UW System predicts layoffs, no campus closings under budget cuts - Patrick Marley and Karen Herzog, the Journal Sentine.

Gov. Scott Walker's plan to cut the University of Wisconsin System by $300 million over two years would likely lead to layoffs, but closing campuses is not on the table at this time, top school officials said Tuesday. Declaring the university system needs to get out from "under the thumb" of state government, Walker said he wants to give the Board of Regents more authority to contract for services and construct buildings without following state rules and processes that other state agencies must. His plan, if approved by the Legislature, would be coupled with a reduction in state aid of nearly 13%. He likened the proposal to the budget cuts that were paired with Act 10, the 2011 law that all but eliminated collective bargaining for most public workers. http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/walker-proposes-300-million-cut-more-autonomy-for-uw-b99433799z1-289929831.html