- THE FOLLOWING PROGRAM IS PART OF OUR "HERE AND NOW" 2018
WISCONSIN VOTE ELECTION COVERAGE.
- I'M FREDERICA FREYBERG.
TONIGHT ON "HERE AND NOW," THE LATEST
MARQUETTE LAW SCHOOL POLL.
THE IMPACT PRESIDENT TRUMP'S TARIFFS COULD HAVE IN WISCONSIN.
A LOOK AT THE CUTS PLANNED AT UW-STEVENS POINT.
AND WISCONTEXT REPORTS ON STATE EFFORTS TO RECRUIT YOUNG CHICAGO
WORKERS.
IT'S "HERE AND NOW" FOR MARCH 9.
- FUNDING FOR "HERE AND NOW" IS PROVIDED, IN PART, BY FRIENDS OF
WISCONSIN PUBLIC TELEVISION.
- A FIRST LOOK TONIGHT AT HOW WISCONSINITES FEEL ABOUT
CANDIDATES IN THE RUNNING THIS YEAR AND ABOUT ISSUES IMPORTANT
TO THE STATE.
THIS WEEK, THE LATEST MARQUETTE LAW SCHOOL POLL CAME OUT AND
SOME OF ITS RESULTS ARE SURPRISING.
WE'RE JOINED BY PROFESSOR OF LAW AND PUBLIC POLICY AND DIRECTOR
OF THE MARQUETTE LAW SCHOOL POLL, CHARLES FRANKLIN.
THANKS VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
- GOOD TO BE BACK.
- ACCORDING TO YOUR POLLING, DONALD TRUMP'S APPROVAL RATING
HAS TICKED UP SLIGHTLY SINCE THIS TIME LAST YEAR.
BUT DO HIS NUMBERS DEPEND KIND OF ON THE FLUCTUATIONS IN THE
NEWS CYCLE?
- WELL, THEY DO, I THINK.
HE'S BEEN ACTUALLY SORT OF SURPRISINGLY STEADY.
WAS AT 41 IN JUNE.
IS AT 43% APPROVAL NOW.
SO JUST A LITTLE BIT OF A TICK UP.
NATIONALLY HE TICKED UP A LITTLE BIT OVER THIS PERIOD, TOO.
HE ALSO TICKED UP JUST SLIGHTLY IN SOME OTHER MEASURES.
BUT FOR THE MOST PART, PEOPLE ARE DIVIDED AS YOU WOULD EXPECT.
89% OF REPUBLICANS APPROVE.
89% OF DEMOCRATS DISAPPROVE.
INDEPENDENTS SPLIT 34/57, SO THAT'S MAYBE THE MORE TELLING
GROUP, NOT THE PARTISANS, BUT THOSE INDEPENDENTS.
- 57 DISAPPROVE?
- YES.
- SO IF PRESIDENT TRUMP'S APPROVAL RATINGS ARE EXPECTED TO
BE ANY MEASURE FOR THE NOVEMBER VOTE, HOW DOES THAT
AFFECT GOVERNOR WALKER?
- WELL, GOVERNOR WALKER IS AT ABOUT THE SAME PLACE HE WAS LAST
SUMMER.
HE'S AT 47 APPROVE, 47 DISAPPROVE.
IT WAS 48/48 LAST SUMMER.
A YEAR AGO HE WAS JUST A SHADE DOWN FROM THAT AT 45/48.
SO SLIGHTLY UNDER WATER.
HE'S COME BACK UP TO EVEN LAST SUMMER AND STILL IS.
- IS IT HARD FOR HIM TO MOVE THAT NEEDLE EVEN THOUGH HE'S
SEEMINGLY TRYING VERY HARD TO MODERATE?
- THAT HOLDS TRUE IN THE SUPREME COURT RACE, THOUGH
DALLET TOPPED SCRENOCK BY FOUR.
THESE NUMBERS SEEM PRETTY START HOW FEW PEOPLE KNOW THEM, BUT
ALSO REMEMBER SPRING ELECTIONS HAVE A LOW TURN O TURNOUT RATE.
20% WILL TURN OUT IN APRIL.
- CONTRARY TO THAT, 75% OF RESPONDENTS DID HAVE AN OPINION
ON TAMMY BALDWIN AND HER NUMBERS HAVE SLIPPED JUST A LITTLE BIT.
- SLIPPED A LITTLE BIT.
SHE'S TWO POINTS MORE UNFAVORABLE THAN FAVORABLE RIGHT
NOW, WITH 20% PLUS NOT HAVING AN OPINION ABOUT HER.
