Biddy's Leaving

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Wisconsin
1

<p>Not surprised.</p>

<p>
[quote]
Dear Friends and Colleagues:</p>

<p>I write to inform you that I have accepted the presidency of Amherst
College, and I will conclude my term as chancellor of the University
of Wisconsin-Madison later this summer.</p>

<p>The decision to leave UW-Madison is one of the most difficult
decisions I have ever made. I love this university. I loved it when I
was a student. I was shaped by its lively intellectual culture and by
its great teachers, from Klaus Berghahn to Elaine Marks and George
Mosse. It has been a joy to be back and an honor to serve as its
chancellor. I will miss the extraordinary beauty of the campus,
Madison's lakes, my view of our students climbing Bascom Hill, the
state's majestic capitol building and my home at Olin House. More than
anything, of course, I will miss you -- the faculty, staff, students,
alumni and supporters of UW-Madison.</p>

<p>UW-Madison is one of the world's public treasures, and it deserves the
support of every citizen of the state and every branch of state
government, just as the state deserves the benefits of having a great
research university. I am proud of the fact that we have succeeded in
moving the New Badger Partnership forward. The plan passed by the
Legislature's Joint Committee on Finance takes a positive step toward
allowing UW-Madison to adapt to changing circumstances, as it must, if
it is to continue to flourish as one of America's premier public
universities. That is what the New Badger Partnership is designed to
do.</p>

<p>The future of UW-Madison is bright because of the quality of its
students, the caliber of its faculty, the professionalism of its
staff, the loyalty of its alumni, the generosity of its donors, the
university's commitment to the people of Wisconsin and the public's
devotion to the university. The Wisconsin Idea was born at UW-Madison
and has distinguished it for a century. It will always define this
university, and I will always be honored to have been part of it.</p>

<p>I feel lucky to have glimpsed the future of interdisciplinary
scientific innovation in the faculty who now do their work in the
Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery and in the Wisconsin Institutes for
Medical Research. I am fortunate to have witnessed the social
interactions that are highlighted and enabled by the new Union South,
to have helped attract the public-private match in support of the
humanities, and to have celebrated the academic successes of so many
faculty, staff and students. I will miss the community-wide
discussions of the books we have read together, student performances
of all sorts, watching football games from the sidelines and shooting
free throws in the Kohl Center. My memories of our victories over
previously unbeaten Ohio State at Camp Randall and again at the Kohl
Center this past year will remain vivid forever. I will never forget
how to Bucky.</p>

<p>It is a privilege to be a Badger.</p>

<p>In the end, I have made the very difficult decision to leave a place I
love for an institution that I have long admired because of what I
consider to be a unique opportunity. I was educated in the liberal
arts at the College of William and Mary, and I am deeply in its debt.
There are a wide variety of forces arrayed against the benefits of the
liberal arts today, yet I believe fervently in the importance of a
national commitment to the fundamentals -- a broad and integrated
education in the arts and the sciences. The strength of American
higher education is its diversity, and the continued success of the
American experiment, depends on the accessibility of many forms of
advanced learning. As we consider the future of the United States and
its place in the world, technology, innovation and medical
breakthroughs are all essential, and a great research university with
UW-Madison's mission will continue to produce them. Great liberal arts
education is also critical to ensuring these very achievements and
guaranteeing that they are continually renewed.</p>

<p>Education and research in the fundamentals of the sciences,
humanities, arts and social sciences provide the foundation on which
so many other forms of learning and practical solutions depend.
Preserving and enhancing these fundamentals is our best hope for
citizens who are prepared to answer questions of meaning and value,
even as they contribute to the global economy, to education, to
scientific discovery, to cultural diplomacy and to a renewal of our
political institutions. We need leaders who understand how these
domains are interrelated, who can think about them in their
complexity, who can push the boundaries of language and other media,
and who care about creating opportunity at a time when economic and
social disparities threaten to tear apart the fabric of our democracy.</p>

