Category: The state

Vos: Budget Cut is Deeper Than What I Would Have Done; Legislature Could Change Tenure

by Michelle Felber • March 13, 2015 • Comments Off

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester) told WisconsinEye senior producer Steve Walters he believed Governor Scott Walker’s proposed $300 million cut to the University of Wisconsin System budget was too large and he would support a smaller cut if state revenues allow.

Vos, appearing with Assembly Minority Leader Peter Barca (D-Kenosha) on Civil Dialogue, also said he does not support full public authority status for the system. The full video is embedded below. Remarks about the UW System begin at the 13 minute mark and continue for about 7 minutes.

Vos said Board of Regent action last week suggests the Regents are unlikely to implement major changes to tenure and “all these different things,” making full public authority unnecessary. He questioned the need for public authority if the board is going to protect the status quo and fears a large tuition increase would be the outcome of public authority.

Instead, Vos said he supports specific management flexibilities in procurement and building projects. Vos later told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel the legislature has the ability to end tenure and shared governance.

Barca told Walters the budget proposal would devastate the UW System and would result in increased time to degree for students and the loss of faculty members to other universities. Barca also noted the average UW-Madison faculty member brings in an average of $250,000 in outside funding which would also be lost.

With regard to flexibility, Barca said he supports flexibility, but increased autonomy would make up only a small percentage of the budget cuts.

Board of Regent Resolutions

by Michelle Felber • March 9, 2015 • Comments Off

The University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents adopted two resolutions relating to the 2015-17 biennial budget proposal last week.

One resolution called for a reduction in the proposed base budget cut and supported management flexibilities either through public authority status or new legislation:

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The second resolution reaffirmed support for shared governance and tenure and asked for authorization to establish policies of shared governance and tenure should they be removed from state statute:

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Four Public Hearings on State Budget Planned

by Michelle Felber • March 6, 2015 • Comments Off

Joint Committee on Finance co-chair John Nygren (R-Marinette) announced four public hearings on Assembly Bill 21, the 2015-17 biennial budget proposal, will be held later this month:

Wednesday, March 18 from 10 am to 5 pm, Brillion High School, Brillion
Friday, March 20 from 10 am to 5 pm, Alverno College, Milwaukee
Monday, March 23 from 10 am to 5 pm, University of Wisconsin-Barron County, Rice Lake
Thursday, March 26 from 9:30 am to 4 pm, CAL Center Auditorium, Reedsburg.

The committee is expected to begin voting on motions related to the bill in April.

Joint Finance Committee Briefing on UW System Budget Today

by Michelle Felber • March 3, 2015 • Comments Off

The Joint Finance Committee began budget briefings yesterday and continue today with discussions on the Department of Natural Resources, the Department of Workforce Development, the University of Wisconsin System, the Department of Public Instruction, and the Department of Health Services.

Members of the committee will hear from agency representatives during the briefing. There will be no public testimony. UW System President Ray Cross is expected to address the committee. Livestream coverage of the hearing is available on WisconsinEye.

Yesterday, the committee heard an overview of the budget from former Department of Administration Secretary Mike Huebsch and discussed the Department of Corrections, the Supreme Court and the Department of Justice budgets.

The committee will conclude budget briefings Wednesday when they hear from the Department of Transportation, the Department of Revenue, the Department of Children and Families, the Department of Financial Institutions, the Department of Safety and Professional Services, the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation, and the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority.

Legislative Fiscal Bureau Analysis of Governor Walker’s UW System Budget Proposal

by Michelle Felber • February 27, 2015 • Comments Off

The Legislative Fiscal Bureau released its analysis of Governor Scott Walker’s 2015-17 biennial budget proposal yesterday. The entire University of Wisconsin System portion is here, but PROFS has broken down the document into separate categories:

Budget and FTE Position Summary

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This section outlines the fiscal impact of the budget proposal — a 13 percent cut to the university’s state appropriation. It also includes language freezing tuition for two more years.

Also included are cuts to several programs: the Wisconsin Bioenergy Initiative, the Environmental Education Board, solid waste research, recycling education funding, rural physician residency assistance program, and the discovery farm grant program. The State Laboratory of Hygiene and Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory would be transferred to the Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection.

Creation of Public Authority

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The section includes language converting UW System to a public authority effective July 1, 2016. Governance of the system would be the responsibility of the Board of Regents. Changes to the university’s mission statement are included in the this section, but the governor has said the mission statement will remain unchanged.

This section also says all public authority employees will continue participation in the Wisconsin Retirement System, group health insurance, and other benefit programs.

