>> THE FOLLOWING PROGRAM IS A
PBS WISCONSIN ORIGINAL
PRODUCTION.
>> HOW WILL A 13-DOLLAR AN HOUR
PAY RAISE FOR CORRECTIONAL
OFFICERS EASE CONDITIONS AT
WISCONSIN PRISONS?
HOW BORDER COMMUNITIES ARE
DEALING WITH MARIJUANA CROSSING
THROUGH.
AND MORE UNIVERSITY CAMPUSES
FEEL THE BUDGET AXE.
I'M FREDERICA FREYBERG.
TONIGHT ON "HERE & NOW," WHY
SHORT-STAFFED STATE PRISONS
MEANS MORE LOCK-DOWNS.
THEN, ZAC SCHULTZ REPORTS ON
LEGAL MARIJUANA SURROUNDING
WISCONSIN.
A FORMER VICE CHANCELLOR URGES
CAUTION WHEN IT COMES TO CLOSING
TWO-YEAR CAMPUSES.
AND THE NEXT WISCONSIN IN BLACK
AND WHITE.
THIS WEEK, HEALTH DIVIDES.
IT'S "HERE & NOW" FOR OCTOBER
27th.
>> FUNDING FOR "HERE & NOW" IS
PROVIDED BY THE FOCUS FUND FOR
JOURNALISM AND FRIENDS OF PBS
WISCONSIN.
>> THREE WISCONSIN PRISONS HAVE
SUCH A SHORTAGE OF CORRECTIONAL
OFFICERS, THEY ARE ON SOME FORM
OF LOCKDOWN.
OR AS THE AGENCY PREFERS,
MODIFIED MOVEMENT.
FOR EXAMPLE, AT THE MAXIMUM
SECURITY WAUPUN PRISON, THE
VACANCY RATE SITS AT 53%.
AT THE GREEN BAY PRISON, IT'S A
41% VACANCY RATE, AND AT
STANLEY, IT'S NEARLY 44%.
ADS LOOKING TO ATTRACT PEOPLE TO
BECOME CORRECTIONS OFFICERS HAVE
BEEN HITTING AIRWAVES AND
ON-LINE RECENTLY.
THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
EXPECTS TO BE ABLE TO RECRUIT
AND RETAIN MORE OFFICERS WITH
THE NEWLY APPROVED PAY BUMP FROM
DOCTORS 20 AN HOUR TO $33, A
RAISE THAT WENT INTO EFFECT THIS
WEEK.
THE WISCONSIN POLICY FORUM JUST
RELEASED A REPORT TITLED PRISON
BLUES, WHICH EXPLORED PRISON
SPENDING IN THE STATE.
RESEARCH DIRECTOR JASON STEIN
JOINS US ON THIS.
THANKS A LOT FOR BEING HERE.
>> MY PLEASURE.
THANK YOU.
>> SO THE DEPARTMENT OF
CORRECTIONS DESCRIBES A DIRE
STAFFING SHORTAGE IN ITS PRISONS
AS EVIDENCED BY THE LOCKDOWN OF
INMATES, MAX SECURITY WAUPUN
WITH THAT 53% VACANCY RATE.
HOW SHOULD THIS PAY BUMP
AMELIORATE THIS PROBLEMMISH.
>> IT'S GOING TO HELP ACROSS THE
LABOR MARKET, WE'VE SEEN
EMPLOYER CHALLENGES, TURNOVER
RATES RISING, AND THAT'S ACROSS
STATE GOVERNMENT.
OUR 24/7 INSTITUTIONS, THAT'S
WHERE IT'S BEEN MOST ACUTE.
I THINK THE CHALLENGES IN 2022,
THERE WERE MORE THAN 2,000
VACANCIES WITHIN THE PRISON
SYSTEM.
SO WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT -- AND
YOU CAN'T SIMPLY BRING SOMEONE
IN ONTO STREET, PUT THEM IN A
PLACE LIKE WAUPUN AND HAVE THEM
WALK THE LINE.
YOU HAVE TO TRAIN THESE PEOPLE.
SO THEY'RE GOING TO TURN THE
SHIP IN THE WATER, BUT IT'S A
BIG SHIP AND A LONG TURN.
>> HOW LONG COMING AS THIS PAY
RAISE BEEN IS THIS.