THAT'S DOWN BARELY AT ALL FROM JUNE, BUT DOWN A LITTLE BIT FROM
A YEAR AGO IN MARCH.
THERE HAS BEEN ADVERTISING BY OUTSIDE GROUPS CRITICIZING HER
OVER THAT PERIOD, AND I THINK YOU MIGHT LOOK AT IT AND SAY IS
THAT ENOUGH TO ACCOUNT FOR A THREE OR FOUR-POINT MOVE IN
THOSE TWO NUMBERS.
YEAH, MAYBE IT IS.
BUT ALSO SHE HAS JUST BEGUN HER ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN.
SO IN THE WORLD OF THESE CAMPAIGNS, HERS IS SORT OF THE
FIRST ONE TO HEAT UP.
- FOR HER REPUBLICAN CHALLENGERS THAT WILL BE DOING A
FACE OFF IN A PRIMARY, REPUBLICAN VOTERS THAT YOU SURVEYED, YOU
FOUND THAT NEARLY HALF DIDN'T KNOW THEM?
- FAR MORE THAN HALF WERE UNABLE TO RATE THEM.
83 AND 85% UNABLE TO RATE EACH OF THEM.
AND IN THE VOTE QUESTION, 49% SAID THEY DIDN'T KNOW HOW THEY
WERE GOING TO VOTE.
SO JUST AS WITH THE DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY, VOTERS AREN'T TUNED
INTO THIS.
THE CANDIDATES HAVEN'T BEEN ADVERTISING ENOUGH, HAVEN'T BEEN
IN THE NEWS ENOUGH, HAVE NOT YET MADE THEMSELVES KNOWN TO VOTERS.
- ALL OF THAT WILL TICK UP IN THE COMING DAYS, NO DOUBT.
I WANT TO SKIP ALONG TO ONE OF YOUR ISSUE POLLING QUESTIONS AND
THAT HAS TO DO WITH GUNS.
YOU FOUND THAT 81% OF YOUR RESPONDENTS FAVORED UNIVERSAL
BACKGROUND CHECKS AND 56% SUPPORT BANS ON ASSAULT RIFLES.
WERE THOSE NUMBERS SURPRISING TO YOU?
- ACTUALLY, THEY'RE IN LINE WITH WHAT WE'VE SEEN BEFORE.
THEY HADN'T GONE UP.
IN FACT, THE BACKGROUND CHECKS WAS DOWN A COUPLE OF POINTS FROM
TWO YEARS AGO.
BUT THEY SHOW THE CONSENSUS ON BACKGROUND CHECKS.
IT'S SORT OF A COMMON SENSE THING TO DO.
78% OF GUN HOUSEHOLDS FAVOR BACKGROUND CHECKS.
86% OF NON HOUSEHOLDS.
SO THAT'S AS CLOSE TO A CONSENSUAL ISSUE ON A DIVISIVE
TOPIC AS YOU'RE EVER GOING TO SEE.
THE ISSUE IS THE STATE LEGISLATURE HERE AND THE
NATIONAL CONGRESS IN WASHINGTON, DESPITE THIS HUGE CONSENSUS ON
THIS ONE PARTICULAR TOPIC, IS UNABLE TO CRAFT A LEGISLATIVE
MAJORITY TO MOVE ON IT.
ASSAULT WEAPONS, ON THE OTHER HAND, ARE MORE LIKELY DIVISIVE
ISSUE WITH A MAJORITY OF GUN HOUSEHOLDS OPPOSING A BAN, A MA
NORTH OF NON-GUN HOUSEHOLDS FAVORING A BAN.
- CHARLES FRANKLIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK.
PRESIDENT TRUMP THIS WEEK ANNOUNCED HIS PROTECTIONIST
PLANS FOR STEEL TARIFFS.
- TODAY I'M DEFENDING AMERICA'S NATIONAL SECURITY BY PLACING
TARIFFS ON FOREIGN IMPORTS OF STEEL AND ALUMINUM.
WE WILL HAVE A 25% TARIFF ON FOREIGN STEEL AND A 10% TARIFF
ON FOREIGN ALUMINUM.
WHEN THE PRODUCT COMES ACROSS OUR BORDERS.
AT THE SAME TIME, DUE TO THE UNIQUE NATURE OF OUR
RELATIONSHIP WITH CANADA AND MEXICO, WE'RE NEGOTIATING RIGHT
NOW NAFTA.
