opinion

From the Wisconsin Idea to the 'Walker Idea': column

What is the purpose of a great University? In Wisconsin, our answer is that universities exist to apply knowledge to the benefit of every citizen of the State, not just those who are privileged to attend. Rather than an ivory tower, the mission of the UW System is to search for truth and serve society. Put another way — the boundaries of the UW are the boundaries of the state. This is the essence of the Wisconsin Idea, and it's been enshrined into state law for over a century:

The mission of the system is to develop human resources, to discover and disseminate knowledge, to extend knowledge and its application beyond the boundaries of its campuses and to serve and stimulate society by developing in students heightened intellectual, cultural and humane sensitivities, scientific, professional and technological expertise and a sense of purpose. Inherent in this broad mission are methods of instruction, research, extended training and public service designed to educate people and improve the human condition. Basic to every purpose of the system is the search for truth.

In his new budget, Gov. Scott Walker envisioned a far more utilitarian role for the university: "to meet the state's workforce needs." The result, in fewer than half as many words, was a stark, cold vision of the university as a machine, churning out skilled laborers tailored to the needs of industry. Here is the proposed text of the Walker Idea:

The mission of the system is to develop human resources to meet the state's workforce needs, to discover and disseminate knowledge, and develop in students heightened intellectual, cultural and humane sensitivities, scientific, professional and technological expertise and a sense of purpose.

The Walker Idea is an ideological subversion of the university's ethos, away from service to society and toward service of the interests of the economic elite. These changes shrink the university's boundaries rather than expand them. The soul of the Wisconsin Idea — the search for truth — is jettisoned entirely. The Walker Idea is tantamount to an existential assault on the UW System, reducing it to a mere cog in the machine of unrestrained capitalism.

Unsurprisingly, there was swift backlash statewide, forcing the governor to backtrack in a matter of hours with a clumsy "drafting error" excuse. So, the Wisconsin Idea is safe — but the Walker Idea served a valuable purpose. It illustrates Walker's weak regard for our state, our shared history, and our traditions. I hope the Walker Idea is equally instructive to audiences beyond Wisconsin as he pursues his national ambitions.

Aziz Poonawalla is a proud alumni of UW Madison. You can follow him on twitter as @azizhp, and his blog City of Brass is published on Beliefnet (http://blog.beliefnet.com/cityofbrass/).

