A legislative study committee has been meeting since July to discuss UW System’s enrollment and budget challenges. The committee met for last time last month and voted on 19 proposed recommendations, and the results of their votes were made public on Thursday. Our statement on their action is here:
Tag: UW-Madison
PROFS Statement on Paid Parental Leave
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.
The GOP Higher Education Agenda
As we enter the final week of the 2022 campaign season, PROFS President Michael Bernard-Donals shares his thoughts on the value of the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the University of Wisconsin System to the state and why it’s important to set aside political partisanship when it comes to the university.
Statements on Supreme Court Decision
The University of Wisconsin System, UW-Madison, and the UW School of Medicine and Public Health all released statements last Friday following the United States Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.
UW System President Jay Rothman:
We know that abortion remains a highly contentious issue that directly affects our students. We are reviewing the U.S. Supreme Court decision to determine what impact it may have on our universities. Like others, we will monitor the legal process surrounding this issue and will adhere to the law as it continues to evolve.
UW-Madison Interim Chancellor John Karl Scholz:
This morning, the Supreme Court of the United States issued a decision on Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health that overturns the precedent set by Roe v Wade almost 50 years ago. We recognize the decision evokes a wide range of feelings in our community as it alters long-standing federal protections and allows states to regulate abortion without federal constitutional standards.
While UW–Madison will continue to meet all applicable legal requirements, we are facing a period of uncertainty as the new legal status for abortion access in Wisconsin is interpreted and challenged. We know this uncertainty may affect some members of our community more than others.
We are concerned about the decision’s implications for patient care and clinical training of obstetrics and gynecology residents. We will continue to work to understand the full impact of the Supreme Court’s decision and assess its implications for the campus community.
We encourage you to seek support and community in ways that feel right to you. Campus resources are also available to anyone seeking assistance in processing change and uncertainty:
Students may contact University Health Services by calling 608-265-5600 (option 9) or schedule an appointment through MyUHS.Employees may access services through the Employee Assistance Office.
Employees may access services through the Employee Assistance Office.
University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health Dean Robert N. Golden, MD:
The decision by the Supreme Court of the United States on Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health to overturn the abortion access precedent set by Roe v Wade has significant implications for the patients and populations we serve. The ruling is directly relevant to the relationship between women and their health care professionals, and we are assessing how it may impact clinical training.
We remain completely dedicated to our patients, and will provide the best care possible and trustworthy, accurate medical information. We will continue to provide outstanding, comprehensive obstetrics and gynecology residency training. And we will continue to advance health equity by identifying ways to support marginalized populations that are disproportionally affected by barriers to accessing reproductive healthcare.
We will continue to meet all applicable legal requirements. While there may be some uncertainties regarding legal interpretations of state statutes, we will continue to comply with laws related to reproductive health care.
Reminder — PROFS/ASPRO Legislative Forum Thursday
Reminder: PROFS and ASPRO will co-host a legislative forum tomorrow, Thursday, April 28 at noon in the De Luca Forum in the Discovery Building, 330 N. Orchard Street. Please note the room has changed. WisconsinEye will stream the event live and a recording will be posted by PROFS within a few days of the event.
Our panel will review the recently-completed 2021-22 Legislative Session and discuss implications of the session for the university and look forward to what may happen after the 2022 elections, including what UW-Madison needs from the state to remain a top public research university.
- State Senator Kelda Roys (D-Madison)
- State Senator Joan Ballweg (R-Markesan), replacing Sen. Eric Wimberger (R-Green Bay)
- UW Regent Amy Blumenfeld Bogost
- UW-Madison Economics Professor Ananth Seshadri
Jessie Opoien, Cap Times Capitol Bureau Chief will moderate.
This event is free and open to the public and refreshments will be served.
State Legislative Forum Hosted by PROFS and ASPRO
PROFS will co-host an in-person panel discussion reviewing the recently-completed 2021-22 Legislative Session. Panelists will discuss implications of the session for the university and look 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 forum will be held at noon, Thursday, April 28 in the Discovery Center’s Orchard View Room (330 N. Orchard Street).
- State Senator Kelda Roys (D-Madison)
- State Senator Eric Wimberger (R-Green Bay)
- UW Regent Amy Blumenfeld Bogost
- UW-Madison Economics Professor Ananth Seshadri
Jessie Opoien, Cap Times Capitol Bureau Chief will moderate.
This event is free and open to the public and refreshments will be served.
UW-Madison Chancellor Blank’s Address to the Board of Regents
University of Wisconsin-Madison Chancellor Rebecca Blank delivered her final address to the University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents last Thursday, February 10. Her remarks were part of the board’s two-day February meeting which was hosted by UW-Madison at Union South. Chancellor Blank is leaving UW-Madison at the end of the spring semester to become president of Northwestern University.
February Board of Regents Meeting
The University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents will meet in Madison on Thursday and Friday, February 10 and 11. UW-Madison is hosting the meeting, which will be held in Union South’s Varsity Hall, 1308 West Dayton Street. Registration for the Webex videoconference of the meeting is here.
Regents are invited to a site visit and reception at the College of Engineering Wednesday evening. Regent business will not be conducted during this informational visit. A new building on the Engineering campus is top priority of UW-Madison, and Governor Tony Evers recently signed bipartisan legislation providing $1 million to plan and design the building.
Regents begin the two-day meeting with committee work on Thursday morning:
The Audit Committee will discuss several reports and consider a new policy relating to youth programs on UW System campuses.
The Capital Planning and Budget Committee will hear a presentation by UW-Madison on future facilities planning and consider granting authority for UW-Madison to sell two parcels of land to University Research Park and design and renovate two lab spaces.
The Research, Economic Development and Innovation Committee will hear a report from UW-Madison on recent biotechnology research and discuss corporate research and clinical trial contracting processes.
The Business and Finance Committee will hear a report from UW-Madison on strategic investments and consider approval of several agreements at UW-Madison and UW System. They will also hear updates on the budget and gifts, grants, and contracts.
The Education Committee will consider approval of a realignment of academic units at UW-Milwaukee, a transfer agreement between UW-Stevens Point and North Central Technical College, and ten new degree programs, including three at UW-Madison. Committee members will also discuss a change to the class audit policy and application fees waivers and reductions. UW-Madison will also host a presentation on student academic success.
The full board meeting Thursday afternoon includes updates from Regent President Edmund Manydeeds and a presentation from UW-Madison Chancellor Rebecca Blank. The Regents will move into closed session to discuss compensation agreements for three UW-Madison football coaches, an employee who earns more than 75% of the UW System President’s salary, and UW System chancellors and president. The Regents will also discuss crime prevention and detection strategies.
On Friday, the Regents will hear an update from outgoing UW System Interim President Tommy Thompson. Thompson has served as interim president since June 2020 and will step down March 18. Last month, Regents named Milwaukee attorney Jay Rothman as UW System President. Rothman begins his duties June 1 and former Regent President Michael Falbo will serve as interim president from March 18 until Rothman takes office.
The Regents have cancelled their one-day meeting on March 10.
University Committee Statement on Input to Fall 2021 Campus Policies
The University Committee, which also serves as the PROFS board of Directors, released a statement today on how they worked with UW-Madison administration as Fall 2021 COVID-19 policies were developed. The statement is below.