AND WE'RE GOING TO HOLD OFF THE TARIFF ON THOSE TWO COUNTRIES TO
SEE WHETHER OR NOT WE'RE ABLE TO MAKE THE DEAL ON NAFTA.
- SPEAKER PAUL RYAN OPPOSES THE PRESIDENT'S TARIFFS, SAYING,
QUOTE, I DISAGREE WITH THIS ACTION AND FEAR ITS UNINTENDED
CONSEQUENCES.
THE BETTER APPROACH, HE SAYS, IS TARGETED ENFORCEMENT AGAINST
THOSE PRACTICES.
OUR ECONOMY AND NATIONAL SECURITY ARE STRENGTHENED BY
FOSTERING FREE TRADE WITH OUR ALLIES AND PROMOTING THE RULE OF
LAW.
DEMOCRATIC U.S. SENATOR TAMMY BALDWIN SAYS THIS.
QUOTE, I BELIEVE THE BEST WAY TO SUPPORT WISCONSIN WORKERS IS TO
PUT IN PLACE STRONG BUY AMERICAN STANDARDS, RENEGOTIATE A BETTER
DEAL ON NAFTA AND TAKE ON CHINA CHEATING.
I ALSO WANT AN EXEMPTION FOR OUR EUROPEAN TRADING PARTNERS SO
WISCONSIN'S MANUFACTURING AND FARMING ECONOMY ISN'T HURT GOING
FORWARD.
FOR HIS PART, GOVERNOR SCOTT WALKER USED A VISIT THIS WEEK TO
JANESVILLE'S SENECA FOODS TO STAGE HIS OPPOSITION TO HIGHER
STEEL AND ALUMINUM TARIFFS.
SENECA, WITH NINE PLANTS IN WISCONSIN, MAKES THEIR OWN STEEL
CANS FOR THEIR FOOD PRODUCTS.
HIGHER TARIFFS MAY IMPACT THEIR BOTTOM LINE.
- THAT JUST MEANS THAT EACH OF THESE COMPANIES ARE GOING TO
HAVE TO PAY MORE, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT $25 MILLION MORE ANNUALLY
TO PAY FOR THE STEEL THEY NEED TO USE FOR THE PRODUCTS THEY
MAKE HERE.
- SO JUST WHAT ARE THE STAKES FOR IMPORTS AND EXPORTS FLOWING
IN AND OUT OF WISCONSIN?
EXPORTS THAT INCLUDE MILWAUKEE'S HARLEY-DAVIDSON MOTORCYCLES.
COMPANY OFFICIALS SAY RETALIATORY TARIFFS ON HARLEY
BIKES OVERSEAS WOULD HAVE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON SALES,
CUSTOMERS AND RETAILERS.
WE TAKE THOSE TARIFF QUESTIONS TO UW-MADISON PROFESSOR OF
PUBLIC AFFAIRS AND ECONOMICS, MENZIE CHINN.
THANKS VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
- THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
- WAS THIS ANNOUNCEMENT ON THESE TARIFFS A SURPRISE?
- I MEAN, HE GAVE SORT OF A WARNING SHOT LAST WEEK, SO TO
THAT EXTENT IT WASN'T A SURPRISE.
BUT THE VERY FACT THAT HE WENT THROUGH WITH IT IN THE NATURE
THAT HE DID WAS SURPRISING.
AND THEN THE VERY FACT THAT IT'S NOT EVEN OVER, EVEN AS WE SPEAK,
IS EVEN YET ANOTHER SURPRISE.
THAT IS HE LEFT A LOT OF WIGGLE ROOM.
AND IN A WAY THAT ACTUALLY MAKES THINGS MORE UNSETTLED THAN YOU
WOULD HAVE THOUGHT A WEEK AGO.
- BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF UNCERTAINTY AS TO WHAT IT COULD
ALL MEAN.
- EXACTLY.
LAST WEEK HE SAID 25%, 10% ON STEEL AND ALUMINUM RESPECTIVELY
AS TARIFFS OVER THE ENTIRE SPECTRUM OF IMPORTS FROM ALL
SORTS OF COUNTRIES.
WHAT HE DID YESTERDAY WAS EXEMPT CANADA AND MEXICO SUBJECT TO AN
ACCEPTABLE NEGOTIATION ON NAFTA.
AND THEN HE ALSO LET THE DOOR OPEN FOR FURTHER NEGOTIATIONS
FOR ANY COUNTRIES THAT MIGHT APPLY FOR WHATEVER PARTICULAR
REASONS THAT WOULD COME TO THEIR MINDS.
