Dive Brief:

• The University of Wisconsin System’s president took issue with Gov. Scott Walker saying that professors should teach more classes to save money.
• The president, Ray Cross, said in a radio interview that he’s frustrated over the comments from Walker, who is proposing a $300 million budget cut to the university system, Inside Higher Ed reported.
• Cross compared the misconception about faculty working only when they’re seen in a classroom to state legislators working only when their chambers are in session.

Dive Insight:

Cross said faculty work 50 to 60 hours a week, on average. Also, there’s the research outside the classroom that brings added prestige and economic benefits to the state, beyond the teaching hours debate. Despite being upset over Walker’s comments, Cross supports the added independence that that university system would gain under the Republican governor’s plan. The unprecedented cuts are expected to lead to staff and faculty layoffs, along with tuition hikes.