>> THIS WEEK, FORMER GOVERNOR
TOMMY THOMPSON STEPS DOWN AS UW
SYSTEM PRESIDENT.
WHEN HE ACCEPTED THE POSITION IN
JULY 2020, THOMPSON SAID HE DID
SO KNOWING TWO THINGS: THAT HE
WAS NEEDED, AND THAT IT WOULD BE
TEMPORARY.
I SAT DOWN WITH TOMMY THOMPSON
THIS WEEK TO GET HIS TAKE ON THE
STATE OF THE UW SYSTEM AND HIS
OWN POLITICAL FUTURE.
WE SHOULD NOTE, PBS WISCONSIN IS
PART OF THE UW.
SO AS YOU LEAVE YOUR SERVICE AS
PRESIDENT OF THE UW SYSTEM, WHAT
WOULD YOU SAY HAS BEEN YOUR MOST
SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION?
>> I THINK OPENING UP THE
UNIVERSITY.
WHEN I CAME IN, FREDERICA, IN
JULY OF 2020, YOU KNOW, THE
UNIVERSITY WAS IN FINANCIAL
TROUBLE, A LOT OF THE CAMPUSES
WERE IN REAL FINANCIAL TROUBLE,
THEY DIDN'T KNOW IF THEY WERE
GOING TO BE ABLE TO OPEN UP IN
FALL, AND THEY DID NOT OPEN UP.
I CAME IN, HAD A TWO-HOUR
MEETING WITH THE CHANCELLORS AND
AT THE END OF THE TWO-HOUR MEET,
I ASKED THEM WHAT THEIR DECISION
WAS.
THEIR DECISION WAS THEY WANT
ANOTHER MEETING.
I SAID, NO, I'M MAKING THE
DECISION, WE'RE OPENING UP
SEPTEMBER 3RD.
ONE-THIRD WAS OPPOSED, ONE-THIRD
DIDN'T -- WE OPENED IT UP AND
THEN I KNEW I HAD TO MAKE SURE
THAT IT WAS SAFE.
AND IN ORDER TO BE SAFE, WE HAD
TO WEAR MASKS, AND HAD TO
INCULCATE A CULTURAL
RESPONSIBILITY WITH THE
STUDENTS.
THE STUDENTS WERE FANTASTIC.
THE FACULTY WAS FANTASTIC.
SO WE OPENED UP, AND THEN WE
DECIDED WE NEEDED A TESTING
PROGRAM, TESTING PROGRAM WAS ONE
OF THE BEST IF NOT THE BEST IN
THE COUNTRY, AND THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT GOT WIND OF IT AND
THEY CAME OUT HERE AND THEY
ASKED IF I COULD EXPAND IT INTO
THE COMMUNITY, SO I SAID SURE,
IF YOU GAVE US THE MONEY.
THEY GAVE US $50 MILLION TO SET
IT UP.
SO WE BECAME THE PROBLEM
SOLVERS.
AND THEN WE OPENED UP AND THEN
WE HAD A SHORTAGE OF NURSES, AND
I ASKED THE NURSING DEANS IF WE
COULD USE THEIR STUDENTS TO HELP
TEST AND HELP VACCINATE, AND
THEY JUMPED AT IT, YOU KNOW,
TREMENDOUS SUPPORT.
AND SO WE GOT THESE YOUNG NURSES
THAT ARE STUDENTS GO OUT AND
HELP DO THE VACCINATION AND THE
TESTING AND ENROLLING OF PEOPLE.
IT WAS FANTASTIC.
IT WAS A PARTNERSHIP FROM
STUDENTS ALL THE WAY UP THROUGH
THE FACULTY UP THROUGH THE
CENTRAL ADMINISTRATION HERE, IT
WAS WONDERFUL.
AND IT WAS A GREAT
ACCOMPLISHMENT.
>> IN THE MIDST OF SOME OF THAT,
YOU STOOD UP TO REPUBLICAN
LAWMAKERS WHO WANTED TO HAVE YOU
GET THEIR PERMISSION TO
IMPLEMENT SOME OF THESE COVID
POLICIES.