- SO DOES EXEMPTING FOR A PERIOD OF TIME, UNCLEAR AS TO
HOW LONG YET, CANADA AND MEXICO, DOES IT SOFTEN, YOU KNOW, THE
TARIFFS THAT HE HAS IMPOSED?
DOES IT SOFTEN THE WHOLE THING FOR CRITICS OF THIS?
- WELL, CERTAINLY IT WOULD BECAUSE A GOOD PORTION OF THE
IMPORTS COMING INTO THE UNITED STATES, IN FACT, CANADA IS THE
MAJOR SUPPLIER OF STEEL IMPORTS INTO THE U.S., TO THE EXTENT
YOU'RE LIMITING THE NUMBER OF COUNTRIES COVERED BY THE TARIFF,
THEN THE AVERAGE PRICE OF IMPORTED STEEL IS GOING TO BE
LESS THAN IT OTHERWISE WOULD BE IF YOU IMPOSED IT ACROSS ALL
COUNTRIES.
- SO IF THIS EXEMPTING CANADA AND MEXICO IS QUID PRO QUO FOR
RENEGOTIATING NAFTA, WHAT IS THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP OR THE
ADMINISTRATION WANTS TO GET OUT OF NAFTA?
- WELL, THEY'VE SAID THEY WANT TO RENEGOTIATE SOME OF THE TERMS
BY WHICH NAFTA IS IMPLEMENTED.
TO ME, THE BIGGEST ONES HAVE TO DO WITH DOMESTIC CONTENT
REQUIREMENTS.
SO, FOR INSTANCE, IF YOU LOOK AT AN AUTOMOBILE THAT'S MADE IN
NORTH AMERICA, WHAT PROPORTION OF IT HAS GOT TO BE U.S.
SOURCED, AS OPPOSED TO SOME PARTS ARE FROM MEXICO AND
CANADA.
AND THEY WANT TO JACK UP THAT RATIO A LOT HIGHER.
AND SO THAT'S A MAJOR POINT OF CONTENTION.
- OKAY.
BACK TO THE TARIFFS ON STEEL AND ALUMINUM.
MANY REPUBLICANS, INCLUDING OUR GOVERNOR, SAY THAT THIS IS GOING
TO HURT WISCONSIN BUSINESSES, FROM BEER TO MOTORCYCLES TO
CRANBERRIES TO OTHER KIND OF PRODUCTS.
- THERE ARE TWO SETS OF CONCERNS YOU HAVE TO ADDRESS.
FIRST IS THE DIRECT IMPLICATION OF HIGHER STEEL AND ALUMINUM
COSTS.
SO THOSE ARE GOING TO FEED DIRECTLY INTO THE COST OF
PRODUCTION OF MOTORCYCLES, FOR INSTANCE, OR CONSTRUCTION, WHERE
YOU USE IMPORTED STEEL.
SO THERE'S THIS DIRECT IMPACT.
WHATEVER JOBS YOU MIGHT SAVE IN STEEL, IN GENERAL IN THE OTHER
INDUSTRIES THAT USE STEEL, WHICH ARE MORE LABOR-INTENSIVE, YOU'RE
PROBABLY GOING TO HAVE OFFSETTING OR MORE THAN
OFFSETTING JOB LOSSES.
ON NET YOU HAVE THIS DIRECT IMPACT OF HIGHER PRICES FOR THE
FINAL GOODS PLUS REDUCED EMPLOYMENT IN THOSE INDUSTRIES,
OF WHICH WISCONSIN IS ONE OF THOSE STATES THAT IS PRIMARILY
-- HAS A LOT OF THIS SUSCEPTIBILITY TO STEEL PRICES.
THEN THERE'S THE RETALIATION ISSUE YOU ALLUDED TO EARLIER.
- AND THAT'S A REAL THREAT AS WELL, EVEN THOUGH THERE'S THIS
KIND OF WIGGLE ROOM NOW?
- WELL, YES, BECAUSE, FOR INSTANCE, WE HAVE NOT EXEMPTED
THE EUROPEAN UNION AND WE KNOW WHAT THE EUROPEAN UNION'S
PRELIMINARY HIT LIST LOOKS LIKE.
AS YOU MENTIONED, CRANBERRIES, BUT ALSO MOTORCYCLES.
SO IN NOT EXEMPTING THE EUROPEAN UNION WE'RE ON A COLLISION
COURSE WITH THEM, AT LEAST FOR NOW.
