Blank: Political divide is greatest threat to UW-Madison

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The University of Wisconsin-Madison’s outgoing chancellor is warning regents that the state’s political polarization is the greatest threat to the school’s existence.

Rebecca Blank gave a farewell address to regents on Thursday.

She will leave Madison to become president of Northwestern University this summer.

Blank called the state’s political divide the “greatest existential threat” to UW-Madison.

She said politicians are using the university as chips in “their partisan wars.”

The political divide can translate to less state funding, which can lead to fewer federal dollars dependent on a state match.

She added that the polarization is leading to people losing trust and confidence in the university.