Blank used her blog, Blank’s Slate, to address professors’ concerns that the rules lay out a path for her to close programs and lay off faculty amid shrinking state funding for higher education.

She defended tenure, saying her best work as a faculty member occurred after she received it and that it lets faculty pursue research that might be controversial and take longer to complete.

Blank said she wished the Legislature hadn’t wiped out the “national model” tenure policy written into state law. But she also defended the policy approved Friday by the Regents.

If a program is closed, she said, “We will take all steps to retain tenured faculty.”

David Vanness, a UW-Madison professor of population health sciences and advocate for strong faculty protections, said he trusts that Blank won’t use the authority in the tenure policy to fire professors. But Vanness said he is concerned the policy opens the door for layoffs in the future.

“What about the next chancellor?” Vanness said. “What about if she decides ... to use these tools and flexibilities?

“I take (Blank) at her word ... (but) she’s not going to be chancellor forever.”