THAT'S DEFINITELY A WORRY FOR OUR EXPORTERS.
- NOW, IS THERE ANY CONCERN OR LIKELIHOOD THAT IF THIS KIND OF
CHEAP STEEL ISN'T AVAILABLE IN CHINA WITHOUT THIS 25% MARKUP
THAT DOMESTIC U.S. PRODUCERS OF GOODS THAT USE THAT CHINESE
STEEL WOULD MOVE OUT OF THE COUNTRY?
- I DON'T THINK IT'S PRIMARILY AT THIS POINT THE ACCESS TO
CHINESE STEEL.
IN POINT OF FACT, CHINA EXPORTS A PRETTY SMALL PROPORTION OF
STEEL TO THE UNITED STATES AT THE MOMENT, PARTLY BECAUSE WE
HAVE IMPLEMENTED A NUMBER OF ANTIDUMPING AND COUNTERVAILING
DUTIES AGAINST CHINESE PRODUCTS.
THAT'S THE IRONY OF THE SITUATION.
CHINA IS TO BLAME FOR LOW PRICES BECAUSE THEY HAVE SO MUCH EXCESS
CAPACITY.
THEY'VE BUILT SO MANY FACTORIES THAT ARE PUTTING OUT STEEL AND
TO A LESSER EXTENT ALUMINUM THAT IT'S DEPRESSING THE WORLD PRICE.
VERY LITTLE COMES TO THE U.S.
BECAUSE WE'VE ALREADY IMPLEMENTED PROTECTIONS AGAINST
THAT STEEL.
SO WHO ARE WE HITTING?
WELL, BEFORE YESTERDAY'S ANNOUNCEMENT PRELIMINARILY, WE
WERE HITTING OUR ALLIES, CA, MEXICO, SOUTH KOREA AND THE
EUROPEAN UNION AND UK.
NOW YOU'VE TAKEN OFF MEXICO AND CANADA, BUT YOU'RE NOT HITTING
THE TARGET YOU SAY YOU WANT TO HIT.
AND EXTRA POINT IS THE MEASURES ARE BEING IMPLEMENTED UNDER THIS
NATIONAL SECURITY PROVISION.
- RIGHT.
- WHICH IS A WHOLE NEW BALL GAME.
WE HAVE NOT HAD AN INVESTIGATION ALONG THESE LINES FOR AT LEAST
15 YEARS AND WE'VE NOT IMPLEMENTED PROTECTIONS BASED ON
THIS SECTION 232 FOR AS LONG AS I KNOW, MANY, MANY DECADES.
- LOTS OF NEW BALL GAMES OUT THERE.
MENZIE CHINN, THANKS VERY MUCH.
- THANK YOU.
- RELATED TO ALL THIS, "HERE AND NOW" REPORTER MARISA WOJCIK
HAS THIS REPORT ON EXPORTS FROM THE BADGER STATE.
- WISCONSIN EXPORTS TOTALED $22.3 BILLION IN 2017.
INDUSTRIAL MACHINERY WAS THE STATE'S LARGEST EXPORT, AT $2.4
BILLION.
THE MAJORITY OF WISCONSIN EXPORTS WENT TO CANADA, TOTALING
$6.9 BILLION.
MEXICO WAS THE NEXT HIGHEST, RECEIVING $3.2 BILLION IN
WISCONSIN EXPORTS.
EXPORTS TO CANADA GREW BY 4.3% FROM 2016 TO 2017.
OTHER TOP EXPORTS FROM WISCONSIN INCLUDE ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT,
VEHICLES AND PLASTICS.
OTHER TOP COUNTRIES WISCONSIN EXPORTS TO INCLUDE CHINA, SAUDI
ARABIA AND JAPAN.
FIND MORE AT wpt.org.
- AN INSIDE LOOK NOW FROM CHANGES PROPOSED AT UW-STEVENS
POINT.
THAT'S WHERE 13 MAJORS HAVE BEEN PUT ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK AS 16
NEW OR EXPANDED PROGRAMS HAVE BEEN PROPOSED.
THE CUTS INCLUDE MAJORS IN ART, POLITICAL SCIENCE, ENGLISH AND
LANGUAGES, INCLUDING FRENCH AND GERMAN.
EXPANDED PROGRAMS INCLUDE FINANCE AND COMPUTER INFORMATION
SYSTEMS.
ADDITIONALLY, NEW PROGRAMS WOULD INCLUDE AN MBA AND DOCTOR OF
PHYSICAL THERAPY.
