Category: UW System

October Board of Regents Meeting

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uw system logoThe University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents will meet at UW-Stevens Point Thursday and Friday, October 9 and 10. Livestream coverage of the meeting will be available here.

The regents will meet in committees Thursday morning:

The Education Committee will discuss updates on credit transfer agreements, changes to faculty bylaws at UW-Platteville, and the UW School of Medicine and Public Health Wisconsin Partnership program.

The Business and Finance Committee will discuss faculty and staff base salary adjustments for FY2014, faculty turnover, the financial management report, and the report of the funding allocation working group.

According to the agenda, 44 percent of faculty and instructional staff at UW-Madison received a non-promotion base salary adjustment averaging $8,772. Five percent of UW-Madison faculty received a lump sum payment averaging $2,772.

Seventy-four faculty members left UW-Madison last year; 31 retired and slightly more than half left the institution.

The funding allocation working group recommends that base funding should not be reallocated among institutions and each institution should retain its tuition dollars. The group also recommends that the president and board retain authority over the distribution of any new flexible state funding.

The Capital Planning and Budget Committee will discuss its priorities and goals and two additional capital budget projects for 2015-17.

The Research, Economic Development and Innovation Committee will hear an update on partnerships with the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC).

The full board will meet Thursday afternoon and Friday morning. UW System President Ray Cross will introduce a report on program revenue balances and the board will hear an update on the Flexible Option on Thursday.

According to the program revenue report, UW-Madison has lowered its tuition balance by 41 percent, from $143 million in 2013 to $84.5 million in 2014. The fund balance was lowered from 14 percent of expenses to 8 percent, well under the 12 percent threshold implemented by the legislature earlier this year.

The regents will hear updates from staff and committees on Friday.

 

Shared Governance Reception

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sift_winnow_arch06_0292UW-Madison will host its first-ever shared governance reception for faculty and staff tomorrow, Tuesday, October 7 from 3 to 5 pm in the Sonata Room of the Gordon Event Center, 770 West Dayton Street. Chancellor Rebecca Blank will deliver remarks at 3:30 pm.

Unlike some universities, shared governance at UW System institutions is codified in Wisconsin statutes and Board of Regent policy. PROFS is a product of shared governance, having been created by the Faculty Senate in 1976. We encourage faculty to attend the reception and learn more about shared governance and how to become more involved in governance groups and committees.

 

Pocan: State Should Invest More in UW System

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Congressman Mark Pocan

Congressman Mark Pocan

Congressman Mark Pocan recently spoke to the Badger Herald editorial board, sharing his thoughts on Governor Walker’s proposed tuition freeze, the academic reputation of UW-Madison, and cuts to National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding.

Pocan said while a tuition freeze can help students, a freeze without increased funding from the state ultimately hurts the university:

“If the state of Wisconsin doesn’t invest money in the UW System, it puts pressure on tuition, and then if he (Walker) freezes tuition, you put double pressure on the UW. I’m not advocating for raising tuition, but I’m advocating for the state putting a proper share into the UW, given how much it is an economic engine for the rest of the state.”

Pocan also told the editorial board about his recently-introduced Next Generation Research Act. The proposal would encourage NIH to promote policies and programs that would improve opportunities for new researchers. The genesis for this legislation began last year when PROFS invited the congressman to UW-Madison to discuss federal funding and the Sequestration.

Regent Committee Meeting Thursday

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uw system logoThe University of Wisconsin System Board of Regent Committee on Research, Economic Development, and Innovation will meet in Madison at 1 pm on Thursday, October 2. The meeting is in advance of the regularly scheduled full board meeting on October 9 and 10 in Stevens Point.

The committee will review its history and mission and discuss collaboration with business partners. An overview of how UW System impacts Wisconsin’s economy is also on the agenda.

The meeting will be held in Room 1820 Van Hise Hall and is open to the public.

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: UW Business Partnerships Could Help State’s Economy

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The editorial board of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel lauds Chancellor Rebecca Blank for her efforts to foster collaboration between UW-Madison and industry in an effort to improve the state’s economy.

