PROFS shared this update with senators and guests at the November Faculty Senate meeting on November 6. The Faculty Senate meets in Room 272 Bascom Hall on the first Monday of the month during the academic year, October-December and February-May.
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This afternoon, the Assembly passed three bills that target transgender youth and young adults. PROFS registered against AB 378, legislation that limits the participation of transgender athletes in intercollegiate or intramural sports. Our statement:
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Yesterday, PROFS offered testimony in support of Special Session Senate Bill 1 at a public hearing the Senate Committee on Economic Development and Technical Colleges. The legislation was proposed by Governor Tony Evers last month and includes several items that will benefit UW-Madison.
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PROFS and ASPRO co-hosted an in-person panel discussion on the recently-completed 2021-22 Legislative Session. The April 28 panel discussed implications of the session for the university and looked forward to what may happen after the 2022 elections, including what UW-Madison needs from the state to remain a top public research university.
The panel:
Jessie Opoien, Cap Times Capitol Bureau Chief moderated.
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This legislative update was shared with the University of Wisconsin-Madison Faculty Senate y. The senate meets the first Monday of every month at 3:30 pm during the academic year, October through May, except in January. Guests are welcome to attend meetings, which are held in Room 272 Bascom Hall, 500 Lincoln Drive.
The Wisconsin Legislature has been busy with committee hearings and floor sessions, and Governor Tony Evers is scheduled to deliver his State of the State address on February 15. Evers and members of the Legislature will make a final legislative push over the next several weeks before turning their attention the November elections.
Fall Elections
Democratic Governor Tony Evers is running for re-election, but Lt. Governor Mandela Barnes has instead joined a crowded field of Democrats vying to challenge two-term Republican Senator Ron Johnson. The Republican race for the gubernatorial nomination heated up last week when Delafield businessman Kevin Nicholson announced his candidacy, challenging former Lt. Governor Rebecca Kleefisch for the Republican nomination.
Legislature
PROFS is actively lobbying on and monitoring several pieces of legislation:
UW System Presidential Search and UW-Madison Chancellor Search
The UW System Board of Regents named Milwaukee attorney Jay Rothman as UW System President. Rothman, Chair and CEO of Foley & Lardner, will begin in June. He is a graduate of Marquette University and Harvard Law School. The UW-Madison Chancellor Search Committee released a position description last month and is accepting nominations until March 11. The committee hopes to announce finalists for the position in April.
The Wisconsin Legislature continues to propose legislation and hold public meetings, and PROFS is lobbying on and monitoring several pieces of legislation:
UW System Presidential Search and UW-Madison Chancellor Search
The UW System Presidential Search Committee met in closed session last week to discuss and interview semi-finalist candidates. Regents have said they hope to announce a new president in early 2022.
Last month, the Board of Regents voted to approve changes to Regent Policy Document 6.4, which outlines President and Chancellor searches. PROFS worked with UW System Interim President Tommy Thompson and the Regents, and successfully advocated for the changes which will allow for greater representation of shared governance groups on search committees. The UW-Madison Chancellor Search Committee was announced last Thursday. A list of committee members is on the PROFS website.
This legislative update was shared with the University of Wisconsin-Madison Faculty Senate today. The senate meets the first Monday of every month at 3:30 pm during the academic year, October through May, except in January. Guests are welcome to attend meetings, which are held in Room 272 Bascom Hall, 500 Lincoln Drive.
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The Assembly Committee on Colleges and Universities is holding a public hearing on two bills this morning, including Assembly Bill 413, legislation that would prohibit instruction on systemic racism (referred to by some as Critical Race Theory) at UW System and the Wisconsin Technical College System. PROFS strongly opposes this legislation and is registered against bill and its companion, Senate Bill 409.
PROFS offered written testimony from PROFS President Michael Bernard-Donals to the committee:
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State Budget
PROFS has been working hard for the best possible budget for UW-Madison faculty since late last year. Governor Tony Evers introduced his budget proposal in February, but Republican legislative leaders rejected the plan and began anew in the Joint Finance Committee.
UW System
The Joint Finance Committee voted on the UW System portion of the budget late last month. The committee approved, along party lines, lifting the 8-year tuition freeze, which was not in Evers’ budget, and increasing UW System funding by $8.25 million, a fraction of the $192 million increase the governor proposed. The increase in funding is earmarked for specific programs, including $5 million for the Freshwater Collaborative, $2 million for UW-Extension county co-op agents, and $250,000 for a Nelson Institute collaborative program with the Department of Defense.
Pay Plan
The Joint Finance Committee also voted to provide funding for pay increases for all state employees, including UW-Madison faculty and staff, of 2 percent in each of the next two years. PROFS urged the committee to adopt a robust pay plan for the university before the committee met earlier this month, noting that strong faculty salaries are crucial for recruitment and retention and allow UW-Madison to remain competitive among our peers.
Timeline
The Republican-led Joint Finance Committee concluded its work on June 17. The Assembly will vote on the bill on Tuesday, June 29, with the Senate vote likely to follow on Wednesday, June 30. The bill will then go to the governor for his signature, partial veto, or full veto. The fiscal year begins July 1, and the current spending levels contained in the 2019-21 budget will be in place until Governor Evers takes action. Should the governor veto the entire budget, the current spending plan continues through June 2023 or until another 2021-23 biennial budget is passed by the Legislature.
Legislation
PROFS is also following and taking positions on a number of bills and proposals:
Assembly Bill 177/Senate Bill 209 PROFS registered against these bills that limit the use of drop boxes for returning absentee ballots.
Assembly Bill 192/Senate Bill 203 PROFS registered against these bills that place new restrictions on absentee ballots.
Assembly Bill 201/Senate Bill 204 PROFS registered against these bills that make it harder to use absentee ballots and register to vote electronically.
PROFS is strongly opposed to legislation that makes voting more difficult for faculty, staff, and students. Our statement is here.
Assembly Bill 77/Senate Bill 80 PROFS is registered in favor of these bills, which provide $1 million for state specialists who provide certain UW-Extension services. Public testimony in favor of this legislation is Similar funding was added to the state budget by the Joint Finance Committee.
Assembly Bill 195/Senate Bill 323 PROFS registered against these bills that prohibit transgender women from participating in UW System and Wisconsin Technical College System intercollegiate, intramural, and club sports. Our statement on this legislation is .
Assembly Bill 347/Senate Bill 375 PROFS registered against these bills that prohibit UW System and the Wisconsin Technical College System from requiring testing for, or vaccination against, COVID-19.
Assembly Bill 362/Senate Bill 359 PROFS registered in favor of these bills that restore previous shared governance language to state statutes.
Assembly Bill 363/Senate Bill 360 PROFS registered in favor of these bills that restore previous tenure language to state statutes.
Assembly Bill 370/Senate Bill 260 PROFS registered against these bills that prohibit UW System and UW Hospital and Clinics from, while in the scope of their employment, performing or assisting the performance of an abortion. This legislation could jeopardize the accreditation of the obstetrics and gynecology residency program.
LRB-3355 PROFS will oppose this legislation that bans instruction on systemic racism (referred to in the media as Critical Race Theory) at UW System and the Wisconsin Technical College System when introduced.
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