>> YOU KNOW, IT TOOK US YEARS TO
GET IN THIS POSITION OF ACROSS
STATE GOVERNMENT AND
PARTICULARLY WITHIN THE PRISON
SYSTEM HAVING THESE VACANCIES,
AND THIS GAP BETWEEN WHAT THE
STATE WAS WILLING TO PAY AND
WHAT PEOPLE WERE WILLING TO DO,
BECAUSE COMING TO WORK EVERY DAY
IN A PRISON IS, NEWS FLASH, A
VERY DIFFICULT JOB, AND SO IT'S
GOING TO TAKE TIME TO GET OUT OF
THIS HOLE.
>> AND ADDING TO THAT PROBLEM,
THE STATE'S 37 PRISONS ARE OVER
CAPACITY WITH THOSE
INCARCERATED, AND THIS HAS LONG
BEEN THE CASE.
AND WE INCARCERATE MORE PEOPLE
THAN NEIGHBORING STATES.
WHY THIS MISMATCH WITH OUR
NEIGHBORS?
>> YOU KNOW, GOING BACK TO THE
'90s, WISCONSIN BUILT A LARGE
PRISON SYSTEM AND DESPITE THE
FACT THAT IT'S A LARGE SYSTEM,
IT'S BEEN OVER CAPACITY, EVEN
WHEN WE DIPPED THIS POPULATION
DURING THE PANDEMIC, WE REMAIN
OVER CAPACITY.
IT COMES DOWN TO WE INCARCERATE
AT HIGHER RATES THAN OUR
NEIGHBORS, HIGHER RATES THAN
NATIONAL AVERAGE, AND THAT LEADS
TO PER CAPITA SPENDING ON
CORRECTIONS BEING HIGHER IN
WISCONSIN THAN IN OUR
NEIGHBORING STATES.
THIS IS, AGAIN, SOMETHING THAT
YOU CANNOT CHANGE OVERNIGHT, BUT
THERE ARE THINGS THAT THE STATE
CAN DO AND THE STATE HAS THE
RESOURCES NOW TO TRY AND BEND
THIS CURVE OVER THE NEXT
GENERATION.
>> AND HOW DO YOU BEND THE CURVE
IN THAT WAY?
>> YOU KNOW, ONE -- THE BIGGEST
CONTRIBUTOR TO INCARCERATION IN
THE STATE HAS BEEN REVOCATIONS.
SO IT'S NOT PEOPLE THAT ARE
COMMITTING A CRIME FOR THE FIRST
TIME.
IT MAY BE A CRIME, BUT THERE ARE
PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN RELEASED ON
EXTENDED SUPERVISION INTO THE
COMMUNITY AND SOMETHING, WHETHER
IT'S SUBSTANCE ABUSE, WHETHER
IT'S A MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGE,
WHETHER IT'S NEW CRIMINAL
ACTIVITY IS LANDING THEM BACK IN
THE SYSTEM.
AND SO THE STATE HAS BEEN
TESTING METHODS AND HAS ACTUALLY
LOWERED THAT REVOCATION RATE.
AND SO THAT WILL MAKE A
DIFFERENCE GOING FORWARD, BUT
THEN WE ALSO HAVE TO ENSURE THAT
PUBLIC SAFETY IS MAINTAINED
WHILE THOSE REVOCATION RATES ARE
LOWERED AS WELL.
>> AND I CAN IMAGINE THAT'S THE
KIND OF EFFORT THAT TAKES A
WHILE TO BRING THOSE NUMBERS
DOWN.
>> CORRECT.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, SUBSTANCE
ABUSE, MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES,
THESE ARE VERY DIFFICULT
PROBLEMS TO DEAL WITH FOR ANYONE
IN THE POPULATION, AND, YOU
KNOW, ONE AREA WHERE THE
STATE -- ONE BRIGHT SPOT IS THE
STATE DOES HAVE, WITHIN ITS
LARGE STATE SURPLUS, THE ABILITY
TO INVEST IN TARGETED, YOU KNOW,
TO EXPERIMENT AND INVEST IN
TARGETED METHODS TO TRY AND DEAL
WITH THESE PROBLEMS.
>> SO WISCONSIN IS SPENDING
$2.76 BILLION CORRECTIONS IN THE
CURRENT STATE BUDGET.
