Tag: elections

Legislative Update

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PROFS, a non-profit membership organization representing UW-Madison faculty, monitors legislation and lobbies the governor, members of the legislature, and members of Congress. PROFS has a long history of effectiveness – PROFS led the fight to ensure retirement contributions are taken pre-tax, saving the average faculty member about $1,800 per year and successfully lobbied for domestic partner benefits and first-day health coverage for faculty and staff. Recent activities at the state level are below.

2019-21 Biennial Budget

While Governor Walker instructed agency heads to prepare budgets with zero increases, the Board of Regents recently approved a request for a $107.5 million increase in state funding over the next biennium:

  • $82.5 million to be directed to meet outcomes-based goals set by the Republican legislature, including student success, workforce development and operational efficiencies.
  • $25 million to be directed to improve access in high-demand fields in science, math, technology, engineering, health care and business.

The Regents also approved a $1.9 billion capital budget request, including $90 million to expand UW-Madison’s Veterinary Medicine building.

UW System’s budget request did not include a pay plan for faculty and staff. UW System President Ray Cross said he would ask Regents in December to approve a plan equal to twice the rate of inflation.

The state budget process is lengthy and begins early next year when the governor introduces his budget proposal. The Joint Finance Committee and both houses of the state legislature must then approve the plan before it is returned to the governor for his vetoes and final approval.

PROFS will actively monitor and participate in the state budget, meeting with key legislators and leaders from UW-Madison and UW System.

Tuition Freeze

Earlier this summer, both candidates for governor – current Governor Scott Walker (Republican) and Department of Public Instruction Superintendent Tony Evers (Democrat) – said they support an additional two-year freeze on University of Wisconsin System tuition, lengthening the current freeze to eight years.

Fall Elections

All Wisconsin Assembly seats and 17 seats in the Senate are on the ballot in November. Republicans hold comfortable margins in both houses, but some pundits believe the Senate could flip parties. A split legislature would have an impact on the upcoming state budget process and could slow Republican legislative efforts such as a proposed ban on fetal tissue research and campus carry.

 

Legislative Update

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The Legislature is in the final weeks of the 2018 session and PROFS is closely monitoring several bills that could that could seriously affect UW-Madison:

  • “Mark Cook Bills” to Assist Faculty Entrepreneurship, Assembly Bill 758 and Senate Bill 671  Directed by faculty experts, PROFS worked with a bipartisan group of legislators to introduce legislation related to University of Wisconsin research contracts. The faculty group, led by the late Mark Cook (Animal Science), identified the need to change state statutes that regulate how the university contracts with companies in which faculty or other university employees have a financial interest. Both bills have passed through committee and PROFS expects them to be scheduled for a floor vote sometime this month.
  • Bills Limiting Scientific Research, Assembly Bills 83 & 549 and Senate Bills 422 & 423  PROFS is carefully monitoring two bills that would limit the use of fetal tissue in scientific research and is registered against Senate Bill 423. Our statement is on the PROFS website and Facebook page.
  • Bill Limiting University of Wisconsin OB/GYN Training, Assembly Bill 206  PROFS is also registered against AB 206, a bill that would restrict abortion-related activities of UW System and UW Hospitals and Clinics employees. UW School of Medicine and Public Health Dean Robert Golden testified in July the bill would seriously hamper student training in obstetrics and gynecology and could possibly jeopardize the medical school’s accreditation.
  • Campus Carry  Supporters of campus carry have said they intend to introduce legislation allowing concealed weapons on campus, but nothing has been introduced to date. PROFS is opposed to campus carry and continues to carefully monitor the issue.

Wisconsin Retirement System Seminar

PROFS is cosponsoring a La Follette School of Public Affairs seminar on the history of the Wisconsin Retirement System at 12:30 pm on Wednesday, February 21 in Union South. Wisconsin’s pension system is regarded as one of the best, and Gary Gates, the first secretary of the Department of Employee Trust Funds, will explain how the system was created and why Wisconsin has not experienced shortfalls like many other states.

