Joint Finance Committee Begins Voting

April 30, 2013 — Michelle Felber

The Joint Finance Committee began voting on the 2013-15 biennial budget last week, and voting continues today. A cumulative list of budget papers is here.

On Friday, the committee discussed the Departments of Military Affairs, Natural Resources, and Tourism. A proposal by the Governor to move the Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Board from the Department of Children and Families to the Department of Administration was rejected. The committee also approved a motion to cut 32 DNR positions that are currently vacant, but rejected a motion by Democrats to increase the Tourism budget by more than $3 million dollars.

Today, the committee is discussing the Departments of Veterans Affairs and Transportation, the Historical Society, State Fair Park, an Budget Management and Compensation Reserves. JFC voted unanimously to reject Governor Scott Walker’s $3.7 million plan to take over Circus World Museum, instead maintaining the management structure that has been in place for more than 50 years. The committee also voted down a $12.1 million request by the Department of Administration to cover possible increases in state employee fringe benefits.

The committee will meet on May 9 after adjourning today. Action on the University of Wisconsin System has not been scheduled.

Posted in The state. Tags: , . Comments Off »

State Building Commission Delays Vote on UW Projects

April 25, 2013 — Michelle Felber

The State Building Commission decided yesterday to delay a vote on all but one University of Wisconsin building projects. A list of UW items on the April agenda is here. Projects previously approved, including funding for the Babcock Hall Dairy Plan addition and Meat Science and Muscle Biology Lab and planning for the Chemistry addition, were not on the agenda and remain on track.

Governor Scott Walker and Republican leaders of the committee said they were concerned about the recent discovery that UW System has a $1 billion surplus and wanted to wait a month before voting on the projects. State Senator Fred Risser (R-Madison) voiced his objections over the delay noting the issues are not related.

The committee did approve a request to update fire alarms at UW-Eau Claire.

Posted in The state, UW, UW System. Tags: , . Comments Off »

Governor Walker Says He Will Make Changes to UW Budget

April 25, 2013 — Michelle Felber

Governor Scott Walker said yesterday that he intends to make changes to his 2013-15 biennial budget recommendation for the University of Wisconsin System. Details are expected in the next seven to ten days. The governor’s original budget proposal for UW System included $181 million for cost-to-continue and economic development efforts.

In a letter to the co-chairs of the Joint Committee on Finance, the governor wrote the changes are “in light of the revelations regarding the University of Wisconsin System’s reserves.”

Earlier in the week the governor said he supports a tuition freeze for the next biennium, but did want additional cuts to his proposed budget. Walker’s remarks came at press conference in Milwaukee where he spoke about his recent trip to China, noting the 90-percent increase in students from China studying at UW-Madison over the past four years. The governor also said that Wisconsin’s trade with China increased over the same time period  and that China is an important trade partner for the state.

A Walker spokesman would not say if the governor now supports a decrease in his original $181 million proposal.

Posted in The state, UW, UW System. Tags: , , . Comments Off »

PolitiFact on UW System’s “Reserves”

April 24, 2013 — Michelle Felber

Leaders of the University of Wisconsin System have faced a firestorm of criticism since the Legislative Fiscal Bureau reported last Friday that System holds more than $1 billion in financial reserves. The report found that UW System had a cash balance of $1.35 million on June 30, 2012, with nearly $650 million in unrestricted monies.

Republican backlash from the discovery was fierce and swift with a handful of legislators calling for the removal of UW System President Kevin Reilly. The Joint Committee on Employment Relations met yesterday to discuss proposed personnel systems for UW System and UW-Madison but instead used the meeting to grill Reilly and UW-Madison Chancellor David Ward.

PolitiFact Wisconsin examined the issue in today’s Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Here’s what they found:

  • $1 billion is the amount of program revenue that was on hand at the end of FY 2012. Forty percent of that is from tuition revenue, with the remainder coming from federal aid, grants, and gifts.
  • $648 million is in the form of unrestricted money.
  • $441 million is unrestricted but is being held in reserve for specific future needs.
  • $207 million is remaining.
Posted in The state, UW, UW System. Tags: , . Comments Off »

Joint Committee on Employment Relations to Discuss UW-Madison’s HR Plan

April 23, 2013 — Michelle Felber

The Legislature’s Joint Committee on Employment Relations (JCOER) will meet today at 10 am to discuss UW-Madison’s new personnel system. Discussion of UW System’s proposed personnel system is also on the agenda. The legislature directed UW-Madison and UW Syste to develop and implement their own personnel systems as part of the 2011-13 biennial budget. UW-Madison’s personnel plan is here.