AGAIN, MORE PER INMATE THAN
SURROUNDING STATES, AND IS IT A
FUNCTION OF JUST HAVING MORE
INMATES AND MORE PRISONS THAT
WE'RE SPENDING MORE THAN OUR
SURROUNDING STATES?
>> IT'S LARGELY A FUNCTION OF
THAT.
THE THING THAT PEOPLE NEED TO
UNDERSTAND IS STATE PRISONS ARE
NOT SOMETHING THAT THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT IS GOING TO GIVE YOU
MONEY OR ANY OTHER STATE IS
GOING TO GIVE YOU MONEY FOR.
YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PAY FOR
THAT WITH YOUR OWN STATE'S TAX
DOLLARS, SO FINDING WAY TO
ENSURE PUBLIC SAFETY BUT ALSO
MINIMIZE CORRECTION SPENDING
OVER TIME IS GOING TO TO SAVINGS
IS ENTIRELY GOING TO GO TO
TAXPAYERS IF YOU CAN THREAD THAT
NEEDLE.
>> HOPEFULLY PEOPLE WILL START
THREADING THAT NEEDLE.
JASON STEIN, THANKS VERY MUCH.
>> THANK YOU.
>> WISCONSIN IS SURROUNDED BY
LEGAL MARIJUANA WITH BOTH
ILLINOIS AND MICHIGAN LEGALIZING
THE RECREATIONAL USE OF
MARIJUANA IN THE LAST FEW YEARS.
IN MINNESOTA, VOTING TO DO THE
SAME EARLIER THIS YEAR.
IT'S ESTIMATED MORE THAN HALF OF
ALL STATE RESIDENTS OVER THE AGE
OF 21 LIVE WITHIN A 75-MINUTE
DRIVE TO A LEGAL DISPENSARY, AND
THAT NUMBER WILL ONLY INCREASE.
ZAC SCHULTZ EXPLAINS HOW THIS
LEAFS WISCONSIN RESIDENTS AND
LAW ENFORCEMENT CAUGHT IN A GRAY
AREA WHERE A PRODUCT PURCHASED
LEGALLY IN ANOTHER STATE BECOMES
ILLEGAL THE MINUTE IT CROSSES
THE BORDER.
>> THE HIGHWAY 41 BRIDGE TRAVELS
OVER THE MENOMONEE RIVER,
CARRYING YOU OUT OF WISCONSIN
AND INTO MICHIGAN'S UPPER
PENINSULA.
TAKE THE FIRST RIGHT AND YOU'RE
KNOT PARKING LOT OF A
RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA
DISPENSARY.
IF YOU GO THROUGH THE
DRIVE-THROUGH, YOU DON'T EVEN
NEED TO EXIT YOUR CAR TO
PURCHASE LEGAL MARIJUANA
PRODUCTS AND START THE DRIVE
BACK ACROSS THE RIVER.
>> YEAH.
JUST A REALLY OPTIMAL LOCATION.
>> LINDSEY MARWICK IS FROM
HIGHER LOVE.
SHE SAYS MOST OF THEIR CUSTOMERS
ARE FROM OVER THE BORDER.
>> A GOOD MAJORITY ARE FOLKS
FROM WISCONSIN.
>> THEY'RE CURRENTLY OPERATING
OUT OF A TRAILER BUT ARE
BUILDING A PERMANENT LOCATION
NEXTDOOR.
>> THE FOLKS THAT ARE COMING TO
US FROM WISCONSIN, WE GET TO
BRING MORE PEOPLE INTO THE
HIGHER LOVE FAMILY AND WE'RE
JUST HAPPY TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE
THE PRODUCTS AND SERVICES AND
SUPPORTS FOR PEOPLE FROM OTHER
STATES AND BE NICE AND CLOSE TO
THE BORDER FOR CONVENIENCE.
>> BUT WHEN THEIR CUSTOMERS
CROSS THE BRIDGE INTO MARINETTE,
THE PRODUCT THEY JUST BOUGHT IS
ILLEGAL.
>> IT'S PRETTY CONSISTENT THAT
CARS THAT ARE STOPPED HAVE, YOU
KNOW, MARIJUANA PRODUCTS,
ESPECIALLY IF THEY'RE TRAVELING
THROUGH THE AREA, NOT
NECESSARILY FROM THE AREA.
>> Reporter: CALLAHAN IS A
NARCOTICS INVESTIGATOR FROM THE
MARINETTE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
>> IN MY OFFICE, WE ARE CHARGING
WITH THE ENFORCING THE LAWS.