Spring Primary

The Wisconsin Spring Primary is Tuesday, February 20. The only statewide race on the ballot is for Wisconsin Supreme Court where three candidates are vying for two spots on the April 3 general election ballot. More information on voting in Wisconsin is here.

Federal Relations

PROFS Steering Committee member Judith Burstyn recently met with Congressman Mark Pocan as a member of his Higher Education Advisory Group. Pocan gave the group an update on Congressional action related to higher-education policy and federally funded research.

Spring Primary Tuesday, February 21

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The Wisconsin spring primary election is tomorrow, Tuesday, February 16. Polls will be open from 7 am to 8 pm statewide. Photo identification is required to vote.

A primary election for the Wisconsin Superintendent of Public Instruction is the only statewide race on the ballot. Superintendent Tony Evers faces challengers Lowell Holtz of Beloit and John Humphries of Mt. Horeb. The top two vote-getters will face off on Tuesday, April 4.

More information on polling locations and voter registration is available here.

Election Day

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Election_Day_voting12_5570Polls are open in Wisconsin until 8 pm tonight, Tuesday, November 8.

Information on where to vote, acceptable forms of voter identification, and how to register to vote if not yet registered is available here.

Information on how to vote in other states is here and here.

Legislative Update

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History 

The 2015-17 biennial budget process was difficult – UW System received a $250 million budget cut along with a two-year extension of a tuition freeze. PROFS played a key role in one budget bright spot: funding for the much-needed Chemistry Building project. In prior budget cycles, PROFS led the fight to ensure retirement contributions are taken pre-tax, saving the average faculty member about $1,800 per year and successfully lobbied for domestic partner benefits and first-day health coverage for faculty and staff. Looking ahead:

2017-19 Biennial Budget

While Governor Walker instructed all agency heads to prepare budgets with zero increases, the Board of Regents approved a $42.5 million increase in state funding over the next biennium. The increase will largely go toward initiatives to develop the state’s workforce and improve its economy, a plan called 2020FWD. The governor has also said he might consider performance-based funding increases for UW. Criteria for such an increase might include graduation and post-graduation employment rates.

FWD2020 highlights:

  • $26.1 million for the educational pipeline, with a focus on addressing the state’s workforce needs and increasing the student pipeline.
  • $6 million to improve the university experience, with a focus on creating graduates who are creative, innovative and entrepreneurial.
  • $6.4 million for business and community mobilization, with a focus on bringing together the university, businesses and the greater community.
  • $4 million for operational excellence, with a focus on improvements in targeted performance areas. The budget process is lengthy, beginning with formal introduction early next year and final passage most likely in late June. PROFS will be involved throughout the entire process and communicate regularly with faculty.

Tuition Freeze

Earlier this summer, Governor Walker said he supported an additional one or two-year freeze on University of Wisconsin System tuition, lengthening the current freeze to six years.

Regent Action on Tenure, Shared Governance and Post-Tenure Review

Last year, PROFS regularly communicated with the chair and members of the Regent Tenure Policy Task Force as they developed new tenure policies. We will continue to aggressively advocate on behalf of UW-Madison faculty as the Regents work to approve a post-tenure review policy this fall.

Fall Elections

All Wisconsin Assembly seats and 16 seats on the Senate are on the ballot in November. Republicans hold comfortable margins in both houses, but some pundits believe the Senate could flip parties if a Democratic presidential landslide occurs. A split legislature would have an impact on the upcoming state budget process and could slow Republican legislative efforts such as a proposed ban on fetal tissue research and campus carry.

Fall Primary Tomorrow

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election dayVoters throughout Wisconsin may vote in fall primary elections from 7 am until 8 pm tomorrow, Tuesday, August 9.

Information on registration and voting in Wisconsin is available here.

The July 29 court ruling that struck down much of Wisconsin’s voter identification law does not affect this election. Voter identification will be required to cast a ballot tomorrow.