WHY DID YOU STAND UP THAT WAY?
>> WELL, BECAUSE I HAD TO.
I MEAN, MY JOB WAS TO OPEN THE
UNIVERSITY AND KEEP IT OPEN.
IF I HAD TO GO AND GET
PERMISSION FROM THE LEGISLATURE
TO DO IT, I COULDN'T MOVE FAST
ENOUGH.
SECONDLY, THEY WANTED ME TO NOT
HAVE A MASKING POLICY.
IF I DIDN'T HAVE A MASKING
POLICY, THE PROFESSORS WERE NOT
GOING TO TEACH.
THE PROFESSORS DON'T TEACH, I
DON'T HAVE CLASSES, I DON'T HAVE
THE UNIVERSITIES OPEN.
SO I HAD TO MAKE SURE THAT I
KEPT THE UNIVERSITY OPEN.
I HAD TO STAND UP TO THE
LEGISLATURE AND TELL THEM,
PLEASE, UNDERSTAND, WE'RE
RUNNING THIS UNIVERSITY.
WE'RE GOING TO RUN IT AND WE'RE
GOING TO KEEP IT OPEN.
THAT'S MY PLEDGE, AND THAT'S
WHAT I DID.
AND IN ORDER FOR ME TO
ACCOMPLISH THAT, I COULDN'T GO
BY AND START PASSING RULES THAT
THEY COULD SUSPEND, BECAUSE I
KNEW IF THEY DID THE SUSPENSION
ON THE MASKING, PROFESSORS
WOULDN'T HAVE TAUGHT AND WE
WOULD NOT HAVE HAD THE
UNIVERSITIES OPEN.
SO IT WAS A SIMPLE DECISION FOR
ME.
I STOOD UP, GOT SOME CRITICISM,
BUT I GOT ALSO A LOT OF SUPPORT.
>> IN YOUR MIND, HOW HAS THE
LEGISLATURE AND ITS
BUDGET-WRITERS TREAT THE UW?
>> NOT AS GOOD AS THEY SHOULD.
AND I HAD TO TELL THEM, YOU
KNOW, YOU'VE GOT TO SUPPORT THE
UNIVERSITY, BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE
THE SOLUTIONS TO OUR PROBLEMS
ARE.
WHEN YOU GOT A SHORTAGE OF
NURSES, ENGINEERS, TEACHER,
WHICH WE HAVE IN THIS STATE,
WHO'S GOING TO TURN THEM OUT?
IT'S THE UNIVERSITY.
SO GIVE US THE DOLLARS NECESSARY
TO DO IT.
THEY WERE NOT GOOD FOR US IN THE
BUDGET, BUT THIS PART OF THE
SESSION, THE SECOND PART, IN
JANUARY, THEY'VE BEEN VERY GOOD
TO US.
VERY COOPERATIVE, VERY
SUPPORTIVE.
AND I THINK THAT TREND IS GOING
TO COME AND I THINK I HELPED
FOSTER THAT TREND.
>> SO WHAT IS YOUR FORECAST FOR
THE HEALTH OF THE UW SYSTEM,
GIVEN ENROLLMENT AND BUDGET?
>> ENROLLMENT IS A BIG PROBLEM.
AND IT'S NOT ONLY THE FACT THAT
OUR POPULATION HAS NOT GROWN AS
RAPIDLY, I THINK WE'RE 27TH IN
THE COUNTRY, BUT IT'S ALSO THE
FACT THAT PARENTS AREN'T HAVING
AS MANY CHILDREN, THEREFORE,
WE'RE NOT GRADUATING AS MANY,
AND THE BIGGER PROBLEM,
FREDERICA, IS THIS, THAT WHEN
YOU AND I, WHEN I WENT AND YOU,
ABOUT 35% OF THE STUDENTS WERE
GOING ON TO COLLEGE.
33 TO 35%.
THAT'S FALLEN DOWN TO 27%.
AND THAT'S ON ITS WAY TO 25%.