MARIJUANA IS AGAINST THE LAW IN
THE STATE OF WISCONSIN IN ANY
FORM.
>> Reporter: DeSHEA MORROW
IS THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY.
TOGETHER, THEY'RE TRYING TO
FIGURE OUT HOW TO HANDLE THE
SURGE OF WISCONSIN RESIDENTS
TAKING DAY TRIPS FOR
RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA.
>> THAT 141 CORRIDOR, WITHIN THE
DRUG UNIT, KIND OF HAD THE
NICKNAME OF THE GREEN HIGHWAY,
THE GREEN CORRIDOR, JUST BECAUSE
IT WAS VERY WELL KNOWN FOR
SEVERAL YEARS NOW SINCE THOSE
DISPENSARIES OPENS UP, THAT THAT
WAS THE QUICKEST ACCESS POINT
FOR LEGAL WEED FOR CLOSE TO NEAR
A MILLION PEOPLE, RESIDENTS OF
WISCONSIN.
>> SO FAR, MOST PEOPLE PULLED
OVER WITH SMALL AMOUNTS OF
DISPENSARY MARIJUANA HAVE
AVOIDED ARREST.
INSTEAD, THEY LIKELY RECEIVE A
CITATION AND THE CONFISCATION OF
THEIR PURCHASE.
>> THERE'S ALWAYS BEEN A TRIAGE
APPROACH, THERE HAS TO BE IN
THIS LINE OF WORK.
AND SO, YES, IF IT'S SMALL
AMOUNT OF WEED, THAT MAY BE
TREATED DIFFERENTLY THAN A SMALL
AMOUNT OF HEROIN.
>> ON APRIL 20th OF THIS YEAR,
A MARINETTE SHERIFF'S DEPUTY
PULLED OVER A CAR WITH TWO MEN
AND SEIZED A BACKPACK FULL OF
RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA.
WHEN THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE
DISPLAYED THE BUST ON THEIR
FACEBOOK PAGE, THE POST
ATTRACTED THOUSANDS OF COMMENTS,
RANGING FROM RIDICULE TO
SUPPORT.
>> I DON'T THINK PEOPLE REALLY
REALIZE THAT THAT'S NOT
EVERYTHING THAT WE -- WE HAD
FOUR OR FIVE OTHER INTERDICTION
STOPS THAT DAY.
THAT WAS JUST ONE TRAFFIC STOP.
SO THERE WAS A LOT OF FEEDBACK,
BUT WE WERE REVERT TO THE
DISTRICT ATTORNEY AND THE STATE
OF WISCONSIN.
>> THEY RECEIVED CITATIONS FOR
$263.
THEY HAD TRAVELED FROM OSHKOSH,
MORE THAN A HUNDRED MILES AWAY.
IN MANY WAYS, IT'S NOT
SURPRISING THAT SOME OF THE
DISPENSARY START ADVERTISING ON
BILLBOARDS AS FAR SOUTH AS
FOND du LAC.
>> THE MORE WE CAN ADVERTISE AND
LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT WE'RE HERE,
THE BETTER.
>> LINDSAY MARWICK SAYS THE RISK
BELONGS TO THE CUSTOMER AND IT'S
A RISK THEY'RE CLEARLY WILLING
TO TAKE.
>> THEY KNOW THAT WHERE THEY'RE
HEADING, IT'S NOT LEGAL.
NO ONE WANTS TO BE IN THAT LIGHT
SO WE TRY TO EXPRESS TO OUR
CUSTOMERS WHAT TO PAY ATTENTION
TO IF THEY ARE CROSSING THAT
LINE.
>> IT'S CLEAR THAT THE MOST
DANGEROUS THING ABOUT CANNABIS
IN WISCONSIN IS THAT IT IS
ILLEGAL.
>> DEMOCRAT FROM WISCONSIN.
>> PROHIBITION DID NOT WORK IN
WISCONSIN AND WHEN IT CAME TO
ALCOHOL OR MARGARINE.
IT'S NOT WORKING WHEN IT COMES
TO CANNABIS.
>> SHE'S BEEN TRAVELING THE
STATE ON HER AGGREGATES GRASSROOTS TOUR
PROMOTING HER BILL TO LEGALIZE
MARIJUANA IN WISCONSIN.