“UW prepares thousands of young people each year for a world that is changing before their very eyes as global competition forces U.S. companies to be smarter and leaner. Those are major challenges for a state such as Wisconsin, which is still so dependent on manufacturing and old-line industries. Good for Blank for recognizing the central role UW can play.

Chancellor Rebecca Blank visited the Milwaukee area last week, speaking to the Wisconsin Innovation Network about the role research plays in driving economic growth, visiting longtime research partner GE Medical, and touring UW-Milwaukee’s School of Freshwater Sciences

The full editorial is here.

Governor Walker Reaffirms Support of Tuition Freeze

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Governor Scott Walker visited four University of Wisconsin System campuses last week, touting his support for a two-year tuition freeze. Speaking to students in Green Bay, Eau Claire, La Crosse, and Racine, Walker said if elected he would support an additional two-year tuition freeze. Tuition was frozen in 2013 after UW System was found to have about $1 billion in reserve.

UW-Eau Claire Chancellor Jim Schmidt told the Eau Claire Leader-Telegram that an extended tuition freeze would have a detrimental impact on his campus:

“Another two-year tuition freeze would certainly have a major impact on the finances of UW-Eau Claire. We are already anticipating an additional cut of at least $3 million in the coming year to address the current tuition freeze.”

In Green Bay, Walker told students that he supported affordability over additional financial aid to students:

“We know it’s not just about providing more financial assistance, it’s about providing a great price for a UW education that’s low to begin with.”

At UW-Madison, tuition revenue funds approximately one-quarter of the cost-to-continue. UW System is currently working with the Department of Administration on an estimate of cost-to-continue as part of the state biennial budget process.

Regents to Discuss UW System Budget Proposal

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uw system logoThe University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents is meeting at UW-Oshkosh today and tomorrow, August 21 and 22. Livestream coverage of the full board meeting is here.

Regents committees will meet Thursday morning, while the full board will meet Thursday afternoon and Friday.

The board will consider UW System’s state budget request Thursday afternoon. The proposal includes $95.2 million for the “Talent Development Initiative,” the implementation of new performance measures, and statutory language changes related to compensation, including the ability to offer merit pay increases.

The budget request notes that Governor Scott Walker directed state agencies, including UW System, to submit proposals that assumed no new funding, but UW System discussed its intention to request an budget increase with members of Governor Walker’s staff.

Budget request highlights:

  • $30 million for a competitive grant program targeting six areas critical to the state’s economy: agriculture, finance, insurance/real estate, healthcare, manufacturing, transportation, and water research.
  • $27.3 to cover a pay plan funding gap. Historically, UW System funds about 30 percent of a pay plan increase with tuition dollars. The two-year tuition freeze has led to a funding gap, with many campuses holding insufficient reserves to cover the pay plan. 
  • $24.4 million to increase the number of college graduates statewide, with much of the funding directed to the Course Options program, a program that allows high school students to earn college credits. Additional funding would expand the Flex Option degree program, improve the credit transfer system, and assist working and first-generation college students.
  • $22.5 million in one-time funding to assist with the creation of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) jobs. The money will be available to individual campuses through a competitive grant process.

UW System also plans to implement several accountability measures:

  • To meet or exceed the current goal of 80,000 undergraduate degrees conferred by 2025-26
  • To enroll at least 32 percent of Wisconsin high school graduates immediately after graduation
  • To meet or exceed the current plan to improve second-year return rate
  • To meet or exceed the current plan to improve the six-year graduation rate.

 

August 2014 UW System Board of Regents Budget Request

June Board of Regents Meeting

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uw system logoThe University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents is meeting at UW-Milwaukee today and tomorrow, June 5 and 6. The regents will meet in committee Thursday morning and in full Thursday afternoon and Friday morning. Video and audio stream of the full meetings is available here.

Four new regents are participating in their first meeting — José Delgado, Eve Hall, UW-Madison student Nicolas Harsy, and UW-La Crosse student Anicka Purath.

The board will discuss the 2014-15 annual budget and begin discussion on the 2015-17 biennial budget process. UW System President Ray Cross told the Wisconsin State Journal he expects the current tuition freeze to continue into the 2015-17 biennium. Governor Scott Walker recently expressed support for a continued tuition freeze.