SO YOU'VE GOT A DECLINING
POPULATION, A PERCENTAGE DECLINE
OF THOSE STUDENTS THAT ARE GOING
ON TO SCHOOL, AND ALL THIS
INDICATES TO ME, WE HAVE A HUGE
ENROLLMENT PROBLEM STARING US
RIGHT IN THE FACE.
SO WE'VE GOT TO DO A MUCH BETTER
JOB OF GETTING FIRST-GENERATION
FAMILIES MORE DIVERSITY IN OUR
CAMPUSES, AND MORE STUDENTS, AND
WE'VE GOT TO DO SOME MORE
SPEAKING ABOUT WHY THE
UNIVERSITY IS SO IMPORTANT.
YOU KNOW, YOU WENT TO THE
UNIVERSITY, ALL YOUR CAMERA
PEOPLE WENT TO THE UNIVERSITY.
WE'VE GOT TO GET THAT BACK TO
THE YOUNG PEOPLE.
UNIVERSITY EDUCATION IS
EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.
AND IF WE'RE GOING TO SOLVE THE
PROBLEMS OF WISCONSIN, WE NEED A
STRONG UNIVERSITY SYSTEM, AND WE
ARE THE PROBLEM SOLVERS FOR THE
STATE OF WISCONSIN.
>> WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE TO THE
INCOMING PRESIDENT?
>> I AM TELLING HIM TO BE
STRONG, BE FORCEFUL, AND DO NOT
BE AFRAID TO GET OUT AND BRAG
ABOUT THIS UNIVERSITY, AND ALL
OF HIS SPEECHES, WHEREVER THEY
MAY BE AND HOWEVER BIG OR SMALL
THE AUDIENCE IS, TALK ABOUT THE
IMPORTANCE OF A
UNIVERSITY DEGREE.
I DO THAT ALL OVER.
IT'S IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO
REALIZE THAT THIS IS AN
INVESTMENT IN YOUR SONS AND
DAUGHTERS' FUTURE, AND IT'S AN
INVESTMENT BY THE STATE OF
WISCONSIN TO SOLVE THE PROBLEMS
AND MAKE WISCONSIN STRONGER.
WE ARE THE ECONOMIC ENGINE AND
WE'VE GOT TO SAY THAT.
HERE ARE THE PROBLEMS.
IT'S NOT ONLY ENROLLMENT.
IT'S THE FACT WE HAVE TOO MANY
BUILDINGS, WE NEED TO HAVE A
BLUE RIBBON TASK FORCE, WHICH IS
NOT GOING TO COME UNTIL AFTER
THE ELECTION.
WE'VE GOT TO DO A BETTER JOB OF
ADVERTISING OUR UNIVERSITY
SYSTEM, ESPECIALLY IN DISTANCE
LEARNING.
WE'RE WAY BEHIND THE PURDUES AND
WESTERN GOVERNORS AND ARIZONA
STATE AND THE UNIVERSITY OF
SOUTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE.
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN
NEW HAMPSHIRE IS SPENDING
$100 MILLION ON PUBLICITY, IN
WISCONSIN, TAKING OUR STUDENTS
OUT THERE.
THESE ARE PROBLEMS THAT WE'VE
GOT TO SOLVE.
>> I WANT TO ASK YOU WHETHER OR
NOT YOU DO, IN FACT, WANT TO GET
BACK IN THE GAME, AND RUN FOR
GOVERNOR.
>> THAT'S GOING TO BE IN APRIL.
I'LL MAKE THAT DECISION AND I'M
GOING TO LOOK AT IT, FREDERICA,
I'M GOING TO LOOK AT -- YOU
KNOW, I'M GOING TO WAIT AND SEE
WHAT PEOPLE WANT ME TO DO.
YOU KNOW, MY FAMILY, MY FRIENDS.
THERE'S SOME BUSINESSES THERE
THAT ARE OUT THERE THAT WOULD
LIKE TO HAVE ME EITHER ON THEIR
BOARD OR IN SOME SORT OF A
CONSULTANT CAPACITY.
I'M WAITING TO SEE WHAT'S
AVAILABLE, AND WHAT I SHOULD DO.