>> IT IS CLEAR, NEARLY SEVEN OUR
10 PEOPLE IN WISCONSIN SUPPORT
RESPONSIBLE ADULT USE POLICY FOR
CANNABIS WITH A MEDICINAL
COMPONENT.
>> HOWEVER, SENATOR AGARD
DOESN'T HAVE ANY SUPPORT FOR
HERE BILL, WHICH MEANS IT MAY
NOT GET A HEARING, MUCH LESS A
VOTE ON THE FLOOR.
>> FOR THE LAST THREE SESSIONS,
I'VE BEEN WORKING ON A BILL
AROUND MEDICAL MARIJUANA AND
IT'S SLOWLY GAINING.
MEME ARE MUCH MORE OPEN TO IT.
>> SENATOR FELZDOWSKI'S PROPOSAL
WOULD LEGALIZE MEDICINAL
MARIJUANA, WHICH WOULD REQUIRE A
PATIENT TO SEE A DOCTOR TO GET A
PRESCRIPTION.
AS A CANCER SURVIVOR, SHE WANTS
TO SEE MORE OPTIONS FOR PAIN
MANAGEMENT.
>> I'M TRYING TO HELP PATIENTS.
I KNOW PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD VERY
DEBILITATING MEDICAL CONDITIONS,
ARE VETERANS, THE P.T.S.D.,
M.S., AND I HAVE FIRSTHAND
KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT OPIOIDS DO TO
YOU AS A SIDE EFFECT.
>> Reporter: BUT SHE'S FACING
STIFF OPPOSITION FROM HER
REPUBLICAN COLLEAGUES, WHO SEE
MEDICAL MARIJUANA AS A GATEWAY
TO RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA.
SHE SAYS AGARD'S BILL DOESN'T
HELP.
>> AND MELISSA IS VERY MUCH IN
FAVOR OF THIS AND SHE CAN DO,
YOU KNOW, WHATEVER, BUT IT DOES
MAKE IT HARDER IN OUR CAUCUS,
AND I THINK A LOT OF OUR CAUCUS
MEMBERS ARE LOOKING AT THIS
GOING, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T WANT
TO BE ILLINOIS, WE DON'T WANT TO
BE MINNESOTA.
>> AGARD SAYS FELZKOWSKI'S LAST
VERSION OF THE BILL DIDN'T GO
FAR ENOUGH.
>> THE DEVIL IS IN THE DETAILS.
SENATOR FELZKOWSKI HAS BEEN
OUTSPOKEN FOR HER SUPPORT OF
MEDICINAL MARIJUANA.
>> THE CARS STILL HEAD NORTH ON
HIGHWAY 41 AND MORROW SAYS
THEY'D APPRECIATE SOME CLARITY
FROM MADISON.
>> THEY NEED TO LOOK AT LAWS
THAT ARE GOING TO PROTECT OUR
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ALSO TO SEND A
VERY CLEAR MESSAGE TO PEOPLE IN
THE STATE, BUT ALSO TO LAW
ENFORCEMENT TO GIVE US BRIGHT
LINES ON HOW TO ENFORCE THIS.
I DON'T REALLY HAVE ADVICE FOR
THEM.
I FEEL BAD THAT THEY'RE PUT IN
THIS POSITION.
I THINK THEY'RE IN AN UNTENABLE
SITUATION WHERE WHAT IS THE WIN
HERE.
I MEAN, THERE REALLY IS NO WIN
HERE.
>> FELZKOWSKI SAYS SHE'S HOPING
TO GET A PRELIMINARY HEARING ON
HER PUBLIC HEARING ON HER BILL
IT AND MAYBE A VOTE ON THE
FLOOR, BUT FINAL PASSAGE MAY BE
A LONG WAYS OFF.
>> IT'S A HEAVY LIFT THIS
SESSION, BUT I'M OPTIMISTIC.
I'M OPTIMISTIC.
>> REPORTING FROM MARINETTE, I'M
ZAC SCHULTZ FOR "HERE & NOW."
>> IN EDUCATION NEWS,
UW-PLATTEVILLE ANNOUNCED THIS
WEEK IT IS CUTTING 111 POSITIONS
TO MAKE UP A MORE THAN $9
MILLION DEFICIT, AND THE
UNIVERSITIES OF WISCONSIN
PRESIDENT JAY ROTHMAN HAS
ALREADY ANNOUNCED THE CLOSURE OF
IN-PERSON INSTRUCTION AT THE
FOND du LAC AND WEST BEND
TWO-YEAR CAMPUSES AND THE
DEFINITIVE CLOSING OF
UW-RICHLAND.
