We identified a list of fourteen programs that we thought were possible for UWM to do if the State provided the necessary fund. From this list, we selected as our examples five that fit well with the Milwaukee Idea. Some of the opposition to the concept of clusters may stem from a misunderstanding that we have proposed all faculty hiring should follow this model. There are social science oriented clusters among those mentioned. But the proposal must be expanded beyond the hard sciences and social sciences to allow for such hiring in the humanities as well.
Clusters can work in any discipline.
Our concept paper developed as it did because the GS was asked to design it around the question of how sponsored research could be increased. A major part of the problem surrounding the reaction to this concept paper is distrust. This appears to be another example of something being imposed from above. Faculty members have not been given a voice in its development. Yes, that clearly is a major part of the problem.