Many legislative races in the state are uncontested, but several Assembly races in Dane County are contested:

• 47th Assembly District: Three candidates are vying to replace Robb Kahl (D-Monona): Jimmy Anderson, a Fitchburg attorney and drunk driving victims rights advocate; Julia Arata-Fratta, a Fitchburg accountant and city council member; and Tony Hartmann, a Fitchburg business owner and city council member.

• 78th Assembly District: First-term incumbent Lisa Subeck (D-Madison) is facing challenger Jacob Wischmeier, a hotel manager from Madison. Wischmeier is running as a self-described Bernie Sanders Democrat who has said he would be the most outspoken member of the legislature if elected.

• 80th Assembly District: Long-time Representative Sondy Pope (D-Mount Horeb) is facing challenger Luke Joseph, a materials handler from Oregon. Joseph supports constitutional carry, the right to carry weapons without a permit or mandatory training, and opposes the use of fetal tissue in scientific research

The winners of these primaries will almost certainly be elected in November because there are no Republicans candidates on the ballot for these districts.

ETA: Jimmy Anderson (47th AD), Lisa Subeck (78th AD) and Sondy Pope (80th AD) won their primaries.

Spring Primary Tuesday

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election dayThe Wisconsin spring primary election will be held tomorrow, Tuesday, February 16. Polls will be open from 7 am to 8 pm statewide. Photo identification is required to vote.

UW-Madison professor Ken Mayer and others in the Political Science Department will study how voter identification rules affect the length of time it takes to cast a vote and work with local clerks to improve efficiency in future elections.

A primary election for the Wisconsin Supreme Court is the only statewide race on the ballot. Supreme Court Justice Rebecca Bradley faces challengers Joe Donald, Milwaukee County Circuit Judge and JoAnne Kloppenburg, State Court of Appeals Judge. Governor Scott Walker appointed Bradley to the court in October following the death of Justice David Prosser. The top two vote-getters will face off on Tuesday, April 5.

Spring Election Tuesday, April 7

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election dayThe spring general election will be held Tuesday, April 7. Polls are open statewide from 7 am until 8 pm. More information on registration and voting in Wisconsin is here.

Photo identification is not required to vote in this election, but will be required to vote in future elections.

One statewide race is on the ballot — incumbent Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Ann Walsh Bradley faces challenger Rock County Circuit Court Judge James Daley.

Voters will also be asked to vote in a referendum on the election of the Wisconsin Supreme Court Chief Justice. Currently, the longest-serving justice is chief justice. The proposed amendment would select a chief justice through an election by the majority of the Court. The elected chief justice would serve a two-year term.

There is one state legislative race on the ballot — former Representative Duey Stroebel (R-Saukville) faces token write-in opposition to represent the 20th Senate District (Cedarburg, Port Washington, West Bend). The seat became vacant when State Senator Glenn Grothman was elected to Congress last November.

Voters in Madison will choose between incumbent Paul Soglin and challenger Scott Resnick, both graduates of UW-Madison, for mayor.

Spring Primary Election Today

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Election_Day_voting12_5570Voters 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.

 

 

Election Update

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Governor Scott Walker handily defeated challenger Mary Burke last night, and legislative Republicans widened their margin in the Legislature with a 19-14 majority in the Senate and a 63-36 majority in the Assembly. Full election results from The Wheeler Report are below.

A special election will be scheduled in the 20th Senate District after State Senator Glenn Grothman (R-West Bend) resigns to represent Wisconsin’s 6th Congressional District, a seat he won yesterday after defeating Democrat Mark Harris. Two Assembly races are very close — the 51st and 85th Assembly Districts — and recounts are possible.

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-Burlington) and Joint Finance Committee Co-chair John Nygren (R-Marinette) spoke to the media earlier today and outlined their legislative agenda. Vos told reporters that while he supports UW System, changes in teaching and research will be considered.

Assembly results 2014 page 1Assembly results 2014 page 2Senate results 2014