WE SAT DOWN THIS WEEK WITH STEVE
WILDECK, VICE CHANCELLOR
EMERITUS OF UW-COLLEGES AND
UW-EXTENSION WHO IS CRITICAL OF
THIS MOVE.
WE SHOULD NOTE, PBS WISCONSIN IS
PART OF UW-MADISON.
WE STARTED BY ASKING HIS
REACTION.
>> I THINK WHAT MY REACTION WAS
NOT TOTAL SURPRISE.
MY CONCERN WAS AT THOSE CAMPUSES
WAS THAT THEY WERE CONVENIENT
CASUALTIES OF ENROLLMENT
CHALLENGES AT THE FOUR-YEAR
INSTITUTIONS.
WHEN THE UW-COLLEGES AND
UW-EXTENSION WERE DISSOLVED BY
THE UW-SYSTEM LEADERSHIP IN
2018, THAT BEGAN A VERY
PRECIPITOUS DROP THIS
ENROLLMENTS AT THE TWO-YEAR
CAMPUSES STARTING IN 2019 THAT
BROUGHT US TO THE CURRENT DAY.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT, AGAIN, THOSE
CAMPUSES THAT WERE ATTACHED AT
THAT TIME, TOO, UW-MILWAUKEE,
OSHKOSH AND PLATTEVILLE, THE
CONNECTION IS VERY, VERY CLEAR
THAT THAT DID NOT HELP THOSE
CAMPUSES.
>> SO HOW SHOULD THE UW-RESPOND
TO FALLING ENROLLMENT AND, WITH
IT, BUDGETS THAT ARE IN THE RED,
NOT JUST ON TWO-YEAR CAMPUSES,
BUT ACROSS THE SYSTEM?
>> WELL, THIS DIDN'T HAPPEN
OVERNIGHT.
I WOULD CONTEND THAT EBB
ROLLMENT IS NOT -- ENROLLMENT IS
NOT THE PROBLEM.
ENROLLMENT IS THE SYMPTOM THAT
EVOLVED FROM THE PROBLEM OF NOT
ADEQUATELY MANAGING AS A
UW-SYSTEM THE SUPPLY AND DEMAND
ACROSS ITS UNIVERSITIES, AND
THAT'S CALLED ENROLLMENT
MANAGEMENT, AND WE HAVE NOT HAD
A SYSTEMWIDE ENROLLMENT
MANAGEMENT STRATEGY LITERALLY
SINCE 2004, 2005.
>> DO YOU THINK, THOUGH, THAT
THE STATE OF WISCONSIN AND ITS
PUBLIC UW-INSTITUTIONS, ARE
THERE TOO MANY OF THEM GIVEN THE
DEMOGRAPHICS?
>> BEFORE WE BEGIN SHUTTING
DOORS FOREVER AND BACKING OUT OF
AGREEMENTS WITH COMMUNITIES WHO
PUT UP REAL MONEY TO BUILD AND
MAINTAIN THESE CAMPUSES, WE HAVE
TO STEP BACK AND PUT A
MORATORIUM ON ANY MORE DOOR
CLOSURES AND HAVE THIS
CONVERSATION ABOUT WHERE WE'RE
GOING WITH THIS IN HIGHER
EDUCATION IN WISCONSIN.
>> IN FACT, YOU SAID THAT WHAT
YOU'RE SEEING IS THE
DISINTEGRATION OF THE SYSTEM AND
YOU ARE CONCERNED THAT IT WILL
GET WORSE.
HOW SO?
>> I THINK THAT THE TWO-YEAR
CAMPUSES HAVE -- ARE IN A VERY
VULNERABLE SPOT.
THEY HAVE BEEN ATTACHED TO
FOUR-YEAR CAMPUSES WHO WILL
CONTINUE TO SEE ENROLLMENT
PRESSURES AND I THINK THAT THE
COMMITMENT AND THE PROMISE THAT
THE UW-SYSTEM AND THE BOARD OF
REGENTS MADE TO THOSE
COMMUNITIES BACK IN THE 1960s
IN EXCHANGE, THEY GOT THESE
CAMPUSES ALL ON THE LOCAL
PROPERTY TAX DOLLAR, I'M AFRAID
THAT COMMITMENT AND THAT
PARTNERSHIP HAS BEEN PUT OFF TO
THE SIDE AND OUT OF THE
CONVERSATION.
