The board would be made up of 21 members. Eleven would be appointed by the governor, one of whom would be a UW Board of Regents member. The other 10 members would be appointed by faculty, employees, students, the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation, the Wisconsin Alumni Association, and the UW Foundation.

The chancellor would serve as a non-voting member. Terms would be three years, except for the student member who would serve two years.

The current shared governance system would be maintained — meaning faculty, staff and students have a say in the governance of the university. Effective July 1, all employees would work for UW-Madison, not the UW Board of Regents or the UW System. Employees would continue to get existing state benefits.

Divided university community

The idea of UW-Madison spinning off has divided members of the university community.

UW-Stevens Point Chancellor Bernie Patterson sent a memo to Gov. Walker and elected officials arguing that his university would be sent "back to the 19th century with the plan you've chosen."

"To lose the UW brand and prestige — that we helped establish and build — in today's highly competitive climate will cause irreparable harm," he wrote.