Government Relations

The Assembly Committee on Colleges and Universities will hold an executive session on Thursday, January 23, starting at 9:30am and a public hearing after the conclusion of the executive session.

During the executive session, the committee will consider the following bills relating to the UW System:

AB 444– Free expression: free expression within the University of Wisconsin System, providing an exemption from rule-making procedures, and granting rule-making authority.
AB 536– Career Advancement Scholarship: establishing a career advancement scholarship program and making an appropriation

During the public hearing, the committee will consider the following bills relating to the UW System:

AB 230– Military Transcripts: transferring academic credits from military transcripts to University of Wisconsin System schools and technical colleges.
AB 556– Teaching Hours: recognizing teaching hours for providing certain extension services of the University of Wisconsin System.
AB 663– Veteran Application Fees: exempting veterans and members of the armed forces from admissions application fees at University of Wisconsin System schools and technical colleges.

The Assembly was in session on Wednesday, January 15, and voted on the following bills relating to UW System:

SB-334: Active Duty Service– requirements for colleges when service member students are called into active duty. Passed by the Assembly and will go to the Governor for signing. The Governor intends to sign it on Tuesday, January 21.
AB-706: Bargaining Contract-ratification of the agreement negotiated between the University of Wisconsin–Madison and the Wisconsin State Building Trades Negotiating Committee, for the 2018-19 fiscal year, covering employees in the building trades crafts collective bargaining unit, and authorizing an expenditure of funds. Passed
AB-707: Bargaining Contract– ratification of the agreement negotiated between the University of Wisconsin–Madison and the Wisconsin State Building Trades Negotiating Committee, for the 2019-20 fiscal year, covering employees in the building trades crafts collective bargaining unit, and authorizing an expenditure of funds. Passed
AB-708: Bargaining Contract– ratification of the agreement negotiated between the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System and the Wisconsin State Building Trades Negotiating Committee, for the 2018-19 fiscal year, covering employees in the building trades crafts collective bargaining unit, and authorizing an expenditure of funds. Passed
AB-709: Bargaining Contract– ratification of the agreement negotiated between the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System and the Wisconsin State Building Trades Negotiating Committee, for the 2019-20 fiscal year, covering employees in the building trades crafts collective bargaining unit, and authorizing an expenditure of funds. Passed
AB-710: Bargaining Contract– ratification of the agreement negotiated between the state of Wisconsin and the Wisconsin State Building Trades Negotiating Committee, for the 2018-19 fiscal year, covering employees in the building trades crafts collective bargaining unit, and authorizing an expenditure of funds. Passed
AB-711: Bargaining Contract– ratification of the agreement negotiated between the state of Wisconsin and the Wisconsin State Building Trades Negotiating Committee, for the 2019-20 fiscal year, covering employees in the building trades crafts collective bargaining unit, and authorizing an expenditure of funds. Passed

The bargaining contracts were all passed by the Assembly in a 99-0 vote. The contracts will next be heard by the Senate on Tuesday, January 21.

The Assembly Committee on Veterans and Military Affairs held a public hearing on Thursday, January 16 and heard AB-689: Tuition and Fee Remission- relating to tuition and fee remission for certain veterans and their dependents. President Ray Cross testified in opposition to the bill. A copy of the testimony is attached below.

Both the Speaker’s Taskforce on Water Quality and the Governor’s office released their reports on efforts and proposals related to water quality. The report released by the Governor’s office can be found here. The report release by the Speaker’s Taskforce can be found here. There are several bills proposed by the Taskforce that affect the UW System, including:

LRB 4931/1: New Office of Water Policy
LRB 4751/1: Pilot Program to Address Nitrate Contamination
LRB 4716/1: Groundwater Testing, Mapping, and Educational Outreach
LRB 5061/1: Freshwater Collaborative

President Ray Cross sent a letter to all legislators requesting support of the Speaker’s Task Force on Water Quality proposals LRB 4716/1 and LRB 5061/1. A copy of the letter is attached below.

