The Big Ten recently announced the return of college football this October. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, though, it will be a little different for UW students this year.
Financial uncertainty and budget concerns have caused the University to generate revenue through unorthodox means, including what Chancellor Blank is calling UW Prime. For only $499 a month, any Madison student can get a UW Prime subscription, which includes a season pass to view football games in Camp Randall.
Prime members also have a number of other perks and rewards. Because if there’s anything education should be more of, it's for-profit. Enjoy special access to Memorial Union Terrace, preferential treatment from professors and TA’s, and university-subsidized Hamm’s beer.
One university employee who was a part of both the UW Prime and Smart Restart projects commented, “Is it immoral to offer special academic and social privileges only to those who can afford it? Is it bad to endanger a community in the pursuit of profit? Do we realize we’re toying with people’s lives? How do I sleep at night? What was the original question?"
Just remember Prime members, no one is permitted to record the game from inside Camp Randall. If you are caught using a recording device, you will be beaten against a stadium urinal by an off-brand Bucky.
UW Prime is the future of higher education. The university says it expects other leading institutions to follow with similar programs quickly.
At the launch of the project, Chancellor Blank herself said, “Sometimes our ability to exploit a crisis surprises even us.”
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