THESE CHANGES COULD LEAD TO TENURED FACULTY LAYOFFS.
ALL OF THIS MUST BE APPROVED BY THE BOARD OF REGENTS.
GREG SUMMERS IS THE PROCEED POST AND VICE-CHANCELLOR OF ACADEMIC
AFFAIRS.
WHY THIS MOVE?
- WE'RE NO STRANGER TO BUDGET REDUCTIONS.
BACK IN THE 1970s WHEN THE UW SYSTEM WAS FIRST CREATED, WE GOT
ABOUT 50% OF THE BUDGET FROM THE STATE AND TUITION WAS ALMOST
FREE AND FEES WERE RELATIVELY MODEST.
TODAY WE GET ABOUT 13% OF OUR BUDGET FROM THE STATE AND FEES
AND TUITION HAVE BECOME QUITE A BURDEN FOR OUR STUDENTS.
THERE'S NOT MUCH NEW THERE.
WHAT HAS CHANGED ARE SEVERAL OTHER FACTORS.
WE'RE IN THE FIFTH SI YEAR OF A SIX-YEAR TUITION CHANGE.
DEMOGRAPHICS DO NOT FAVOR RECRUITMENT.
MOST INTERESTINGLY FOR US, WE'VE RECENTLY
DRAMATICALLY INCREASED OUR FOUR-YEAR GRADUATION RATE.
IN 2011 WE HAD A 22% GRADUATION RATE.
TODAY IT'S MORE LIKE 34%.
THAT'S REALLY EMPTIED OUT THE UNIVERSITY AND LED TO ENROLLMENT
DECLINE.
- AND SO WHAT KIND OF BUDGET CRUNCH ARE YOU LOOKING AT?
- WE HAVE ABOUT A $4.5 MILLION STRUCTURAL DEFICIT PRESENTLY.
- WHAT'S BEEN THE REACTION FROM STUDENTS AND FAMILIES TO THESE
CHANGES?
- THIS IS EASILY THE MOST PAINFUL PROCESS THAT I THINK
I'VE BEEN THROUGH AS EITHER A FACULTY MEMBER OR AN
ADMINISTRATOR.
I'VE BEEN ON CAMPUS NOW FOR 17 YEARS AND IT'S A VERY DIFFICULT
PROCESS TO LET A MAJOR GO, PARTICULARLY IN SOME OF THE
DISCIPLINES THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
THESE ARE THE TRADITIONAL LIBERAL ARTS DISCIPLINES.
EVEN THOUGH IT REMAINS TRUE THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE OFFERING ALL
OF THESE COURSES AND CURRICULA IN THE FORM OF MINORS, TO LET GO
OF THE MAJORS THEMSELVES IS A VERY DIFFICULT PROCESS.
AND SO IT'S BEEN KIND OF A THUNDER CLAP FOR THE CAMPUS TO
ABSORB.
- BECAUSE IN FACT ONE OF THOSE MAJORS IS HISTORY AND THAT IS A
DEPARTMENT YOU CAME OUT OF BEFORE YOU WENT INTO
ADMINISTRATION.
SO WHAT IS YOUR RESPONSE TO CRITICS WHO SAY THAT THOSE
HUMANITIES ARE IMPORTANT TO EDUCATION?
- OH, THEY'RE CRITICALLY IMPORTANT.
I WOULDN'T DISAGREE WITH THAT AT ALL.
I THINK WE NEED TO BE CAREFUL TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE LOSS HERE.
WHEN I WAS A STUDENT IN THE OHIO STATE SYSTEM, I WENT TO SCHOOL
AT A PUBLIC OPEN ENROLLMENT UNIVERSITY AND I GOT TO MAJOR IN
HISTORY AND STUDY THE DISCIPLINE AND I WENT ON TO BECOME A
COLLEGE PROFESSOR.
THE FACT THAT PARTICULAR JOURNEY MAY NOT BE POSSIBLE HERE
AT STEVENS POINT IS KIND OF HEARTBREAKING FOR ME PERSONALLY.
BUT WE'RE MAINTAINING LARGE PARTS OF THE CURRICULUM.
WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO OFFER A STRONG LIBERAL ARTS CORE IN
OUR GENERAL EDUCATION PROGRAM, PRESERVE A LOT OF MINORS AND
CERTIFICATES ROOTED IN THOSE, AND DEVELOPING NEW DISCIPLINES
GROUNDED IN THE HUMANITIES AND LIBERAL ARTS.
- HOW MANY LAYOFFS MIGHT RESULT?