The meeting has a greater significance due to the revelation last week that UW System has nearly $650 million in cash reserves. Republican lawmakers have expressed outrage since the discovery and Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-Burlington), co-chair of JCOER, has said he may oppose the proposed personnel systems today as a result.

Update 1:15 pm: JCOER met but did not vote on either personnel system today, demanding more information about the reserve funds.

Posted in The state, UW, UW System. Tags: , . Comments Off »

Proposed Bill Could Limit Research on Campus

April 15, 2013 — Michelle Felber

Representative Andre Jacque (R-De Pere) said last week that he plans to reintroduce legislation that would limit the use of fetal tissue in scientific research. Similar legislation was introduced, but did not pass, last session. The proposed bill could seriously hinder research on campus and jeopardize UW-Madison’s position as an international leader in stem cell research.

PROFS strongly opposed the legislation last session and will register its opposition when the bill is formally introduced this session. The proposed bill text is here.

Jacque, a UW-Madison graduate, is currently soliciting cosponsors for  his proposal. Last year a majority of Assembly members signed on to the legislation. PROFS will continue to monitor the status of the proposal and let faculty know when a public hearing on the bill is scheduled.

Posted in The state, UW. Tags: . Comments Off »

Democrats to Hold Budget Hearings

April 9, 2013 — Michelle Felber

Democratic leaders and members of the Joint Committee on Finance announced last week they would hold ten public budget hearings around the state in the coming weeks. The Finance Committee is currently in the middle of holding four official public hearings, too few and too far from much of state’s population according to Democrats. The Democratic hearing schedule is as follows:

Posted in The state. Tags: , . Comments Off »

Rep. Pocan Discusses Federal Sequestration

April 4, 2013 — Michelle Felber

Newly-elected Congressman Mark Pocan visited UW-Madison yesterday to discuss the federal budget sequester with faculty.

Representative Pocan met with a dozen researchers who told him that UW-Madison will see a reduction of more than $30 million in federal research funding between now and September 30. Pocan noted that the impact of the sequester will reach beyond campus:

“This university has a tremendous effect on being able to have spin-off companies that help the economy, that create jobs and all sorts of innovation. But it has to start somewhere and you’re not necessarily seeing it happen in the private-sector.”

PROFS has been in regular contact with Representative Pocan and his staff since he took office in January to discuss the sequester and share the devastating effects it will have on campus if a compromise is not reached in the coming months. The congressman said he is hopeful that Congress will act on the sequester soon.

Video and audio from yesterday’s meeting are available on Wisconsin Eye.

Posted in The national context, UW. Comments Off »

Location Change for Joint Finance Committee Public Hearing

April 4, 2013 — Michelle Felber

The Thursday, April 10 Joint Finance Committee public hearing on Governor Scott Walker’s proposed 2013-15 budget has been moved to the Kalahari Resort in Wisconsin Dells. It was originally scheduled to be held in the Crystal Grand Theatre in Lake Delton. Four public hearing are scheduled:

Thursday, April 4 — Greendale High School, suburban Milwaukee
Monday, April 8 — Lambeau Field, Green Bay
Wednesday, April 10 — Crystal Grand Music Theatre, Lake Delton
Thursday, April 18 — Baldwin-Woodville High School, St. Croix County
Posted in The state. Tags: , . Comments Off »

Regents to Meet Thursday and Friday in La Crosse

April 3, 2013 — Michelle Felber

uw system logoThe University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents will meet Thursday and Friday, April 4 and 5 at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. Audio and video stream of the meeting will be available here.

The full board will meet Thursday morning to review the 2013-15 biennial budget and capital budget before tackling committee work in the afternoon. The Business, Finance, and Audit Committee will review UW-Madison’s new human resources plan as part of its agenda. The legislature directed UW-Madison to develop and implement its own personnel system separate from UW System as part of the 2011-13 biennial budget. UW-Madison’s personnel plan is here.

On Friday, President Kevin Reilly will update the board on MOOC’s (Massive Open Online Courses) and System’s new Flex Option initiative. The Flex Option Status Report is here.

The board will also meet in closed session on Friday to consider the appointment of new chancellors at UW-Madison and UW-Eau Claire. Rebecca Blank and James Schmidt were recommended as the next chancellors at the Madison and Eau Claire campuses, respectively.

Posted in UW System. Tags: . Comments Off »
« Older posts
Newer posts »