Weekly Briefing: The Wisconsin Blueprint for Attacking Higher Ed

Our Karin Fischer dug into how Scott Walker's governorship set the stage for many of today's offensives against colleges. ADVERTISEMENT [Weekly Briefing Logo]( Did someone forward you this newsletter? [Sign up free]( to receive your own copy. A blueprint for political attacks on higher ed. During his two terms as governor of Wisconsin, Scott Walker consistently criticized colleges, and those who work at them, making them political foils and describing them as wasteful and out of touch. He challenged what was taught in their classrooms and questioned their value. By the time he left office, in 2019, Walker, a Republican, had slashed college budgets, stripped tenure protections and university autonomy, and proposed gutting the Wisconsin Idea, enshrined in state law, which stresses higher education’s importance to the state and society. But if Walker drew national attention several years ago for his unusual antagonism toward higher education, today he has plenty of company. Across the country, Republican governors, state lawmakers, and politically appointed boards have taken aim at colleges. Iowa’s legislature has repeatedly tried to [abolish]( tenure. In Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis — who, like Walker before him, harbors presidential ambitions — has imposed [political litmus tests]( on faculty members, sought to [cut public colleges’ ties to their accreditor]( after it asked questions about academic freedom at the University of Florida, and floated a plan to give state officials greater control over [academic hiring and firing](. In state after state, elected officials have tried to block professors from teaching about critical race theory or other subjects they object to — what one free-speech group has called “[educational gag orders]( The particulars may differ from state to state, with the flashpoints reflecting the history, demography, or culture of a particular region. But the upshot is the same: Politicians are firing shots at academic expertise and threatening institutional independence. They are putting colleges on the defensive. Our Karin Fischer talked to key figures who opposed Walker’s actions in Wisconsin about what they had learned, and traced parallels between what went on in the Badger State a decade ago and today’s headlines. [Here’s what she found](. And for more on how gubernatorial platforms play out in higher ed, [read this]( from our Katie Mangan. ADVERTISEMENT Lagniappe. - Read. A new Sports Illustrated feature [tells the story]( of Keegan Gregory, who survived a harrowing encounter with a shooter at his Michigan high school a year ago. It’s a tough read, but strikes a hopeful note about human resilience. - Listen. In this three-part [podcast series]( hear about a woman who lost her father and brother to Covid-19 in the span of two weeks last year, having had no idea either of them was sick. (The New York Times) - Look. NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope sent home a [breathtaking new image]( this week of the Pillars of Creation. The “pillars” are actually much more permeable than their namesake on Earth, being made up of interstellar gas and dust, and they were first captured by the Hubble Space Telescope in 1995. The new Webb photo is even more stunning, though; if you need a new background for your phone, look no further. —Megan (I’m substituting this week for Fernanda, who is away.) SUBSCRIBE TO THE CHRONICLE Enjoying the newsletter? [Subscribe today]( for unlimited access to essential news, analysis, and advice. Chronicle Top Reads CAMPUS SAFETY [A Petition on Sexual Assault Called for More Security. Then Came the Backlash.]( By Carolyn Kuimelis [STORY IMAGE]( A complex response to sexual assaults at the University of Pittsburgh has prompted nuanced discussions among students about what a safer campus looks like. ADMISSIONS [When Considering the Fairness of Race-Conscious Admissions, Don’t Forget to Get Over Yourself]( By Eric Hoover [STORY IMAGE]( We’re obsessed with individual achievement. It’s a narrow way of understanding admissions, says Natasha K. Warikoo in her new book. DECLINE IN DOCTORATES [America’s Ph.D. Production Experienced Its Steepest Drop on Record]( By Audrey Williams June [STORY IMAGE]( The number of doctoral degrees declined by 5.4 percent in 2021, according to the National Science Foundation. ADVERTISEMENT FROM THE CHRONICLE STORE [Building a Faculty That Flourishes]( [Building a Faculty That Flourishes]( Colleges and universities cannot be successful without vibrant and engaged faculties. Now is the time to figure out sustainable ways to recruit, support, and diversify the faculty. [Order your copy today.]( NEWSLETTER FEEDBACK [Please let us know what you thought of today's newsletter in this three-question survey](. This newsletter was sent to {EMAIL}. [Read this newsletter on the web](. [Manage]( your newsletter preferences, [stop receiving]( this email, or [view]( our privacy policy. © 2022 [The Chronicle of Higher Education]( 1255 23rd Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20037