Drops out of college
Walker drops out of college a year before graduating and leaves in good standing.
During my senior year at Marquette University, I was offered a full-time job at the American Red Cross. I thought I would squeeze in a course here or there and finish things off in a year or two, but then Tonette and I got married. Next thing you know, you’re putting all your extra time and money into your kids.
Runs for student government president
Walker runs for president of the student body against John Quigley. Walker runs on a 19-point resume. He urges cooperation with administrators and opposes sit-ins and protests. He promises safer streets and bringing in cool bands like INXS and REM. He also highlights his anti-abortion views. He hands out buttons that say “Beam Me Up, Scotty!” Slogans are sprayed on campus snowbanks with water and food coloring. The campaign also arranges a special deal at Lucci’s Pizza: Walker voters get extra cheese free. However, the election commission finds Walker guilty of campaigning a week early. His supporters are accused of stealing copies of the campus newspaper that endorses his opponent so students cannot read it. The day before the election Stephen Satran, Walker’s roommate and supporter, distributes a flier attacking Walker’s opponent. The next day the campus newspaper says Walker is unfit for president. Walker loses the election 1,245 to 927. Many think he loses because of that flier. Satran:
That was all because of something I did. Scott didn’t even know about it. The worst thing you can say about him in that time was that he shouldn’t have trusted some of his friends. He shouldn’t have trusted me.
Enters Marquette University
Walker enrolls at Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. During his freshman year he becomes a student senator tasked to investigate a scandal where members of student government has a homecoming dinner at the Pfister hotel charged to student government accounts. Walker’s committee recommends impeachment and the student body president and vice-president resign. There is a full trial in the student senate and the accused are acquitted. Glen Barry, who is caught up in the scandal, calls it a “McCarthyite investigation” saying that:
no criminal charges of any kind, and no hard evidence of wrong-doing by anyone [was found] – Walker grandstands and leads a student government trial of myself and others, that could have been avoided if he so chose. Walker lost on all counts, but not before destroying a few people’s reputations, and amassing personal power.