Andrew Reschovsky, a professor at the La Follette School of Public Affairs and PROFS Steering Committee member, has found that more that three-quarters of school districts in the state will be forced to reduce the amount of revenue they can…
Author: Michelle Felber
Legislative Update
While the state budget has been the focus of much of PROFS’ work recently, several bills have been introduced that have an impact on campus. Voter ID An amended version of AB 7 passed the Assembly 60 to 35 late…
PROFS Advocates in Support of Flexibilities
Last week, the Faculty Senate voted to support the legislative proposal that would transform UW-Madison into a public authority. The Senate also approved principles in support of key flexibilities for UW-Madison (Faculty Senate Document 2280). The faculty motion in support…
Pocan and Vos on the UW Public Authority
State Representatives Mark Pocan (D-Madison) and Robin Vos (R-Burlington) were recently interviewed by Steve Walters of WisconsinEye. Vos is co-chair of the Joint Finance Committee; Pocan served as co-chair last session. The pair discussed the proposed public authority status for…
PROFS Registers in Opposition to Voter ID Bill
PROFS has registered in opposition to Assembly Bill 7, a measure that would require voters to show photo identification at the polls. The bill also moves the date of the fall primary to the second Tuesday in August, eliminates straight-party…
Resources for Retirement Planning
Proposed changes in state employee benefits have led many faculty to contact PROFS with questions about how these changes may affect them as individuals. While we cannot offer personal advice, we can encourage you to consult the many resources available…
Rep. Vos: UW-Madison unlikely to be spun off from System
Speaking with Mike Gousha on UpFront, State Representative Robin Vos (R-Burlington) said that while he agrees with the governor’s plan to offer UW-Madison greater flexibility, he does not think a spin-off is likely to be approved (video here): I am…
Faculty Senate Resolution
The Faculty Senate met on Monday, April 4 and overwhelmingly supported a resolution in support of academic freedom. The resolution specifically calls on Chancellor Biddy Martin to defend the academic freedom rights of the faculty and to take a leadership…
Resources for Understanding the 2011-13 State Budget
Public hearings on the proposed 2011-13 Wisconsin biennial budget conclude on Wednesday, and the budget process is well underway. Soon afterward, the Joint Finance Committee will issue its rules and convene in executive session to discuss the budget. This memo…
Joint Finance Committee Update
The Legislature’s Joint Finance Committee began budget briefings today. The briefings are designed for agency heads to discuss the governor’s budget proposal and take questions from members of the committee. Public testimony is not heard. The hearings take place in…