<p>Amherst is the premier model of the kind of liberal arts education we
need to nurture and propagate, and I want to play a role in promoting
it. It is among the most diverse liberal arts colleges in the country,
as well as being among the most selective; it has shown that
inclusiveness and excellence are complementary, not contradictory. Its
faculty has an unwavering devotion to the intimate art of teaching,
even as its members pursue advanced research across a broad range of
endeavors. The integration of research and teaching is one of
Amherst's hallmarks. Further, the college seeks to inculcate the ideal
of service and public engagement in its graduates, whatever walk of
life they may pursue. For liberal arts education as a whole, Amherst
College is pointing the way by its actions. The chance to combine my
belief in the transformative potential of the liberal arts with the
presidency of the leading liberal arts college in the country is the
best opportunity I can imagine. I would have left UW-Madison at this
point for no other school and considered no other. I look forward to
teaching Amherst's students, supporting its great faculty, working
closely with its dedicated staff, engaging with its vibrant alumni
community and leading the college's ongoing efforts to serve as a
model of quality, diversity and invigorating intellectual exchange.</p>

<p>At a moment such as this, it is hard not to cast a look backward --
and forward. I am delighted that Wisconsin's great flagship will move
into the years ahead with new kinds of flexibility as it takes
significant steps toward the operational autonomy it needs. I hope
that a future chancellor will pick up the effort as political
circumstances permit. When I arrived in 2008, I drew on what I learned
from you, using that information to articulate a number of goals:
successful recruitment and retention of faculty, which would be
enabled only if we found new ways to ensure we could provide
competitive pay; enhanced administrative infrastructure for this
amazing research enterprise; tuition at the median of our public peers
with significantly increased need-based financial aid; transformations
in undergraduate education to ensure that our students reap the
benefits of studying at a world-class research institution; increased
diversity among students, faculty and staff; a stronger international
presence; invigoration of the Wisconsin Idea; improved communications
and relations with the public; and new developments in our operational
model that would keep pace with rapid changes in higher education
financing. With the increases to faculty salaries at the point of
promotion, assistance with compression issues and the achievements of
the New Badger Partnership, the university will be in a better
position to support its faculty and staff. The organizational changes
to research administration will help ensure that UW-Madison's
extraordinary research enterprise continues to thrive. Our still
relatively new Office of University Relations has enhanced our reach
and strengthened our relationships.</p>

<p>I am especially proud of our success at increasing the financial aid
available to our students, adding faculty and staff in areas that our
students need, and improving undergraduate education through the
Madison Initiative for Undergraduates. We have increased institutional
grant aid by 226 percent. Though there is still a long way to go, the
Great People Scholarship campaign is poised to generate a great deal
more support. UW-Madison can price itself in way that combines average
tuition with outstanding quality, and I hope it will. The Class of
2016 will include a larger number and percentage of targeted minority
students. Our presence in China and the opportunities it has created
for our faculty, staff and students are a source of particular
satisfaction to me. These accomplishments have been the work of many
hands. They will pay off for years to come.</p>

<p>UW-Madison students: You have been a complete joy. Our interactions,
whether serious or fun, have been a deep pleasure that I will remember
for the rest my life. I will miss you enormously and think fondly of
everything from our book discussions, our interactions on matters of
governance, your indulgence of my dog Oscar, your sense of humor and
your signature jump around.</p>

<p>UW-Madison faculty and staff: I will continue to be inspired by the
quality of your research and scholarship, your dedication to teaching,
your support of our core mission, your commitment to the Wisconsin
Idea and the entrepreneurial spirit that helps make this such a unique
place. I will remember fondly and miss so many in the university and
Madison communities, more than I can possibly say.</p>

<p>Finally, I am happy to point out that by assuming the presidency of a
Division III institution, I can remain an unconflicted -- indeed, a
rabid -- Badger fan forever, and I look forward both to seeing the UW
take home the Paul Bunyan Axe once again and to seeing Amherst beat
Williams at their 126th meeting this fall.</p>

<p>I thank all of you for your support and your contributions to
UW-Madison, and I wish everyone well.</p>

<p>Chancellor Biddy Martin

[/quote]
</p>

2

<p>This deeply troubling and upsetting. I credit BM with stemming the decline UW faced in the mid 2000’s as some of the best faculty left for jobs elsewhere. That was completely reversed in the last 2 years under her. I also think she was liked and trusted by the students which is tough at a sometimes contentious place like UW. While the NBP did not succeed the conversation about more freedom for the UW became real and much more positive than ever before.
My Badger flag will be at half mast. I think attracting a similar independent tough-minded person to head the UW will be very tough. The BOR will look for a yes person now.</p>

3

<p>Will probably be an insider. Many folks feel that we have been abandoned at the worst possible time given the governor and the legislature.</p>

