Government Relations

Legislative Update

March 20, 2009

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In this issue:

STATE UPDATE

In The News

► March 17 – UW-Platteville Chancellor Markee to Retire
Chancellor David Markee announced his plans to retire in August 2009. Markee, one of the longest serving chancellors in the UW System today, has served UW-Platteville in the top leadership post since 1996.  Read the full news release.

► March 16 – UW System Enrollment Exceeds 175,000
In the academic year beginning in September 2008, UW System’s enrollment reached 175,056 – an increase of 1,663 from the previous year, and an all-time record for the System. Read the UW System news release and related media coverage in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and Associated Press.

State Budget

► March 12 – Legislative Fiscal Bureau Papers Released
The Legislative Fiscal Bureau released the 2009-11 Summary of Governor’s Budget Recommendations, which provides a summary of each agency, program, and item contained in the state's 2009-11 budget as recommended by the Governor.  View the UW System summary here.

► March 17 – Joint Finance Committee Agency Briefing
The Joint Committee on Finance (JFC) invited state agency heads to brief members on the Governor's 2009-11 Biennial Budget Bill (Assembly Bill 75).  Testimony (watch or listen on Wisconsin Eye) was heard from UW Regent President Mark J. Bradley, UW System President Kevin P. Reilly, Student Regent Colleene Thomas, and Chancellors Carlos Santiago (UW-Milwaukee) and Richard Wells (UW-Oshkosh).  System leaders discussed the opportunities and challenges presented in the upcoming budget.  In preparation for this briefing, UW System staff met individually with JFC members and their staff.

► March 19 – Meeting of the State Building Commission's Higher Ed Subcommittee
The subcommittee met to consider the Governor’s proposed 2009-11 Capital Budget.  Read UW’s reaction to proposed budget.  Though some alternatives were discussed, the subcommittee voted to move forward the full recommendations of the Division of State Facilities for the 2009-11 Capital Budget.  The committee did not discuss further process changes.

► March 23 - April 3 -- Schedule of JFC Public Budget Hearings
The Joint Committee on Finance completed agency budget briefings this week and will hold public budget hearings from March 23 – April 3.  Hearings will be held in Sparta, West Allis, Eau Claire, Racine, Appleton, and Cambridge.  A listening session has also been scheduled in Ashland.  The committee has indicated that they plan to begin executive sessions in mid- to late-April and to complete committee action by the end of May.

State Legislation Update

► March 18 – Assembly Colleges and Universities Committee Hearing
Speakers at this informational committee hearing discussed the economic impact of the UW System on the State of Wisconsin.  Speakers included UW System President Kevin Reilly, Wisconsin Technology Council President Tom Still, and Chancellors Biddy Martin (UW-Madison), Carlos Santiago (UW-Milwaukee), Richard Wells (UW-Oshkosh), and David Wilson (UW Colleges/UW-Extension).  Video of the hearing is available on the WisconsinEye web site.

► March 10 – Senate Committee on Economic Development Hearing
Numerous UW System representatives gave testimony before the Senate Economic Development Committee.  Topics included a demonstration and discussion of the Economic Development Portal online database, and the WISCareers interactive career exploration and planning Web site.  Additionally, UW Colleges and UW-Extension Chancellor David Wilson joined a panel of education leaders in a discussion of initiatives by public and private colleges and universities to help adult learners in Wisconsin and nationwide to complete unfinished degrees.

► Legislative Committee Activity
The complete Schedule of Committee Activity is available online, selected hearings are listed below:

    • March 25 – The Senate Committee on Agriculture and Higher Education will hold a hearing and executive session on the following UW Board of Regents appointments: Danae Davis, John Drew, Michael Falbo, Kevin Opgenorth, David Walsh, and Betty Womack.  10:00 AM in 201 Southeast, State Capitol.

      Following the executive session, the committee will hold an informational hearing on the “Agricultural Outlook in Wisconsin.”  Invited speakers include representatives from UW-Madison, UW-River Falls, UW-Platteville, and the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade & Consumer Protection.
    • March 31 – The Senate Committee on Economic Development will hold a public hearing on Senate Bill 63, relating to a postsecondary education tax credit for businesses.  10:30 AM in 330 Southwest, State Capitol.  

