I’m running for Governor because I believe what is best for our students is best for our state. I am proud to have stood shoulder-to-shoulder with you for the past two decades, and I am so honored to have your endorsement. Together, we will reverse the damage from the past eight years and fund our universities, respect our faculty and staff, and prepare our students to lead our state forward.
I love this state, and I’ve lived in communities all around Wisconsin. From my time as a high school science teacher to my current job as State Superintendent, I have dedicated my life to fighting for our kids, fully funding public education, and investing in Wisconsin’s future. Yet, far too often over the past eight years, the Wisconsin I know and love has become nearly unrecognizable. I’ve watched more than one million people across Wisconsin vote to raise our own taxes because the Governor has left us to pick up the tab on supporting our local schools. I’ve watched world-renowned educators leave the UW System for states that prioritize higher education rather than gut it. Most distressingly, the Board of Regents has become an institution more concerned with Walker’s politics than teaching, learning and research.
Since I’ve begun my campaign for governor, I’ve had the opportunity to hear about higher education from education leaders across our state, including those with AFT-Wisconsin. President Kim Kohlhaas has worked hard to make sure I understand the concerns of members from across the state. Recently, I sat down with Vice President for Higher Education Jon Shelton, a faculty member at UW-Green Bay. Jon shared with me the Higher Education Council’s UW Worker Bill of Rights, which outlines a long-term vision for what our university system should look like: one in which faculty, staff, and students are treated as important stakeholders in shaping the future of the UW system. Finally, just last week, I also heard about devastating program cuts at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. To be clear, these cuts are the long-term consequences of Republican disinvestment and choices made by regents in lock-step with Walker’s agenda. We must reclaim the Wisconsin Idea, which values the pursuit of truth and the good of our state above the corporate interests of Walker and his billionaire backers.
As Governor, my administration will prioritize these values we share with AFT-Higher Ed members:
- Funding the Freeze. I championed this issue at the Board of Regents, and understand we cannot keep freezing tuition while cutting funding. As Governor, I will reinvest in UW and prioritize access and affordability without compromising quality.
- Engaging Stakeholders on Merger Implementation. Too much of the merger plan has been shrouded in secrecy. As Governor, I will expect transparency and stakeholder engagement from UW leadership to ensure program quality and continuity.
- Restoring Shared Governance. We accomplish more when we work together, and Wisconsin had a long-standing, bipartisan tradition of shared governance. I will fight alongside faculty and students to reverse the Governor Walker and Republicans’ attacks on shared governance.
- Restoring Faculty Tenure. Governor Walker and Republicans’ attacks on tenure have devastated morale, driven away outstanding faculty, and made recruitment and retention a nightmare. I will fight to restore this cornerstone of higher education.
- Protecting Student & Faculty Free Speech. Governor Walker and Republicans have polarized campuses, chilling student and faculty speech with draconian penalties. This is a solution in search of problem, and I will work with you all to empower voices and end these policies on our campuses.
I know that as Governor there is so much more I can do to help build a stronger and brighter future for Wisconsin, but I’m going to need your help on November 6th. Every phone called, door knocked and dollar raised could make the difference in a state with a long history of close elections. Together, we can restore the University of Wisconsin’s world renown stature and our progressive tradition.
Best,
Tony Evers
