Category: UW System

June Board of Regents Meeting

The University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents will meet at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee on Thursday and Friday, June 8 and 9. The meeting will be held at the Helene Zelazo Center for the Performing Arts, 2419 E. Kenwood Boulevard. Registration to view the meeting remotely is here.

On Wednesday afternoon, the Regents will present the Regents Business Partnership Award to WEC Energy Group. UWM Chancellor Mark Mone will host the Regents at a reception following the award presentation.

The Regents will meet in committee Thursday morning:

  • The Audit Committee will hear the 2022-23 NCAA Division I Athletics report, consider approval of the FY24 Audit Plan and FY24 Annual Plan for the Office of Compliance and Risk Management, and hear from UWM on the culture and community of compliance.
  • The Capital Planning and Budget Committee will consider a lease agreement for the UW-Madison College of Engineering and a transfer of greenhouse ownership agreement at UW-Madison’s Arlington Research Station, and hear several updates, including one from UWM on capital planning and progress.
  • The Budget & Finance Committee will hear several reports and consider approval of an application fee increase for UW-Madison undergraduates, a reduction in segregated fees at UW-Madison and UW-Oshkosh, and various agreements.
  • The Education Committee will consider approval of the annual request from the Vilas Trust Fund to UW-Madison and UWM and several new degree programs, including three at UW-Madison. The committee will also hear the 2023 Annual Report of Faculty Promotions.

The full board will meet in closed session Thursday afternoon before attending a reception at the James and Yvonne Ziemer Nursing Simulation Center. On Friday, the Regents may meet in an optional closed session.

PROFS and ASPRO State Budget Forum

View of the red front door of the UW-Madison Education BuildingPROFS and ASPRO will host a campus forum on the state budget at 4 pm, Tuesday, May 2 in the Wisconsin Idea Room in the Education Building, 1000 Bascom Mall. This event is open to the public and refreshments will be served.

Our panel:

PROFS Legislative Representative Jack O’Meara will moderate.

In February, Governor Tony Evers announced a $104 billion spending plan that reflected the state’s record $7.1 billion surplus. The governor’s budget focused on increased funding for K-12 education and aid to local governments, middle-class tax cuts, and seed funding for a paid parental leave program for most of the state’s workers, but Republican leaders said they plan to work off the current base budget and create their own plan in the Joint Finance Committee.

The governor also announced a $3.8 billion capital budget, which directed $1.8 billion to UW System. Evers’ plan included four major projects at UW-Madison: a new Engineering Building, a new Athletics practice facility, new space for the Art Department, and restoration of Music Hall, but his proposal was deadlocked in the State Building Commission, leaving the Republican-led Joint Finance Committee to determine the capital budget as well.

Our panelists will offer insight on what a GOP-crafted budget may look like and how Governor Evers may use his veto authority once the bill reaches his desk later this summer.

March Board of Regents Meeting

The University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents will meet at UW-Stout on Thursday and Friday, March 29 and 30. Registration to view livestream coverage of the public sessions of the board is available here. Members of the board will also participate in an awards ceremony on Wednesday afternoon, an informal reception on Wednesday evening, and a polytechnic showcase on late Thursday afternoon.

Regent committees will meet Thursday morning:

  • The Audit and Business & Finance Committees will meet jointly to hear an update on the Administrative Transformation Program.
  • The Business and Finance Committee will hear a presentation from UW-Stout on the value and cost of polytechnic education, consider approval of 2023-24 tuition rates, review a contract, and hear updates relating to gifts, grants and contracts and trust fund investments.
  • The Education Committee will consider approval of several new degree programs, including a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science in Chicana/o and Latina/o Studies and a Master of Science in Business: Data, Insight and Analytics at UW-Madison. The committee will also hear a presentation on from UW-Stout on addressing employer needs and participate in a discussion on academic program planning.
  • The Audit Committee will be updated on the 2023 audit plan and briefed on recently released audits.
  • The Capital Planning & Budget Committee will consider granting permission for several UW managed design and construction projects at UW-Madison, including the East Recreation Fields and Chemistry lab renovations. UW-Madison will host a discussion on the West Campus District Plan and UW-Stout will host a presentation on intentional strategic planning.

The full board will meet Thursday afternoon and Friday morning. On Thursday, the Regents will hear updates from UW System President Jay Rothman and Board of Regents President Karen Walsh. The Regents will also approve 2023-24 tuition rates and hear presentations from UW-Stout and the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference before going into closed session to discuss several items, including honorary degrees, student appeals, and the search process and strategies for a UW-Madison position.

