Government Relations

Legislative Update

December 19, 2008

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In this issue:

STATE UPDATE

 

In The News

► December 12 -- Joint Academic Staff and Faculty Representatives Meeting
UW System President Kevin P. Reilly and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Rebecca Martin met with Academic Staff and Faculty Representatives to discuss the impact of the projected state budget deficit on faculty and academic staff compensation.  During the December Regents meeting, the board approved a request for a 2.5% pay plan increase for the 2009-11 budget biennium (see related news coverage in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel).

► December 13 – Reilly Editorial: "UW will do more with less"
UW System President Kevin P. Reilly authored an editorial focusing on the UW System’s accomplishments, despite experiencing funding cutbacks, and the potential of the university to be an engine of economic recovery.  Read the column in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

State Legislation Update

► December 17 – Senate Committee Memberships Finalized
With the announcement of Republican appointments, the 2009-11 Senate committee memberships have been finalized.  A complete list of Senate committee appointments is available online, courtesy of The Wheeler Report.

The 2009-11 members of the Senate Agriculture and Higher Education Committee will be as follows:

Chair: Sen. Kathleen Vinehout (D-Alma)
Sen. Pat Kreitlow (D-Chippewa Falls)
Sen. Jeff Plale (D-South Milwaukee)
Sen. Sheila Harsdorf (R-River Falls)
Sen. Dan Kapanke (R-La Crosse)

In the Assembly, Speaker-elect Mike Sheridan (D-Janesville) has announced the appointment of committee chairs.  Additional committee appointments are likely in the near future.

► December 16 -- Meeting of the Domestic Partner Benefits Task Force
UW System Representatives participated in a meeting of the UW-Madison Domestic Partner Benefits Task Force.  Representative Mark Pocan (D-Madison), Co-Chair of the Joint Finance Committee, shared his optimistic outlook on the legislative prospects of domestic partner benefits in the upcoming session.  During the December meeting, the Board of Regents approved a resolution which included language encouraging the legislature and the governor to authorize the extension of state group health insurance benefits to domestic partners of all state employees, including UW System employees.


FEDERAL UPDATE

Federal Update

► December 5 -- House Leadership Releases 2009 Schedule
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) released the tentative 2009 legislative calendar.  See coverage by CQ Today.

► December 12 -- Gov. Jim Doyle Testifies Before House Appropriations Committee
Gov. Jim Doyle offered testimony before the House Appropriations Committee on the need for economic recovery legislation – including the importance of protecting higher education.

► December 15 -- Rep. Kind:  “Report Should Serve as a Wake-Up Call”
In response to a report released by Department of the Treasury, Rep. Ron Kind (D-WI) called for fiscal responsibility regarding any economic stimulus legislation.  The report highlighted the growing federal budget deficit.

► December 15 -- Higher Education Leaders Call for Investment in Public Colleges and Universities
In an open letter to President-elect Obama published in the New York Times, higher education leaders around the country – including UW Regent President Mark J. Bradley and System President Kevin P. Reilly – called for commitment of 5% of any economic stimulus proposal to be designated for facilities development at public colleges and universities (see coverage by The Chronicle of Higher Education).

This request, coordinated by the Carnegie Corporation of New York, coincides with three other proposals submitted separately by the Association of American Universities, the American Council on Education, and the National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges to secure stimulus aid for higher education (see additional coverage by The Chronicle of Higher Education).

► December 16 -- President-elect Obama taps Arne Duncan as Secretary of Education
President-elect Obama announced his selection of Arne Duncan, CEO of the Chicago Public School System, as Secretary of Education.  DIVERSE: Issues In Higher Education reports that while the Duncan has received praise for his work on K-12 issues, less is known about his higher education experience.  The current Secretary of Education, Margaret Spellings, released a statement praising Duncan’s experience and qualifications for the post. (See additional coverage in the Washington Post.)

 

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-Madison:  VistaGen and WARF have signed an agreement regarding human embryonic stem cell patents for the development and commercialization of stem cell-based research tools.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Feb  
5-6 Board of Regents meeting in Madison
TBD Governor presents 2009-2022 budget proposal to the State Legislature
Mar  
5 Board of Regents meeting in Madison
6 NSF Regional Grants Conference in Milwaukee, hosted by UW-Milwaukee and the UW System Office of Federal Relations.  NSF representatives will present information on Foundation, the review process, and cross-disciplinary and international programs.  There will also be breakout sessions with program officers from the NSF directorates and a session on proposal writing.
April  
1-2 UW Law Days, a symposium on legal issues and new legal developments in areas of interest to university administrators.
TBD UW System Administration hosts Posters in the Rotunda: A Celebration of Undergraduate Research at the Wisconsin State Capitol.
May  
7-8 Board of Regents hosted by UW-Milwaukee.

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