    ► New Legislation of Interest
    The UW System is monitoring the following newly-introduced legislation of interest:

    • SB 106/AB-135 – relating to allowing an individual income tax deduction for certain amounts contributed by a divorced or legally separated parent to his or her child's college savings account or college tuition and expenses program and limiting the deduction that may be claimed by a married person who files separately. (Introduced by Sen. Lassa/Rep. Molepske; referred to Senate/Assembly higher education committees.)
    • SB-121 – relating to requiring the Center on Education and Work at the University of Wisconsin-Madison to establish a career conversations program (Introduce by Sen. Lassa; referred to Senate Committee on Agriculture and Higher Education).
    • AB-148 – relating to composition of the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System.  (Introduced by Rep. Rhoades; referred to Assembly Committee on Colleges and Universities.)

    FEDERAL UPDATE

    Federal Budget Update

    ► Federal Stimulus Update
    The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is arguably one of the most powerful legislative acts in several decades.  It offers extraordinary benefits to UW System students and institutions.  Every campus should explore in depth the opportunities incorporated into this legislation.  The UW System has initiated a Recovery and Reinvestment Task Force that includes broad membership from across the UW System. 

    The bill includes increased funding for Pell grants, provided with the expectation that it will increase the number of Pell grant applicants.  The maximum Pell grant award will increase $500 over the next two years – the largest biennial increase in over a decade.  There is also an increase in the Federal College Work Study program, tied to the expansion of community service opportunities.  There is robust expansion of the higher education HOPE tax credit.

    Institutions should be aware that $100 million has been added to extend the Teacher Quality Partnership Grants administered through the U.S. Department of Education, with the potential to make a difference in teacher education programs and university engagement with public schools in their communities or regions.  Several millions more have been secured for the Education Department for educational innovations.

    Congress also passed a state stabilization fund.  State governors will have considerable discretion as to where and how these funds will be allotted.  Andy Richards, Senior Special Assistant to UW System President Kevin P.  Reilly, is the UWSA representative to the Wisconsin Office of Recovery and Reinvestment (ORR).  It is important to note, however, that ORR serves as a clearing house for information on recovery and reinvestment programs. ORR is not responsible for deciding where the money will go or for prioritizing projects. 

    Unfortunately, stimulus funds for higher education construction priorities were not earmarked in the final legislation.  Authorization for such construction funds, especially for facility modernization, is included in the legislation but under a broad heading of “High Priority Needs.”  These funds can be allocated by governors to fund higher education facility improvements, but also to K-12 building modernization and to address public safety needs.  In other words, there is not any specified money from the federal stimulus plan for higher education building projects.

    The National Science Foundation research budget will increase over 50% from $4.8 billion to $7.7 billion.  This is also a 15% increase in NSF educational funding. Wisconsin was fortunate to host the National Science Foundation for a day-long workshop in early March.  The program managers indicated that the bulk of the stimulus funds will go to scientists at established research universities; however, all UW System institutions should follow NSF funding and talk with their program managers, because the size of this expansion will create opportunities.  There will be new solicitations for the Major Research Instrumentation Program at NSF and competitive grant opportunities for lab refurbishment.

    In addition, there is a $2 billion expansion of energy research programs, and that this level of funding will be sustained after our current economic difficulties have run their course.  Ben Miller, Associate Dean in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences at UW-Madison, and Andy Richards are leading the UWSA Recovery and Reinvestment Task Force to study and assist campuses with opportunities to leverage funding for energy-related initiatives.

    ► FY09 Omnibus Appropriations Bill Enacted
    Citing it as necessary for the functioning of government, President Obama signed the FY09 omnibus appropriations bill which provided full-year funding for nine remaining appropriations bills from the previous congressional session.  With the exception of Defense, Homeland Security, and Military Construction-Veterans Affairs appropriations, the federal government had mostly been funded by continuing resolutions at FY08 levels.

