts seem to prefer to stick their heads in the sand, rather than even have a discussion about the impacts of these cuts. They should be concerned about what impact these cuts have had…instead they don’t even seem interested in finding out.