WE HAVE TO PUT THAT RIGHT BACK
IN THE MIDDLE OF THE
CONVERSATION BECAUSE THAT'S HOW
THESE COMMUNITIES CAME TO BE.
>> WHAT IS THE BEST PATH
FORWARD?
>> I HAVE NOT SEEN A WILLINGNESS
TO HAVE A BROAD PUBLIC STRATEGIC
CONVERSATION ABOUT WHERE WE'RE
GOING WITH HIGHER EDUCATION IN
WISCONSIN.
I AM CALLING ON THE LEGISLATURE
TO THROW THAT YELLOW FLAG ON THE
FIELD, TO USE A FOOTBALL
METAPHOR, TO SAY TIME OUT.
WE'RE DOING THINGS THAT ARE
PERMANENT.
WE'RE DOING THINGS THAT WILL
HAVE LIFELONG NEGATIVE
CONSEQUENCES ON COMMUNITIES FOR
WHICH WE HAVE A HIGH LEVEL OF
OBLIGATION AND WE'RE CLOSING
DOORS TO HIGHER EDUCATION AT A
TIME WHEN THIS STATE NEEDS A
HIGHER LEVEL OF DEGREE HOLDERS,
IT NEEDS BETTER-PAYING JOBS.
WE ARE BECOMING MUCH LESS
AELECTRIC ACTIVE TO HIGH SCHOOL
GRADUATES -- ATTRACTIVE TO HIGH
SCHOOL GRADUATES IN THE
UW-SYSTEM THAN WE WERE EVEN
SEVEN YEARS AGO.
WE HAVE TO OPEN THAT CAN OF
WORMS TO REALLY TAKE A CLOSE
LOOK AT WHAT WE'RE DOING AND HOW
WE WANT TO MOVE FORWARD AS A
STATE.
AND WHETHER OR NOT THE EXISTING
STRUCTURES OF THE UW-SYSTEM AND
THE TECHNICAL COLLEGES, WHICH,
AGAIN, ARE VERY DIFFERENT FROM
THOSE IN OTHER STATES, ARE
SERVING OUR CITIZENS AND OUR
RESIDENTS IN WISCONSIN THE VERY
BEST THAT THEY CAN.
>> ALL RIGHT.
STEVE WILDECK, THANKS VERY MUCH.
>> THANK YOU.
>> AS TO THE CLOSURES,
UNIVERSITIES OF WISCONSIN
PRESIDENT, JAY ROTHMAN, SAID IN
A STATEMENT, QUOTE, IT'S TIME
FOR US TO REALIGN OUR BRANCH
CAMPUSES TO CURRENT MARKET
REALITIES AND PREPARE FOR THE
FUTURE.
THE STATUS QUO, HE SAID, IS NOT
SUSTAINABLE.
>>> TURNING NOW TO OUR SERIES OF
SPECIAL REPORTS ON RACE, WITH
WISCONSIN IN BLACK AND WHITE, IN
PARTNERSHIP WITH THE NEHEMIAH
CENTER FOR URBAN LEADERSHIP
DEVELOPMENT.
OVER THE LAST THREE WEEKS,
REPORTER NATHAN DENZIN REVEALED
DISPARITIES IN THE RACIAL WEALTH
GAP IN WISCONSIN.
TONIGHT WE CONTINUE OUR
REPORTING WITH THE FIRST OF FOUR
STORIES ON RACIAL HEALTH
DISPARITIES STARTING WITH WHY
THE SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF
HEALTH ARE SO IMPORTANT TO
OUTCOMES.
HERE'S THE FIRST INSTALLMENT OF
WISCONSIN IN BLACK AND WHITE,
HEALTH DIVIDES.
- Nathan Denzin: Across the board,
Black people in Wisconsin suffer disproportionately
from bad health and/or barriers to health care.
Black children in the state are four times more likely
to have lead poisoning than their white peers.
Also in Wisconsin,
Black people die younger than almost all other races,
and Black women are far more likely to die during pregnancy
or in childbirth than white women.