- WE DON'T KNOW YET.
THERE'S A PROCESS THAT'S GOING TO BE UNFOLDING IN THE
GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE HERE.
THERE'S A POLICY THAT WE'LL BE FOLLOWING.
WE'RE GOING TO BE FINE-TUNING THE PROPOSALS.
WE SIMPLY WANTED TO GIVE THE SENSE OF WHAT OUR
RECOMMENDATIONS WERE AND TO ASK FOR THEIR HELP IN THE NEXT SIX
MONTHS OR SO TO WORK TOGETHER ON SHAPING UP THE PROPOSALS THAT WE
NEED TO MOVE FORWARD.
- IS THIS THE DIRECTION THAT OTHER CAMPUSES ACROSS THE STATE
ARE LOOKING AT AS WELL, TO YOUR KNOWLEDGE?
- WELL, I DON'T KNOW.
I KNOW THAT WE'RE ALL STRUGGLING TO RECRUIT NEW STUDENTS AND MANY
OF THE INSTITUTIONS ARE DEALING WITH THE DEMOGRAPHIC ISSUES THAT
ARE MAKING US REALLY WORK HARDER TO BRING IN NEW STUDENTS.
AND WE'RE ALL SEEING SOME DECLINES IN ENROLLMENT.
WHAT'S DIFFERENT ABOUT THIS INSTITUTION IS THAT GRADUATION
RATE ISSUE.
BECAUSE WE'VE SO DRAMATICALLY INCREASED OUR GRADUATION,
OUR SITUATION HAS BEEN MORE ACUTE.
THAT'S A GREAT THING FOR STUDENTS.
WE'RE PROUD OF THAT.
STUDENTS ARE GETTING OUT OF HERE SOONER AND WITH LESS EXPENSE.
BUT FINANCIALLY IT'S PUT A CRIMP ON OUR BUDGET.
- ALL RIGHT.
WE LEAVE IT THERE.
WE WISH YOU LUCK.
GREG SUMMERS, THANKS VERY MUCH.
- THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
I APPRECIATE IT.
- WISCONSIN IS SPENDING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO LURE
MILLENNIALS OUT OF CHICAGO AND ELSEWHERE TO COME HERE TO WORK.
IN TONIGHT'S WISCONTEXT, A LOOK AT HOW ARGUMENTS IN THE STATE'S
AD CAMPAIGN, WHICH TRADE ON COST OF LIVING COMPARISONS, STACK UP.
WE ARE JOINED BY SCOTT GORDON, WHOSE REPORTING APPEARS THIS
WEEK ON wiscontext.org.
THANKS A LOT FOR BEING HERE.
- THANKS FOR HAVING ME.
- SO YOU LOOKED AT THE WISCONSIN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
CORPORATION'S AD CAMPAIGN TO LURE MILLENNIALS OUT OF CHICAGO
TO LIVE IN WISCONSIN.
AND ONE OF THE FIGURES THAT WAS USED IN THE AD SAID THAT
WISCONSIN RENTS ARE 55% LESS THAN IN CHICAGO.
WHAT DID YOU LEARN ABOUT THAT CLAIM?
- WELL, NO DOUBT IT'S CHEAPER TO LIVE IN JUST ABOUT ANY PLACE
IN WISCONSIN THAN IT IS IN CHICAGO.
BUT WE WANTED TO FIND OUT WHERE THE STATE WAS GETTING ITS
NUMBERS AND IF WE COULD REPLICATE SOME OF THESE
COMPARISONS ABOUT RENT.
AND THE FOLKS AT WEDC DID TELL US SOME OF THEIR SOURCES FOR
THIS DATA, AND WE HAD A HARD TIME EXACTLY REPLICATING THAT.
AND THE KIND OF CHICAGO TO WISCONSIN AS A WHOLE THING WAS
SOMETHING I WASN'T REALLY ABLE TO DIG INTO AND IS A LITTLE BIT
DIFFICULT, YOU KNOW, TO COMPARE A CITY TO A WHOLE STATE IN TERMS
OF RENT.
SO THAT JUMPS OUT AT ME.
- SO THE ADS ALSO BOAST THAT IN MILWAUKEE THE COST OF LIVING IS
22% LESS THAN CHICAGO.
DO YOU KNOW HOW WEDC DETERMINED THAT?
- THEY'VE BEEN USING SOME DIFFERENT FIGURES FROM DIFFERENT
WEBSITES AND THINGS.
THERE'S ONE THAT THEY USE FOR RENT DATA CALLED RENT CAFE.COM.