    The President noted that the debate over the omnibus appropriations bill was overshadowed by a larger discussion about federal earmark reform.  (For further information, see Tom Still’s Inside Wisconsin column, In one ear and out the other: Are complaints about federal budget earmarks overblown?, and a list of Wisconsin projects included in the omnibus legislation.)  However, the legislation did contain significant increases for education funding (see more coverage by Congressional Quarterly Today).  For additional information, please see the House Appropriations Committee summary of the legislation and the breakdown of education and research agency funding provided by the Association of American Universities.

    ► Impact of the Obama Administration FY10 Budget Proposal on Higher Education
    Inside Higher Ed provides analysis of the magnitude of President Obama’s sweeping budget proposal for the higher education.  Notably, the administration’s plan “transform[s] the Pell Grant Program into an entitlement program that, like Social Security and Medicare, would ensure a minimum level of funding that would increase each year;” replaces bank- and lender-based guaranteed student loans with direct government loans; and “revamp[s] the Perkins Loan Program to make its loans available to significantly more students at significantly more colleges.”

    Federal Policy Update

    ► March 9 – The President Lifts Ban on Federal Funding of Embryonic Stem Cell Research
    On Monday, March 9, President Obama signed an executive order, Removing Barriers to Responsible Scientific Research Involving Human Stem Cells, which allows the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to conduct and fund  research involving human embryonic stem cells and directs HHS, the National Institutes of Health to review and revise existing guidelines and issue new guidance consistent with the executive order.  Five UW-Madison researchers were invited to the White House for the signing ceremony.  See additional coverage in the Milwaukee Journal Sentineland The Wisconsin State Journal.

    ► President Obama Announces Education Reform Initiatives
    From the Department of Education:  On March 10, at a meeting of the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, President Obama delivered the first major education speech of his presidency.  "America will not remain true to its highest ideals, and America's place as a global economic leader will be put at risk, unless we not only bring down the crushing cost of health care and transform the way we use energy, but also if we do not do a far better job than we've been doing of educating our sons and daughters -- unless we give them the knowledge and skills they need in this new and changing world," he said.  "The source of America's prosperity has never been merely how ably we accumulate wealth but how well we educate our people….  The relative decline of American education is untenable for our economy, it's unsustainable for our democracy, it's unacceptable for our children, and we can't afford to let it continue."

    The President proposed five pillars of education reform:

  1. "Investing in early childhood initiatives" like Early Head Start and Head Start;
  2. "Encouraging better standards and assessments" by using testing itineraries that better fit students and the world they live in;
  3. "Recruiting, preparing, and rewarding outstanding teachers" with incentives for a new generation of teachers and for new levels of excellence among all teachers;
  4. "Promoting innovation and excellence in America's schools" by modernizing the school calendar and the structure of the school day and supporting effective charter schools;
  5. "Providing every American with a quality higher education -- whether it's college or technical training."

More information on the Obama Administration’s education reform efforts, including a fact sheet on the five pillars of education reform, is available of the White House website.

AROUND WISCONSIN

► “Around Wisconsin” features items relating to exciting progress on campus or examples of strong relations with the community and policy makers. Please send items of interest to externalrelations@uwsa.edu.

  • UW-Eau Claire:  Alumnus designates endowment for UW-Eau Claire Chemistry Department.
  • UW-Madison:  Medical student invited to White House for health care reform forum.
  • UW-Oshkosh:  Professor’s coin design, commemorating the 50th anniversary of the desegregation of Little Rock Central High School, wins international award.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Mar  
25-28

2009 Wisconsin Renewable Energy Summit in Milwaukee, co-sponsored by UW-Milwaukee.
April  
1-2 UW Law Days, a symposium on legal issues and new legal developments in areas of interest to university administrators.
22 UW System Administration hosts Posters in the Rotunda: A Celebration of Undergraduate Research at the Wisconsin State Capitol.
May  
7-8 Board of Regents meeting hosted by UW-Milwaukee.
June  
4-5 Board of Regents meeting in Madison
July  
9 Board of Regents meeting in Madison

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