4

<p>Not sure how long she has been there, I have only had a kid at UW for a year, so my knowledge of UW history is not as good as barron’s :). However, she is clearly brave, and she had to have been looking into this (or been targeted by a headhunter/search firm) for more than a few weeks, these things take time. However, this is a great job at UW, and I think they’ll get amazing people who are interested in it. Would love to see someone from the sciences (parental bias here).</p>

5

<p>The choice of the Provost from the Medical School was made to balance Biddy’s career in the Humanities.</p>

6

<p>I hope UW find a Leader, not a follower.</p>

7

<p>Leaders often get their heads cut off. Ask Biddy.</p>

8

<p>Very sad. Particularly touching near the end as she comments on UW’s students in this video:</p>

<p>[Vmix</a> : Martin discusses departure from UW-Madison](<a href=“http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/video/vmix_5a19be66-96c1-11e0-a640-001cc4c002e0.html]Vmix”>http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/video/vmix_5a19be66-96c1-11e0-a640-001cc4c002e0.html)</p>

9

<p>Very good column by Prof Suri on BM and other related topics. </p>

<p>[Destroying</a> Ourselves : Jeremi Suri](<a href=“http://globalbrief.ca/jeremisuri/2011/06/15/destroying-ourselves/]Destroying”>Destroying Ourselves | Global Brief Magazine)</p>

10

<p>Very interesting discussion indeed. From a pure political perspective, Martin may have been too aggressive and less tactical (as a good political operative should be) for getting this reform done. I would not agree with the dooms day sentiment. I think there always be someone with vision and necessary political skill to lead UW into the glory. Indeed, Darwinian Theory works every time. If we are not good enough, we will fail in passing on our genes to the future generations. UW can only survive and thrive, when it stays at the top by doing all the right things. We are not the Ivies. We are land-grant universities. Set our goals and objectives accordingly and compete with other State U’s and world leading research U’s head-on in the areas where we are good at. Focus on a few areas of research, like the cell biology and such. I don’t think we are as good on Law in comparison to Harvard and Yale. But we can beat most on stem cell research. Do what we are good at and develop critical areas for future research. If we do not differentiate, we will be just another one of these average schools near the Great Lakes. UW is capable of and will be better than that. I am voting for this great school with my money and sending my son to the school.</p>

<p>So On-Wisconsin!</p>

11

<p>I am hoping for more than Purdue with a better football team. </p>

<p>Indeed the UW has been more, with world famous departments of history, sociology, economics depts and many others. It is not uncommon for ivy league prof’s to come to the UW (Prof. Cronon is one). Budgets are tight and decisions need to be made, but there is no reason the UW shouldn’t continue to be a leading university in many many fields. Michigan can do it. Berkeley, UCLA etc… can do it. They have more money. The UW has always operated with less and been successful, but is more fragile than these other universities. The New Badger Partnership was one way to hopefully stay in the big leagues, hopefully there is leadership in the future who can build on what Biddy’s completed and get the UW there. And I agree, it’s possible that better tactics would have been more successful. Slower maybe? Small bites? Not sure. </p>

<p>The campus was contentious and exciting and confrontational when I attended in the late 1980’s. I loved it, but was too young to see the potential for this environment to potentially cause paralysis. I do hope these painful experiences lead to greater sucesses.</p>

12

<p>Just to clarify on my point of needing focus: There are many good examples of how a focused approach can bring successes to the university and, indeed, to the state. SUNY Albany wasn’t a very prominent U on other subjects. However, it has a group of very strong professors doing microelectronics. As a result of the focus, plus the effort from the NY state, it attracts many microelectronic industries to that location: International Sematech (from the state of Texas), Global Foundries ($3 Billion chip manufacturing fabs and a lot of good paying jobs that could have gone overseas). An example on the other side: UIUC is the place where many Integrated Circuit inventors were worked. However, it did not focus on this area and the state did not actively support the IC industry. That is partially why the Silicon Valley did not build at Illinois. (Well, granted, the location did not help…).
Now come back to the topic of what Wisconsin could do in achieving success in education and help the state economy, I venture to guess that we could take advantage of our strength in bioscience and biotechnology. With focused investment on our critical mass and we can build a biotech industry within the Badger State. Creating a few successes like this will start a snowball effect our the way to success.</p>

