Another nationally acclaimed faculty member left the University of Wisconsin-Madison recently, the latest casualty of an increasingly toxic atmosphere that has pitted Wisconsin’s largest public university against the State Legislature.

Environmental and Oceanic Studies professor Jon Foley received international recognition for his development of the Center of Sustainability and Global Environment at the University of Wisconsin, but now seeks greener pastures across the state border. Chief among his reasons for leaving was the University of Minnesota’s offer to double his salary.

Foley was reluctant to leave Wisconsin for a position as Director of the Institute on the Environment in Minnesota, but he showed little hesitation in suggesting poor support from the Wisconsin Legislature influenced his decision.

"It is remarkable how big a difference having a constructive and supportive legislature — even when money is still tight — makes in campus morale and attitude," Foley wrote in an email to friends.

In 2003, a slew of legislative cuts in the UW system budget cost Wisconsin universities  $250 million in funding.

Foley’s email dances around what Chronicle of Higher Education says more bluntly: “The problem is money. Wisconsin's stagnating state higher-education budget has forced the university to keep faculty salaries far below average.”

According to the American Association of University Professors, the University of Wisconsin ranks lowest in its 12- member peer group with an average salary of $103,000. The group average is $117,000.

The Consequences

Wisconsin has become a feeding ground for other universities that are interested in luring talented professors with bigger salaries and better research opportunities.

Additionally, professors that go too long without adequate pay tend to shop around and see what the market can offer them.

“One sure way to get a raise, say Madison professors, is to go out and get another job offer and ask the university to match it”, says the Chronicle of Higher Education. “That is a common practice in higher education, but at Madison it has damaged morale because it is often the only way professors feel they can get rewarded.”

Low salaries have already left plenty of vacancies at the University of Wisconsin, and if the trend continues, UW might drop further in national rankings.

So what’s a state to do?

Last year, state lawmakers backpedaled from their 2003 cuts, offering Wisconsin universities $10 million to increase salaries. However this amount won’t keep the UW system competitive for very long, and with an already stressed state budget, relying on the legislature to allocate more funds may be impractical.

Though tuition has steadily risen over the past few years, students at the University of Wisconsin pay the second lowest tuition in the Big Ten. The simple response to this problem might be to increase tuition. However a tuition hike may further alienate students from low income brackets, and thereby further homogenize an already predominately upper middle class institution.  

Battle of Ideologies

Allocating state funds toward higher-education systems becomes an issue of ideology. Some feel the University of Wisconsin receives enough public funding and should continue to rely on private resources. Others believe UW’s research, reputation, and resources continue to supply Wisconsinites with countless public goods that deserve public funds.

Whichever side of the fence one resides, the fact remains: UW professors are leaving the state, and it’s hurting public education. Now it’s up to the citizens of this state to speak up or watch their premier university fade from national recognition.