Nobody is willing to defend the original article(s)?

I want to post under this twice because it deserves more recognition.

^ that.

Hardly. While I can't speak to your comment - seriously, post a link, I would like to see that - the overwhelming majority of faculty and institutions at UW care about the US News rankings. Don't have the time now, but you can Google up numerous UW-Madison documents looking at our "peer institutions" via a US News lens. Generally the top public schools like Berkeley and Michigan, but also Midwest publics like Minnesota.

Really, it's a matter of semantics: Kurt's salient point is that Martin's Partnership wants to keep UW-Madison in elite company. I don't think that's spin but rather a succinct representation of her agenda.

Is that free enough of pollutants?

Everyone who wants to attend a sub-par university can gladly attend the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. Or one of the other quality in-state institutions. The flagship here - which brings in ridiculous resources to Wisconsin *because* Madison's such a great school - needs the freedom to remain an excellent institution.

Doesn't require private school tuition for Wisconsin residents. Nay, how about middle of the Big Ten numbers. That's both reasonable and responsible. Opposition has yet to provide a coherent alternative except vague populist notions of "low tuition" without any empirical basis.

Also, the WPRI argument posed is utter trash and would muster a 150 on the LSAT. Just because one group poses an argument does not mean Biddy Martin ergo, is a white conservative male. That's just fucking outrageous. This issue comes down to Red herrings vs. reasonable empirical evidence. I will go with the later every time. So would most UW-Madison students.

Lawsuit?

This isn't even a debate. Tom Templeton. And he should be appointed on day one to serve at the pleasure of the Chair. Williams should be given full authority to pick his Leo McGarry. Just like Bartlett and Santos.