On Friday, the board will hear committee updates and consider approval of action from the previous day, hear an update on improving student accessibility, and present the Board of Regents 2023 Teaching Excellence Awards.

 

 

 

PROFS Statement on Governor Evers’ 2023-25 Budget Proposal

Last night, Governor Tony Evers delivered his biennial budget address, announcing a $104 billion in spending over two years. His plan for the 2023-25 state budget reflects increased spending as a result of a projected $7.1 billion budget surplus at the end of the current fiscal year. The largest items include a $2.6 billion K-12 budget, $1.2 billion in middle-class tax cuts, a second year $576 million increase in aid to local governments, and almost $250 million to seed a new family leave program for public and most private sector employees.

Evers’ budget also includes pay raises of 5% in the first year of the biennium and 3% in the second year and funding UW System’s Wisconsin Tuition Promise.

Our statement on Governor Evers’ budget proposal:

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Governor Evers’ University of Wisconsin System proposed budget:

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PROFS and ASPRO Forum on Campus Speech

Cover of the UW System Freedom of Speech survey reportFollowing the release of results from a System-wide survey of students and their perceptions of free speech, PROFS and ASPRO (Academic Staff Professionals Representation Organization) will host a campus forum to discuss free speech on campus in a time of increased polarization and student confusion over the First Amendment.

The forum will be held at noon, Wednesday, February 22 in the Grainger Hall Executive Dining Room (Room 1266). PROFS President Michael Bernard-Donals will moderate the panel discussion:

This event is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be served.

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February Board of Regents Meeting

The University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents will meet in Madison on Thursday and Friday, February 9 and 10. UW-Madison is hosting the meeting, which will be held at Union South, 1308 Dayton Street. Registration for the Zoom link for the meeting is here.

In addition to the formal meeting, an informal welcome reception and tour will be held at the Chemistry Building on Wednesday afternoon, and UW-Madison Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin will host a reception and dinner on Thursday evening.

Members of the board will be in committee meetings Thursday morning:

  • The Audit Committee will hear several reports and updates including the UW-Madison NCAA Division I Athletics 2021-22 Report.
  • The Capital Planning & Budget Committee will consider approval of increasing the budget for the backup generator project at the UW-Madison Primate Center, selling a house on the UW-Stout campus, and making changes to a Regent Policy Document and evaluation criteria for major capital projects. Members will also hear a presentation from UW-Madison on its capital projects program and the importance addressing facility needs.
  • The Business & Finance Committee will consider approval of several contractual agreements and hear two reports on information technology projects. UW-Madison will also give a presentation on its efforts to generate additional revenue and improve operations.
  • The Education Committee will consider six new degree programs, including two at UW-Madison, and hear a report on recruiting and supporting international students and an update from the Direct Admission Task Force. UW-Madison will also deliver a presentation on artificial intelligence and ChatGPT.

The full board will meet Thursday afternoon and Friday morning. The agenda Thursday includes updates from UW System President Jay Rothman and Board of Regents President Karen Walsh. President Rothman will discuss the recent student survey on free speech and provide an update on UW-Platteville at Richland and the UW System 2023-28 Strategic Plan. The board will also meet in closed session to discuss honorary degrees at UW-Madison and UW-Milwaukee.

On Friday, the board will consider approval of committee action, hear a presentation from UW-Madison on the Wisconsin Idea and business partnerships, and recognize recipients of the Board of Regents 2023 Awards, including UW-Madison Communication Arts Professor Lori Kido Lopez, a PROFS Steering Committee member since 2020.

UW System Student Free Speech Survey Results

Yesterday, the University of Wisconsin System released results from a survey (below) of students on their perceptions of free speech on campus. The survey was proposed last spring, but its implementation was delayed due to questions about how the survey would be administered. PROFS was very concerned about the survey and called on UW System Interim President Michael Falbo to cancel, rather than postpone, the survey.

The survey was completed last December by nearly 10,500 students representing every four-year campus within UW System. The response rate ranged from 9.4% at UW-Milwaukee to 19.1% at UW-Platteville.

About 40% of students identified as liberal or very liberal, while more than 52% indicated they were moderate, conservative, or very conservative.

Results showed that many students are concerned about how others may view their opinions and worry their grades could suffer if they expressed themselves in class.

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