Wisconsin Regents Approve Faculty Layoff Policy - Inside Higher Ed

The Board of Regents for the University of Wisconsin System on Friday unanimously approved a set of amendments to a layoff policy for the Madison campus that many faculty members opposed. The changes -- such as the elimination of guaranteed severance and the stipulation that the university will “consider” alternative appointments faculty members pegged for layoffs for budgetary or educational reasons rather than “pursue” them -- were previously approved by the board’s Education Committee. Ray Cross, system president, said the final Madison policy protects “the principles of academic freedom and sustain[s] the university’s standing in a competitive, global marketplace for faculty expertise.” Faculty members on Twitter and elsewhere argue that the changes made a significant dent in shared governance. https://www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2016/04/11/wisconsin-regents-approve-faculty-layoff-policy