Government Relations

Legislative Update

May 9 , 2008

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STATE UPDATE

In The News

►May 9 – Albers not seeking another term. Rep. Sheryl Albers announced that she will not seek re-election for her 50th Assembly district seat.

►May 8 – Jeskewitz not seeking another term. Rep. Suzanne Jeskewitz announced that she will not seek re-election this fall for the 24th Assembly district seat.

►May 2 – Interim UW-Green Bay Chancellor named. UW System President Reilly recommended a Green Bay native, Dr. David J. Ward as the interim chancellor for UW-Green Bay. Read the press release and coverage in the Green Bay Press Gazette.  

►May 1 — Department of Administration Secretary Michael Morgan warns state legislators on budget delay. Secretary Morgan sent members of the Joint Finance Committee a letter reporting that the state will need to delay or lower payments to providers, schools and local government if the budget repair bill is not resolved soon. Read the letter and Gov. Doyle’s reaction as reported in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

►April 29 – Wisconsin State Employees Union and state reach tentative agreement. The contract details will be made available to the public May 9.  Read the AFSCME press release.

►Chancellor Searches Update

May 9 – Telfer recommended as UW-Whitewater chancellor.  Read today’s news release.

May 7 – Finalists for UW-Madison Chancellor position named. UW System President Reilly released the names of four finalists. Public receptions are scheduled May 12-15 with interviews on May 14. Read the UW system press release and coverage in the Wisconsin State Journal. 

April 30 – Finalists for UW-Parkside released. UW System President Reilly announced the names of four finalists. Interviews with Reilly and the Regent committee are scheduled for May 19. Read the UW System press release and coverage in the Racine Journal Times.

 

State Legislation Update

State Budget Repair Bill

Details of how and when the repair bill will be solved are yet to be known, despite warnings from all sides on the consequences of further delay.  Legislative leaders and Gov. Doyle met on May 1, but were unable to come to any agreements.  Legislative leaders Rep. Huebsch and Sen. Decker briefly spoke to WisPolitics about their negotiations with the governor. Hear that conversation. 

Assembly Democrats were briefed on budget negotiations with Senate Majority Leader Russ Decker on May 6. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported that the Assembly Minority Leader Jim Kreuser and Assembly Democrats do not support the plan offered by leaders Huebsch and Decker, noting if the plan were brought to a vote, very few Assembly Democrats could be convinced to vote for it.

As meetings continue, scheduling a floor period becomes more difficult, particularly since an agreement did not occur during the week of May 6-8, which was previously scheduled as a “limited business” legislative floor period.  Some are speculating the delay could reach into late May, while others have suggested it will be next week.  Legislative leaders have required legislators to be available to vote next week should a deal be reached.  

Legislators outside of leadership positions are still offering their own ideas, such as Rep. Pridemore’s proposal challenging colleagues to cut spending by a voluntary unpaid leave program for state employees.  See also the LFB memo on unpaid leave. 

 

FEDERAL UPDATE

►State Higher Education Executive Officers (SHEEO) send white paper on higher education to presidential candidates
Last week, as a member of SHEEO, UW System President Kevin Reilly participated in sending a white paper to each of the three remaining presidential candidates. The white paper sought to highlight the most important issues and priorities in higher education for the country’s future. Read the letter of introduction and white paper.

►Congress considers education aid to veterans

As part of an emergency Pentagon bill, Congress will consider a provision of $720 million, over two years that would underwrite a four-year public university education for anyone who has served in active duty for at least three years. Read the full story in the New York Times.

►Congress approves student loan legislation

On May 1 the House passed, by a vote of 388 to 21, the Senate-modified version of H.R. 5715, the Ensuring Access to Student Loans Act.  The legislation was approved by the Senate earlier in the week.

Among the provisions in the bill are those that would increase loan limits for unsubsidized Stafford loans for undergraduates, delay PLUS loan repayments for parent borrowers, and modify and update procedures for the "lender-of-last-resort" (LLR) program.  Furthermore, the legislation would allow the Secretary of Education to buy back student loans from private lenders.  As passed by both chambers, the bill would subject loans made by through the LLR process to the same anti-fraud provisions as other federal loans as well as sunset after the 2008-2009 year the Secretary's authority to purchase loans.  In addition, the final bill would direct additional funds to the recently-created ACG and SMART programs from revenues that would materialize as a result of increased borrowing in the PLUS program.

On May 7, President Bush signed the legislation in law.

►Wisconsin Security Research Consortium newsletter

Read the April/May 2008 issue of INSIDEWSRC, a newsletter of the Wisconsin Security Research Consortium.  This organization’s mission is to enhance Wisconsin's position to attract and retain research and development grants from federal government agencies for the purpose of conducting sensitive or classified academic research and related development work.

 

AROUND WISCONSIN

“Around Wisconsin” is a new section for items relating to exciting progress on campus or examples of strong relations with the community and policy makers. Please send items for consideration to externalrelations@uwsa.edu.

  • UW-Parkside: The Root River Education Community Center opened in Racine. The Center will give area residents a chance to interact with the river and its environment through recreational and educational activities.
  • Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF): The Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery project, a $150 million public-private research facility, broke ground on May 2 with Gov. Doyle and other dignitaries in attendance.
  • UW System Inclusivity Initiative: Denise Clark, of UW-Oshkosh, received the first annual P.B. Poorman Award for Outstanding Achievement on Behalf of LGBTQ People. The award recognizes individuals who have worked to further the mission, goals, and vision of the UW System Inclusivity Initiative for LGBTQ People.

 

UPCOMING EVENTS

May  
21 Legislative Liaisons/Public Information Officers face-to-face meeting at UW-La Crosse, with special guests Assembly Speaker Mike Huebsch, La Crosse Tribune editor Rusty Cunningham, and Regent Brent Smith.
30 Grant-writing workshop for UW System researchers at UW-Eau Claire
June  
5-6 Board of Regents meeting hosted by UW-Milwaukee
5 Medical Device Collaborative Gathering, Marshfield Clinic.  Organized by Marshfield Clinic, Wisconsin Entrepreneurs' Network and WiSys Technology Foundation and co-sponsored by the UW System Office of Federal Relations and Whyte Hirschboeck Dudek, S.C.
July  
17-18 Wisconsin Science & Technology Symposium, UW-Stout

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