13

<p>kxc, I completely agree on a focused approach. It seems like sciences are doing comparatively well at UW with successful research $ flowing. Not many U’s have an organization like the WARF that can commercialize research resulting in an approx. $2b endowment that yearly kicks in $. That’s not to say the new Institutes for Discovery could ever be approved under the current admin.</p>

<p>The real struggles have been in the humanities and social sciences, which ironically cost less.</p>

14

<p>I would agree that humanities and social sciences cost less. However, the pay off is larger on a longer horizon. I am not sure, if our average politicians can see the picture clearly. They are trained to be short-sighted and only care about his/her term in office, or get elected for the next term.
With regarding getting some success in commercialization of sciences into $$ that politicians and average Joe/Jane can see and understand, we will then be in a better position for asking for investment in humanities and social sciences.</p>

15

<p>UW has been actively supporting and creating biotech firms and there aremany–mostly small to medium in size so far. One problem is the lack of venture capital. Washington which is a similar sized state with a similar state U gets many times more VC funding for the simple reasons that it is closer to California, VC firms have been active here for decades, there is quite a bit of local VC money to partner with.</p>

<p>They are doing what they can to create jobs out of research but you have to accept failures too. Wisconsin has a hard time with failed deals. Out here you just go on to the next–failure is part of the game.</p>

<p>Joe and Jane Wisconsin have seen those new jobs and dismiss them as only for out of state highly educated people. Not the average person. They can’t win unless they build a new car plant.</p>

16

<p>So we are the red-neck of the Midwest? That is too bad. We can’t win if we don’t have the desire for it.</p>

17

<p>I might not use red-neck. Just unispired and lacking vision. 90% of the people or more are born and raised there. Outside Madison there is little influx of educated people from other states. It is just very insular.</p>

18

<p>Yes. I do have a few friends here who had never traveled beyond the boundaries of Chicago to the south, Green Bay to the North, Lake Michigan shore to the East and Madison to the West……They are great people and great friend and all. However, their vision is somewhat limited by their life experiences.</p>

19

<p>My daughter is a blogger for Amherst, and wrote a nice piece on Biddy. Just from what I have read and seen on video, I understand how you feel, you have lost a true gem. </p>

<p>Wednesday, June 15th 2011</p>

<p>BIDDYYYYY. Biddy fever has swept the Admissions office. (In case you’ve been away from Facebook or Twitter for the past 22 hours, yesterday Amherst announced that Dr. Carolyn “Biddy” Martin will be the 19th president of our delightful college.) I’ve got Biddy on the brain. Even if I wanted to stop being excited, the occasional shouts of “BIDDY” in the hallways keeps my endorphins and Biddy blood pumpin’. Why is Biddy such a big deal, you ask? Well, there are the obvious facts that she is our first female president, loves diversity and opportunity as much as any good Lord Jeff, and is highly lauded for her work in higher education. That’s wonderful, but let’s not forget how bodacious Biddy is in general. She loves sports, can do the dougie, and the students at her former institution, U. of Wisconsin-Madison, found it necessary to organize a flash mob for her birthday. I’m wicked pumped to meet her at her welcome meeting/picnic tomorrow. What should be the approach for my introduction? Handshake? Hug? Fist bump?</p>

<p>Students are so riled up about Biddy, there is a party in her honor this weekend. It won’t be long until Biddy becomes a verb, like Google. “A+! I totally Biddied that exam.” “Let’s head to that party and Biddy all night.” Last night, a group of us played trivia in the area and our team name was “Biddy’s Buddies.” Some call this enthusiasm creepy; I call it supportive.</p>

<p>That all being said, I’m still depressed about losing T-money/T-pain/Tizzle Mizzle/The Big T, aka Tony Marx. He revolutionized Amherst’s policies and obtained legitimate celebrity status, both on campus and in the world of academia. We appreciate everything you did, Tony, and are excited for you to bring your talents to the NYPL. Rock on, dude.</p>

<p>Peace, Love, and Biddy.</p>

<p>EDIT: Met Biddy, love her, shook her hand. Fireworks shot from her fingertips. She’s so wonderful! Everything she said in her speech was genuine and charming. I also got my five seconds of fame during her welcoming reception. Watch the entire thing here, and look for my question at about 35 minutes.</p>

<p>You can watch Biddy speaking fondly of UW here.
<a href=“https://www.amherst.edu/aboutamherst/19th_president/college_meeting[/url]”>https://www.amherst.edu/aboutamherst/19th_president/college_meeting&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;