MADISON — U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson has an idea for making colleges cheaper — ditch the instructors and start playing online videos for students.
The Republican senator from Wisconsin floated the idea during a question-and-answer session in Milwaukee.
He called higher education a "cartel" and suggested colleges could cut the number of instructors and increase use of online videos like Ken Burns' 11½-hour documentary on the Civil War.
Johnson, of Oshkosh, is locked in a tight re-election battle with Democratic challenger Russ Feingold.
Below is a statement from Johnson's office: