Government Relations

Legislative Update

June 19, 2006

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STATE UPDATE

2005-2006 State Legislative Session Summary

With the 2005-06 state legislative session at an end, there are some welcome signs of improved legislative relations. Some examples are recent approval of the Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery by the State Building Commission; passage of legislation to increase the maximum WHEG grant; improvements to the technology transfer process; and implementation of the 100% veterans tuition remission benefit for the next biennium.

Other notable outcomes this past year included:

  • A $12 million GPR reinvestment (star faculty fund, Alzheimer’s research, engineering program at UW-Rock County, credit transfer and other COBE initiatives);
  • Increased student financial aid at a rate higher than tuition (after Governor’s vetoes added $8 million more than the Legislature approved);
  • Protected Regent IT contracting authority to take full advantage of educational discounts for students and meet researchers’ high powered competitive research grant needs;
  • Enumeration and Building Commission approval of the Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery;
  • Defeat of TPA, a formula driven revenue and spending limit in the constitution;
  • Increased WHEG grant maximum limit from $2,500 to $3,000;
  • Expanded nursing loan forgiveness program to include nurse educators;
  • Delayed expansion of veteran tuition remissions until funding is provided;
  • Improved pay plan (6.25% over biennium compared to 0/1%/2%) to retain quality staff and instructors;
  • Preserved embryonic stem cell research and ban on concealed carry of weapons
  • Streamlined procedures for technology transfer;
  • No votes on bills to remove Regent authority to set non-resident tuition, executive salaries, manage Regent disciplinary procedures, cap tuition at 3% without GPR replacement, or remove faculty responsibilities for curriculum, textbook choices, etc.

Substantial reforms to personnel policies also ended the legislative session on a high note, culminating in the release by the Joint Committee on Employment Relations of the pay plan for faculty, staff and executives alike of a cumulative 6.25% over the biennium. This is an improvement over the last several biennia that contributed to difficulties in keeping and recruiting valuable staff who (1) provide the high quality of instruction our students deserve, (2) discover solutions for our future to meet state needs and improve our quality of life and communities, and (3) bring hundreds of millions of dollars to our state to support and spin off jobs.

Increased Legislative Activity, Bill Analysis, Regional Emphasis

This legislative session, 1,955 bills were introduced, compared to 1,560 bills last session. Of the bills introduced, the Governor signed 487 compared to 317 last session, and vetoed 49 including 2 partially. As in many sessions, it is the bills and resolutions that are defeated or not acted on, such as the “Taxpayers’ Protection Amendment” (TPA), that are often more important to the future of the UW System than those that are passed.

The increase in overall legislative activity was also reflected in the number of bills with a direct impact on the UW System. The University of Wisconsin System state government relations staff worked with a new bill review committee and the Board of Regents to develop and communicate the Board’s positions on 112 bills, compared to 77 last session.

The UW System institutions, starting with an assessment of their legislative relations activities and programs in September 2005 facilitated by the work of liaisons Kristi Thorson from UW-Madison and Jennifer Garner at UW-Extension/Colleges, provided the basis for enhanced regional legislative relationships with the 52 legislators who represent communities in which a UW campus or institution is located. These efforts included hosting the Governor, members of his executive staff, and members of his Cabinet as they made different communities the seat of Government For A Day. Chancellors and members of their leadership teams also worked with the members of the Assembly and Senate higher education committees, Joint Finance Committee, Building Commission, and all legislative leadership on a wide array of building, academic policy, credit transfer, growth agenda, and operational issues.

Communications

Developing and executing strategies to ensure positive outcomes for the university throughout this legislative session included a number of activities: preparing talking points, testimony at hearings, bill analyses, letters, face-to-face meetings, forums, editorial visits, and participation in events with coalition partners.

After bill positions were adopted by the Board of Regents, system staff coordinated a team approach to communicate these positions to the legislature and Governor utilizing the President, Exec. Sr. Vice President, campus legislative liaisons, Chancellors, Regents, UW Colleges Deans, other UW System units, academic staff, faculty, students, United Council members, alumni advocates, community leaders, business partners and others.

President Reilly, focused on improving administrative efficiency and transparency, presented regular updates on university reforms to legislative committees including the Joint Committee on Employment Relations, Joint Legislative Audit, Senate Higher Education, and Assembly Colleges and Universities Committees.

A government affairs website has been maintained and updated with bill positions, testimony, and bill tracking. A weekly legislative update memo has been produced and distributed to Regents, Chancellors, and legislative liaisons. Special assistance was received from UW-River Falls liaison Mark Kinders in development and maintenance of the budget website and toolkit, UW-Platteville liaison Barb Daus in providing support to the Alumni Council, and UW-Extension liaison Jennifer Garner, UW-Fox Valley Dean Jim Perry, and UW Madison Professor Andrew Reschovsky in creating and disseminating information on the Taxpayers’ Protection Amendment. We are grateful to the UW-Madison Alumni Association for assistance it provided this year to all campuses in sharing software to provide information on the location of all alumni living in Wisconsin.

Special Events

During the session, several special events were held to listen to state legislators and the Governor, including a new legislator orientation, a series of three legislative dinners, regular meetings with the co-chairs of the higher education committees by President Reilly prior to each Board of Regents meeting, and visits to the Board of Regents meetings by Rep. Ward, Senator Grothman and Governor Doyle.

This year was the first combined “UW Alumni Spirit Day Legislative Reception” and “Posters in the Rotunda,” on April 25, 2006, coordinated by Laurie Dies and WAA’s Mike Fahey. Undergraduate students from throughout the state, accompanied by faculty and university administrators, displayed posters of their research in the State Capitol, visited with about 40 local legislators and staff, and were greeted by Lieutenant Governor Lawton.

In addition, Laurie Dies also coordinated legislative participation in a November event honoring the World War II Veterans who participated in a Wisconsin Public Radio documentary which included members of the Legislature’s two veterans committees and the legislators who represented the hometowns of the veteran guests.

Regent Walsh also initiated a new program to pair Regents with legislators to enhance regular exchanges on key issues such as the annual Accountability Report and appointed former legislators and current Regents Loftus and Rosenzweig to give special attention to legislative relations.

Thanks to each of you for your participation and special contributions to legislative successes this session. The state legislature will not convene again until January 3, 2007, for the inauguration of new legislators after the fall elections.

FEDERAL UPDATE

No Federal Update this week.

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