Chancellor Rebecca Blank has repeatedly said she would like to raise professional school tuition to levels similar to peer institutions, but Cross said the timing is not right for such an increase and tuition will be frozen for all undergraduate and graduate students, regardless of residency.

The board will also discuss plans to spend down financial reserves. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports the current budget will spend down about 15 percent of the reserves, much of it coming from tuition reserves. UW System will carryover about $61 million in unspent tuition in 2014-15, down from $151 million one year ago.

 

Legislative Update

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The 2013-14 regular legislative session ended last month and attention has shifted to fall elections.

PROFS was very active in the legislative process, registering positions on bills and maintaining regular contact with key legislators and staff on important issues like compensation, faculty governance, and funding for the university.

Classified Research AB 729, a bill that will allow classified research on UW System campuses, was signed into law. PROFS registered in favor of this bill.

Financial Reserves The legislature’s Joint Committee on Finance approved a revised plan for managing and disclosing UW System cash balances and fund reserves on May 6. The legislature directed UW System to develop a plan as part of the 2013-15 biennial budget (Act 20), and the Joint Committee on Audit requested additional changes after a plan was presented to them on November 20, 2013. The Board of Regents and audit committee approved those revisions, but the finance committee voted for several changes.

The finance committee-approved plan requires individual campuses that hold more than 12 percent of their total fiscal year expenditures in reserve to provide justification to the regents and submit a spending plan for tuition, auxiliary operations, general operations, and unrestricted program revenue. Campuses are not required to hold a minimum fund balance, but campuses with a deficit must report a savings plan to the regents. The plan approved by the regents and audit committee required minimum reserves of 10 percent and the reporting threshold was triggered when funds exceeded 15 percent of expenditures.

HR Design The legislature’s Joint Committee on Employment Relations approved new personnel plans for UW-Madison and UW System. The legislature directed the university to develop plans to be implemented by July 1, 2015 as part of the 2011-13 biennial budget, but never approved them. Chancellor Rebecca Blank told the committee she plans to request the authority to award merit raises, which are not currently allowed under state statutes.

Tuition Freeze Governor Scott Walker proposed an additional two-year freeze on University of Wisconsin System tuition. The governor said his proposal was a direct result of the recent disclosure that UW System will finish the current fiscal year with about $1 billion in reserve. Last year, the governor called for a two-year tuition freeze after the university was found to have just over $1 billion in reserve.

Voter ID Wisconsin’s voter ID law (2011 Wisconsin Act 23) was struck down April 29. United States District Judge Lynn Adelman wrote in his decision the law places an undue burden on minorities and the poor and violates the Voting Rights Act. Adelman’s ruling bars enforcement of the law. Governor Scott Walker said last month he could call the legislature into special session if the law was overturned, and State Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen said he will appeal the decision. PROFS registered against AB 7, legislation that became the state’s voter ID law in 2011.

Fall Elections The legislature will experience its largest turnover since the 1970’s. Seven state senators and 22 members of the assembly have announced they will not run for reelection. Legislators must declare non-candidacy by May 23, and nomination papers must be filed by June 2.

The Legislative Reference Bureau has prepared a bulletin on tenure and turnover in the Wisconsin Legislature between 1940 and 2012.

Joint Committee on Finance to Discuss UW System Plan on Cash Balances

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Joint Finance Committee Hearing RoomThe legislature’s Joint Committee on Finance will meet at noon tomorrow, Tuesday, May 6, to vote on more than a dozen requests for approval, including UW System’s plan for auxiliary reserves. The Joint Audit Committee approved a revised plan last month. The Legislative Fiscal Bureau analysis of the plan is here.

The committee will be asked to consider how the university accounts for federal indirect cost reimbursement. UW-Madison maintains a significant balance of those funds, which are not subject to a reporting threshold under the proposed guidelines.

The committee will meet in Room 412 East of the State Capitol. Audio and video coverage will be available on WisconsinEye.

Edited to reflect change in meeting time from 11 am to noon.