The statistics are so bad for Black people that in 2019,
Milwaukee County declared racism a public health crisis.
- We can say all health disparities
are a direct consequence
of being an American descendant of slavery.
- Nathan: Tito Izard is the president and CEO
for Milwaukee Health Services,
where he opened a clinic in an underserved neighborhood.
He says that because racism impacts every aspect
of Black Wisconsinites' life, it affects their health.
- Health is, again,
the narrow consequence of the condition
or the environment that has been created.
- Black people, Indigenous people
are disproportionately likely to be in impoverished
and socially-stratified circumstances.
- Nathan: Tiffany Green is a professor
for population health sciences at UW-Madison.
- We know that having unstable housing,
not having enough food,
being poor, those contribute to outcomes.
- Health is not just things that are going on
in your physical body, but it is your emotional well-being,
your mental well-being, your spiritual health,
even your social health.
- Nathan: Dr. Jasmine Zapata is the
chief medical officer for community health
at the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.
She says health is much more than trips to the doctor.
- The things that happen outside of the clinic walls
have more of an impact on one's health outcomes
and quality of life
than the very things we do in the hospitals and clinics.
- Nathan: All of those factors outside of the clinic
are known as the social determinants of health.
- Dr. Zapata: Broadly, social determinants of health
refers to non-medical factors
that influence one's health outcome.
Where people are born,
where they age, where they grow, where they live,
where they work.
Things outside of the traditional medical model
that we think of when we think about health outcomes.
- Nathan: When it comes to where Black Wisconsinites live,
only a quarter of them own their own home,
and they face one of the highest income gaps in the country.
A gap that has persisted since 1968.
Another important social determinant,
how close you are to fresh food.
Black Wisconsinites are five times more likely
to live in a food desert than white residents.
- We generally don't have control of the food
that we have in our community.
You know, grocery stores,
full service grocery stores are oftentimes
far away from our communities.
- Nathan: Reggie Jackson educates people about diversity.
He says that living in a food desert means much of your food
comes from gas stations or convenience stores,
where the only options are highly processed.
- Reggie: People don't have access to healthy food
or they can't afford healthy food.
- We didn't just come to this place
where Black and Brown people are disproportionately likely
to live in resource-deprived environments.
It is, it's racism.
- Nathan: But despite the declaration
that racism is a public health crisis,
Izard says not much has been done in Milwaukee since 2019
that brings parity to health outcomes.
- Making that declaration without subsequent steps
though, is disingenuous.
So for most people in the community, it's like,
"Okay, well, we hear that statement.
Tell us something that we don't know already," right?
- Nathan: For Izard, the only path forward
is to improve all of the determinants of health.
The Madison-based Nehemiah is a community group
working to take those subsequent steps.
- When you start to shift systems,
then you start to actually impact the outcomes.
- Nathan: Kim Neuschel is now
the community outreach facilitator
at the UW School of Nursing.
When she worked as a public health nurse,
she enrolled in Nehemiah's Justified Anger:
Black History for a New Day course.
The nine-week course teaches the community about race,
history, and justice.
- I think something like this course helps us zoom out
and recognize that we all are who we are
because of everything that came before us.
- Nathan: Neuschel said the course helped her realize
the full scope of how racism
has affected health care, and shifted her perspective
to see patients more holistically.
- Health care is important.
Your genetic makeup is important,
but significantly more important are the social,
economic, and environmental factors,
and these are the things that we know
racism is, you know, embedded within.
- Nathan: The course also helped
Neuschel's public health team
find out why young Black students in one grade school
were repeatedly absent from class.
- Kim: And one of the main factors
was the walking route to school didn't feel safe.
- Nathan: So the team worked to make the path safe
and inviting again.
First, they installed better lighting in a tunnel
that felt unsafe, but then went further.
- We raised money to respond to their idea
of putting in a mural that the kids designed.
- Nathan: After adding the lights,
the mural, and a few other improvements,
absence rates improved.
- And we did show at the end of that,
kids' sense of safety and sense of belonging and connection
both to the school as well as to their community
and that walking route really shifted for them.
- Nathan: That shift brought healthy change
and access to opportunity in the children's lives
who now felt safe enough to walk to school every day.
- It's good to become aware; it's better to actually
transform that into actual actionable items.
What are you specifically going to do?
- Nathan: For Here & Now, I'm Nathan Denzin.
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