THERE'S ANOTHER SPITE CALLED SPERLING'S BEST PLACES THAT DOES
COMPARISONS BETWEEN DIFFERENT CITIES AND ECONOMICS AND
ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES.
THEY WEREN'T NECESSARILY THE SOURCES I WOULD HAVE EXPECTED
THE STATE TO USE, SUCH AS GOVERNMENT SOURCES OR THE COST
OF LIVING INDEX FROM THE COUNCIL FROM COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC
RESEARCH, WHICH IS SOMETHING OF A STANDARD.
- SO THAT THERE ARE SORT OF GOLD STANDARDS, BUT MY
UNDERSTANDING FROM READING YOUR REPORTING IS THAT SOMETIMES YOU
JUST CAN'T MAKE THIS APPLES TO APPLES COMPARISON BECAUSE SOME
OF THE STANDARDS KIND OF COMPARE DIFFERENT INKS THIS.
IS THAT ACCURATE?
- RIGHT.
YEAH.
AND ONE THING I WAS REALLY TRYING TO ASK AT THE OUTSET OF
THIS, BECAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW, WAS IS THIS WHOLE CONCEPT OF COST OF
LIVING A REALLY HARD AND FAST MEASUREMENT IN THE, YOU KNOW,
ECONOMICS WORLD OR IS IT SOMETHING THAT'S A LITTLE MORE
NEBULOUS.
I THINK IT'S CLOSER TO THE LATTER.
YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE ORGANIZATIONS LIKE COUNCIL FOR COMMUNITY AND
ECONOMIC RESEARCH THAT THEY PUT OUT A QUARTERLY INDEX OF COST OF
LIVING, WHERE THEY'RE WEIGHING TOGETHER SORT OF HOUSING COSTS.
THAT'S ALWAYS THE BIG ONE, OF COURSE, IN ANY COST OF LIVING
CALCULATION THAT'S CREDIBLE.
AND ALSO ALL KINDS OF THINGS THAT KIND OF REPRESENTS A WHOLE
MIX OF NEEDS AND WANTS THAT A HOUSEHOLD MIGHT HAVE ANY GIVEN
PLACE.
- AND YOU SUGGEST IN YOUR REPORTING THAT OFTEN PEOPLE MOVE
FOR A NEW JOB, OBVIOUSLY BECAUSE OF POTENTIALLY A SIGNIFICANT PAY
BUMP AND THAT COST OF LIVING CALCULATIONS MAY NOT BE
SOMETHING THAT MILLENNIALS ARE LOOKING AT IF THEY'RE GOING TO
CHICAGO SAY FOR KIND OF A BIG-TIME JOB.
- RIGHT.
I MEAN, THE NUMBERS CAN'T NECESSARILY ACCOUNT FOR SORT OF
THE MORE NUANCED AND INTANGIBLE DECISIONS THAT PEOPLE ARE MAKING
ABOUT WHERE TO MOVE OR WHERE TO TAKE A NEW JOB OR WHAT THEY WANT
OUT OF LIFE AND THE PLACE THAT THEY LIVE.
PEOPLE HAVE OBVIOUSLY POINTED OUT TO ME THAT PEOPLE WILL BE
WILLING TO SHOULDER A HIGHER COST OF LIVING OFTEN IF THEY'RE
GETTING KIND OF THE AMENITIES AND FEATURES THAT THEY LIKE OR
IF THEY FEEL THAT THEY'RE IN A LABOR MARKET THAT GIVES THEM
MORE PLACES TO GO.
- THAT'S RIGHT.
WELL, SCOTT GORDON, THANKS VERY MUCH FOR YOUR REPORTING.
IT CAN BE SEEN AGAIN ON WISCONTEXT ORG.
ON FRIDAY NIGHT THE CANDIDATES RUNNING FOR STATE SUPREME COURT
WILL BE LE HERE FOR A ONE-HOUR DEBATE.
THE DEBATE WILL BE LIVE STREAMED AS WELL AS BROADCAST FROM 7:00
TO 8:00 P.M.
THAT'S ALL FOR TONIGHT'S PROGRAM.
I'M FREDERICA FREYBERG.
HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND.
- FUNDING FOR "HERE AND NOW" IS PROVIDED, IN PART, BY FRIENDS OF
WISCONSIN PUBLIC TELEVISION.
- FOR MORE INFORMATION ON "HERE AND NOW'S" 2018 ELECTION
COVERAGE, GO TO WISCONSINVOTE.ORG.