UW-Madison says 400 jobs to be cut under Walker budget

The chancellor of the flagship Madison campus of the University of Wisconsin says it will have to cut about 400 positions, close and merge programs and reduce academic offerings and services if Gov. Scott Walker’s proposed budget cut passes.

Chancellor Rebecca Blank announced an outline of its budget-reduction plan on Friday.

Walker proposed a $300 million cut to the entire UW System, but Republicans who control the Legislature have said they hope to reduce that.

Blank says in her memo that unchanged UW-Madison will have to cut about 400 positions, restructure or end programs, offer fewer courses, have larger classes and reduce support services benefiting students, faculty and staff.

A Marquette University Law School poll released Thursday showed 70 percent opposition to Walker’s proposed UW cuts.