The Assembly will be in session on Wednesday, January 15 starting at 1:00 p.m. The following bills relating to UW System have been added to the calendar:

AB-361: Active Duty Service– requirements for colleges when service member students are called into active duty.
AB-707: Bargaining Contract– ratification of the agreement negotiated between the University of Wisconsin–Madison and the Wisconsin State Building Trades Negotiating Committee, for the 2019-20 fiscal year, covering employees in the building trades crafts collective bargaining unit, and authorizing an expenditure of funds.
AB-708: Bargaining Contract– ratification of the agreement negotiated between the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System and the Wisconsin State Building Trades Negotiating Committee, for the 2018-19 fiscal year, covering employees in the building trades crafts collective bargaining unit, and authorizing an expenditure of funds.
AB-709: Bargaining Contract– ratification of the agreement negotiated between the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System and the Wisconsin State Building Trades Negotiating Committee, for the 2019-20 fiscal year, covering employees in the building trades crafts collective bargaining unit, and authorizing an expenditure of funds.
AB-710: Bargaining Contract– ratification of the agreement negotiated between the state of Wisconsin and the Wisconsin State Building Trades Negotiating Committee, for the 2018-19 fiscal year, covering employees in the building trades crafts collective bargaining unit, and authorizing an expenditure of funds.
AB-711: Bargaining Contract– ratification of the agreement negotiated between the state of Wisconsin and the Wisconsin State Building Trades Negotiating Committee, for the 2019-20 fiscal year, covering employees in the building trades crafts collective bargaining unit, and authorizing an expenditure of funds.

The bargaining contracts were approved by JCOER in December but need to be ratified by the full legislature.

Members have also been told to keep their schedules open for the week of January 21 for an additional session.

The Senate is planning to be in session on Tuesday, January 21. The calendar has not been released yet. We will provide an update when the calendar is available.

The registration deadline for the 2020 Research in the Rotunda event on March 11, 2020, has been extended to Friday, January 31. Campus coordinators must submit a list of poster titles to universityrelations@uwsa.edu prior to registering. Once poster titles are submitted, students and faculty advisers can complete their registration for the event at: wisconsin.edu/research-in-the-rotunda/registration/. January 31 will be the final deadline for all faculty advisers and students. Special guests have until February 14 to register.

Questions regarding registration or the Research in the Rotunda event should be directed to David Specht-Boardman at dspecht-boardman@uwsa.edu.

The 2019 fall graduate lists are due to the UW System State Relations team by Monday, February 3, 2020. If this date is not feasible for your institution, please let Jeff Buhrandt (jbuhrandt@uwsa.edu) know ahead of time. Graduate lists should include the following data fields: First Name, Last Name, Address, City, State, and Postal Code. The lists should be sent to Julie Jonuzi at njonuzi@uwsa.edu.

The Senate Committee on Transportation, Veterans and Military Affairs held an executive session on Wednesday, January 8 and heard SB-446: UW MIA Project– relating to the University of Wisconsin Missing-in-Action Recovery and Identification Project and making an appropriation. The Committee voted to pass the bill in a 5-0 vote. The bill is available to be scheduled during the next Senate floor session.

In a recent Gallup Poll of Americans’ views on the availability of higher education, 60+% of U.S. adults (aged 30-65+) say education beyond high school is available to anyone in the country who needs it. The percentage is consistent with the last time the poll was offered in 2015. In comparison, only 46% of young adults (aged 18-29) say education beyond high school is available to those who need it. There is no clear explanation for the significant difference in percentage between age and differing views. Many changes have been made to the types of programming available to Americans since the poll was last done. There has been an increase in online degree-granting programs and the expansion of degree alternatives to improve access to education for those interested in gaining skills in their current field or reskilling for another field. Despite these advances, public opinion about availability and affordability appears stagnant. The full article can be accessed on the Gallup website.

Assembly Committee on Colleges and Universities – public hearing and executive session on January 23

Assembly Session- recap of January 15 session

Assembly Committee on Veterans and Military Affairs- recap of January 16 public hearing

Speaker’s Taskforce on Water Quality and Governor’s Office Release Reports

Assembly Session on Wednesday, January 15

Senate Session on Tuesday, January 21

Research in the Rotunda- registration deadline extended to January 31

Fall 2019 Graduate Lists

Senate Committee on Transportation, Veterans and Military Affairs- January 8 Executive Session Recap

Gallup Poll: About a Quarter of U.S. Adults Consider Higher Ed Affordable