News

Listed below are the emails obtained by UWS AFT Local #6514 via open records request filed on November 14, 2017.

An addendum to reading the emails can be found here.

Emails and Documents:

• 10/18 Key Messages Document
• 10/18 Key Messages Email
• 10/20 RE_Letter to Students
• 10/30 Statement to Department Chairs Document
• 10/30 Statement to Department Chairs Email
• 10/30 UW System of Suspending an Academic Program
• 10/30 Suspending Programs at UW Superior
• 10/30 Fwd Suspending Programs at UW Superior
• 10/30 RE Suspending Programs at UW Superior
• 10/31 Academic Program Changes
• 11/02 Fwd Superior Programs
• 11/02 RE Superior

Madison, WI – Faculty, students, and staff across the UW System are reacting to the recent news that the largest UW System reorganization in 40 years was an “open secret” at the Capitol.  According to a report from Wisconsin Public Radio (WPR), “Before faculty, staff and students learned about the plan to eliminate the two-year UW Colleges and UW-Extension, UW System President Ray Cross had discussed it with a lawmaker who called for similar action in 2015.”  In a clear disregard for shared governance or the concerns of the UW community, President Cross spent weeks courting Republican

Superior, WI – On Halloween, faculty, staff, and students at the University of Wisconsin in Superior were blindsided by the administration’s blanket announcement to suspend nine majors, fifteen minors, and one masters program.  Fifteen additional programs were put on “warning” for suspension.  These program suspensions are the latest in a string of brazen attacks on public higher education in Wisconsin, and have sparked student protests and an online petition that has garnered more than 5,300 signatures. 

In a series of forums and a public announcement, the UW-Superior administration justified

Chippewa Falls, WI – School districts across Wisconsin have faced devastating budget cuts under the Walker administration, and this year’s budget is no exception.  With greatly expanded access to voucher programs, the promised per pupil increase will hardly alleviate the strain districts continue to feel.  Yet the Walker administration continues to tout their overnight change of heart when it comes to public education, and visiting the Chippewa Falls Area Unified School District provides a perfect photo-op for the Governor’s re-election campaign.

“When Governor Walker says that he supports

The American Federation of Teachers Local 212 at Milwaukee Area Technical College responded to President Trump’s decision to terminate the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program that protects from deportation more than 800,000 young, undocumented immigrants who were brought to the United States as children.

Dr. Lisa Conley, Local 212 president and Life Sciences instructor, said, “The Trump administration’s decision to throw 800,000 young people out of this country is an outright betrayal of our nation’s democratic values. The young people targeted by this action are American in

Yesterday, in response to Charlottesville, AFT President Randi Weingarten called on US Attorney General Jeff Sessions and all state attorney generals to use their powers to ensure the safety and security of all communities.  In her letter to Wisconsin Attorney General, Brad Schimel, Weingarten calls for "a clear plan of action that will ensure that bias-motivated violence and harassment is prosecuted swiftly and agressively."  

AFT-WI President, Kim Kohlhaas, joined Weingarten's calls for clear and decisisive action from AG Schimel.  "We cannot allow hate and intolerance to go unchecked in

For Immediate Release:  May 2, 2017

The University of Wisconsin has faced cuts in five of the last six budget cycles. In fact, since 2011, cuts to the UW have totaled $795 million. This comes at a time when most states, under both Democratic and Republican control, have decided to reinvest in their colleges and universities.

Cuts to the UW have resulted in fewer and bigger classes, fewer advisors, and more time to a degree for students. Because the state has cut the UW budget while freezing tuition, our students have suffered more than ever, and the quality of our world-renowned university is at

Madison – Once again, faculty and staff at technical colleges across the state have voted to re-certify their unions at increasingly large margins, despite repeated attempts by the Walker administration to discourage unionization.  Act 10, which was written to undermine public sector unions, also requires an annual vote to re-certify the union.

Dr. Michael Rosen, President of Milwaukee Area Technical College AFT Local 212 noted, “MATC educators have once again rejected Governor Walker’s attempt to strip educators of their right to organize and have a voice