I'VE NEVER TAKEN THE TIME,
FREDERICA, IN ALL MY LIFE, YOU
KNOW, WHAT'S GOOD FOR TOMMY,
WHAT SHOULD HE DO, AND REALLY
THINK ABOUT IT.
I'VE ALWAYS JUMPED INTO
SOMETHING BEFORE I REALLY
THOUGHT IT THROUGH, AND I'M
GOING TO SPEND THE MONTH OF
APRIL SKIING, GOING TO FLORIDA,
AND TALKING TO PEOPLE LIKE YOU
THAT HAVE BEEN FRIENDS OF MINE
FOR A LONG TIME AS TO WHAT THEY
THINK I SHOULD DO.
>> WHAT DRAWS YOU TOWARD THAT,
THOUGH?
WHAT DRAWS YOU TOWARD MORE
SERVICE?
>> PUBLIC SERVICE.
50 YEARS.
I WAS STATE LEGISLATOR FOR 20
YEARS.
I WAS GOVERNOR FOR OVER 14
YEARS.
I WAS IN THE CABINET FOR FOUR
YEARS.
AND I WAS -- EXCUSE ME.
I WAS PRESIDENT HERE, THE EIGHTH
PRESIDENT OF THE UNIVERSITY FOR
ALMOST TWO YEARS.
THAT'S A LONG TIME.
AND OVER 40-SOME YEARS, I'VE
BEEN IN THE PUBLIC ARENA.
IT'S HARD TO CHANGE.
IT'S HARD TO SAY, YOU KNOW, I
DON'T GET UP IN THE MORNING AND
READ THE NEWSPAPERS, HEAR THE
NEWS, AND LISTEN TO YOU ON
TELEVISION AND SO ON.
I'M -- I LOVE TO SERVE.
I'M AN INDIVIDUAL THAT BELIEVES
IN CIVIC SERVICE AND EVERYTHING
I'VE DONE IS, HOW DO I MAKE
WISCONSIN, MAKE WISCONSIN
BETTER?
HOW DO I MAKE IT STRONGER?
HOW DO I MAKE THIS UNIVERSITY,
YOU KNOW, RESPOND TO THE NEEDS
OF THE YOUNG STUDENTS?
THAT'S WHY WE HAVE THESE
UNIVERSITIES, FOR OUR STUDENTS.
HOW DO WE BUILD THAT?
YOU KNOW, THAT'S A CLOCK INSIDE
OF ME THAT GOES OFF EVERY HOUR,
AS TO HOW DO I SERVE AND MAKE
THINGS BETTER.
I HATE THE STATUS QUO.
I'VE ALWAYS BEEN ONE OF THOSE
INDIVIDUALS, IF YOU BELIEVE IN
THE STATUS QUO, YOU GO
BACKWARDS.
AND I WANT TO MOVE FORWARD.
I'M ALWAYS LOOKING FORWARD.
HOW DO I ADVANCE WISCONSIN?
HOW DO I MAKE WISCONSIN BETTER?
HOW DID I MAKE THE HEALTH AND
HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT BETTER
WHEN I WAS THERE?
AND IF I DON'T LEAVE IT BETTER
AT THE END, WHEN I LEAVE, I HAVE
REALLY WASTED MY TIME.
EVERY PLACE I'VE GONE, I CAN
LOOK BACK AND SAY, I'VE
IMPROVED.
WHETHER IT WAS IN THE
LEGISLATURE, WHETHER IT WAS
GOVERNOR, WHETHER IT WAS
SECRETARY, OR NOW AS UNIVERSITY
PRESIDENT.
I CAN LOOK BACK AND IN MY MIND,
IN MY OPINION, I HAVE MADE IT
STRONGER AND BETTER, MORE
EFFICIENT, AND THAT, TO ME,
DRIVES ME, AND THAT'S WHY -- YOU
ASKED ME WHY?
IT DRIVES ME, SOMETHING INSIDE
OF ME THAT I'VE ALWAYS BEEN
ATTRACTED TO.
>> TOMMY THOMPSON, THANKS VERY
MUCH.
>> YOU'RE WONDERFUL.