Chancellor says Madison Initiative will boost quality
The Madison Initiative included as part of the state budget will provide the resources needed to recruit and retain the highest-quality faculty and academic staff, Chancellor David Ward says.
The chancellor, appearing at a news conference in Bascom Hall Friday, Oct. 8, told reporters that the first half of the four-year Madison Initiative, now awaiting the governor’s approval as part of the state budget, will benefit Wisconsin and the university.
“But more than anything else, it allows us to recruit and retain the very best faculty and academic staff,” Ward said. “Intellectual firepower is what makes a great university, and this funding will allow us to build and retain this intellectual firepower.”
The chancellor says the initiative, as well as UW–Madison’s share of the UW System budget, will also:
- Provide students with improved educational and research opportunities.
- Strengthen libraries, advising services and information technology.
- Renovate and repair buildings, so that students can learn in the best classroom and laboratory environments possible.
- Increase financial aid for students with financial need.
The Madison Initiative is a new public-private investment that calls for an increase to the university’s base budget of $57 million from the state and students, combined with $40 million in private giving from alumni and donors, over four years. The 1999-2001 state budget will provide $29.2 million for the first two years of the Madison Initiative, putting the university in the position to maintain excellence in the new millennium, the chancellor says.
Here are other excerpts from the chancellor’s prepared remarks:
“Now that the state budget has been approved by the Legislature and is awaiting the signature of the governor, I want to express my sincere gratitude to Governor Thompson, legislators in both parties, and in particular Speaker Jensen and Senate Majority Leader Chvala for their support of UW–Madison.
“It is also an opportunity for me to clearly explain to the citizens of Wisconsin why this overall investment in the university is so crucial for UW–Madison – and for them. This is the best budget for UW–Madison and the UW System in 20 years: it contains much-needed funding for libraries and diversity initiatives; increases management flexibility; and most importantly funds the Madison Initiative.
“The support in the state budget for the Madison Initiative is proof that our state policymakers and Wisconsin citizens understand the importance of reinvesting in higher education – and UW–Madison in particular. They know that what is good for UW–Madison is good for Wisconsin.
“In the competitive environment of higher education, UW–Madison will maintain its stature as one of the top five public research universities in the world because of the Madison Initiative.
“This new funding partnership is the wave of the future. It is the same partnership as our capital budget, which has allowed tremendous growth in our buildings and campus infrastructure by using increased private giving to leverage more state dollars.
“Thanks to the commitment from the state, coupled with the increased support from our alumni and donors, we are moving forward into the next century as the great state university envisioned by Wisconsin’s forefathers 150 years ago.
“So today we celebrate this new public-private partnership for Wisconsin and its flagship state university. And we look forward to fostering this partnership in the next state budget so UW–Madison can maintain its excellence in the new century as it has in this century.”
Related resources
Office of the Chancellor – State Relations