Provisions for tenure and and sabbatical leave programs are deleted. UW System President Ray Cross has said he will ask the Board of Regents to adopt current language as new regent policy.

Deletion of Current Law Provisions

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This section deletes many current law provisions including shared governance. Again, President Cross has said he intends to maintain shared governance through regent policy.

The LFB memo says that the Board of Regents will have the authority to recreate deleted provisions, but will not be required to do so by law. Other affected programs include tobacco research grants, tuition remission, minority and disadvantaged student programs, student financial aid, distinguished professorships and chairs, and the reporting of sexual assault information.

New, Modified or Maintained Chapter 36 Provisions

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Many provisions are maintained including police authority, admissions, conferring of degrees, travel policies, prohibition of student discrimination.

Sick leave would be regulated by the board.

2015 Legislative Directory

by Michelle Felber • February 24, 2015 • Comments Off

PROFS has compiled an extensive list of legislative contacts in an easy-to-use pdf (below) .

The printable document includes hotlinks to email addresses and websites, along with addresses and phone numbers of key legislators. A link to the directory is always available just below the PROFS logo on the website.

The list includes the governor; Dane County legislators; Assembly and Senate leadership; and members of the Assembly Committee on Colleges and Universities, the Senate Committee on Universities and Technical Colleges, and the Joint Committee on Finance.

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On Point with Tom Ashbrook: Testing The ‘Wisconsin Idea’ Of Public Higher Education

by Michelle Felber • February 19, 2015 • Comments Off

Today’s first hour of On Point, a National Public Radio radio talk show hosted by Tom Ashbrook, featured a discussion of the Wisconsin Idea, Governor Scott Walker’s proposed budget cuts for the University of Wisconsin System, and how they relate to the the governor’s national political ambitions. Audio is below.

University of Wisconsin-Madison history professor John Sharpless and academic staff member Noel Radomski, director of WISCAPE, were joined on the panel by two members of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel staff — higher education reporter Karen Herzog and columnist/blogger Christian Schneider.

Spring Primary Election Today

by Michelle Felber • February 17, 2015 • Comments Off

Voters throughout Wisconsin may vote in spring primary elections until 8 pm this evening.

Information on registration and voting in Wisconsin is available here. Photo identification is not required to vote.

PROFS is watching a few races today:

Senate District 20 Three Republicans are vying to replace former State Senator Glenn Grothman who was elected to Congress in November:

Former State Representative Duey Stroebel
Ozaukee County Chairman Lee Schlenvogt
Veteran Tiffany Koehler

No Democrat is on the April ballot, so today’s primary winner is all but guaranteed to win later this spring, increasing the Republican majority to 19-14.

Waukesha County Executive State Senator Paul Farrow of Waukesha is one of four Republican candidates. Farrow said if elected he will remain in the Senate through the state budget process.

Madison Mayor Incumbent Mayor Paul Soglin faces four challengers today:

former Dane County Board member Richard Brown
activist Christopher Daly
former alderperson Bridget Maniaci
Alderman Scott Resnick

The top two vote-getters will be on the April ballot.

Regent President Michael Falbo on Increasing Faculty Workload

by Michelle Felber • February 10, 2015 • Comments Off

Michael Falbo

Michael Falbo, President of the University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents, recently spoke with WisconsinEye senior producer Steve Walters. A two minute video excerpt is below.

The pair discussed Governor Scott Walker’s budget proposal, including the governor’s recent remark that the university’s budget situation could be improved if faculty taught one additional class each semester.

When asked to react to the governor’s remark, Falbo said, “certainly it’s true if they (faculty) taught another class there would be some efficiencies from that.” Falbo went on to say any changes to faculty workload would not happen quickly and would be the result of a collaborative process with all involved.

The full 18 minute video interview is here:

UW System President Ray Cross: Proposed Cuts Would Seriously Damage System

by Michelle Felber • February 9, 2015 • Comments Off

University of Wisconsin System President Ray Cross appeared on UpFront with Mike Gousha Sunday, February 8. Video is below.

Cross told Gousha that the $300 million proposed cut could seriously damage System campuses, citing recruitment and retention of faculty at UW-Madison a large concern.

UW-Madison Chancellor Rebecca Blank told the Board of Regents last week that two high-profile candidates withdrew their names from consideration for faculty positions recently, each citing state budget turmoil as a factor. Cross said these examples are very troubling.

Cross believes that a $300 million cut is not inevitable and said that he, along with the Board of Regents, will work in the coming weeks to convince legislators to lessen the cuts.

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