2-23-18 cross responds to uw merger plan concerns

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — University of Wisconsin System President Ray Cross is responding to criticism from faculty and students who say he failed to consult them on the plan to merge two-year campuses with four-year universities.   Cross says system leaders had to act quickly to avoid the closure of several campuses.  Cross says he believes in shared governance but it’s not clearly understood what responsibilities fall to the administration and what falls to faculty, staff and students. He says there needs to be conversations about what shared governance specifically entails.  The UW-Madison Chapter of the American Association of University Professor wrote a letter to Cross expressing concerns over the disregard of shared governance.  David Vanness is a UW-Madison professor and committee member. He says better decisions are made when those impacted are part of the process.