Regents approve 2027-29 biennial budget requests as the UWs’ promise to Wisconsin (news summary)

Thursday, August 20, 2026

MADISON, Wis. – The Board of Regents today voted unanimously to approve the Universities of Wisconsin’s operating budget request for the 2027-29 biennium. The $730 million request over two years would allow the state’s public universities to continue to ensure “Wisconsin’s Future is Built Here” at the Universities of Wisconsin.

The budget request is focused on three promises to Wisconsin:

  • Ensure every Wisconsinite has access to an affordable, high-quality UW education
  • Build Wisconsin’s workforce and next generation of businesses
  • Advance life-saving discoveries and improve access to health care across Wisconsin

“This proposal also recognizes that Wisconsin already has one of the greatest assets available to make it happen – 13 public universities serving communities in every part of the state,” said UWs interim President Renée Wachter. “Wisconsin’s future will not be built in one place. It will be built in communities big and small, all across Wisconsin, through the collective impact of our 13 universities and the people they serve.”

“Our budget request reflects a sizable investment, but one that is designed to achieve measurable outcomes that benefit all of Wisconsin. We look forward to partnering with policymakers to advance a budget that fulfills the UWs’ mission to deliver results,” Regent Tom Palzewicz said, in presenting the formal budget resolution as part of the Business & Finance Committee report.

Promise 1 is to ensure every Wisconsinite has access to an affordable, high-quality UW education.

With a requested increase in operational state funding to address items including inflationary pressures and enhanced campus safety measures, the UWs address affordability by committing to freeze undergraduate resident tuition over the next two academic years (2027-28 and 2028-29) and to limit potential increases for the two subsequent years to no more than inflationary rates. A “Work & Learn” proposal would provide last-dollar financial aid for working students from households with income below the state median ($77,500 annually). The UWs also request the Higher Educational Aids Board seek full reimbursement of tuition remissions for eligible veterans and dependents served at the UWs.

The request includes funding to develop the UWs’ artificial intelligence capabilities and resources, and to provide more competitive compensation for university and academic staff, ensuring the high quality of a UW education is upheld.

Promise 2 is to build Wisconsin’s workforce and next generation of businesses.

Funding in this area will support university initiatives that promote the economic vibrancy of Wisconsin residents, businesses, and communities. These include proposals that expand educational opportunities for working adult learners to advance in today’s job market; that support entrepreneurs in creating new companies and help existing firms expand and thrive; that spin innovative research into new businesses and technologies; and that support the backbone of Wisconsin’s economy in industry sectors like agriculture, biotechnology, advanced manufacturing, and freshwater. Altogether, this promise would add 300,000 career-ready graduates, provide upskilling to 1 million workers, and help create 2,500 new businesses over a decade.

To ensure the UWs meet these goals, funding would support student academic and career counseling, mental health services, and high-impact practices. A request also will be made to the incoming Governor and legislature to expand dual enrollment opportunities through funding to school districts so that every Wisconsin high school student has access to UW courses to accelerate college degree completion and promote earlier entry into the state’s workforce.

Promise 3 is to advance life-saving discoveries and improve access to health care across Wisconsin.

It is aimed at increasing the number of health care professionals serving Wisconsin communities by 35,000 over the next 10 years. Funding would support the expansion of health programs throughout the UW universities, increasing the availability of health care professionals throughout Wisconsin and addressing an acute workforce need that affects patients and communities statewide. In addition, five universities will put new funds to use in advancing new cures and treatments for illnesses and diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s.

In addition to the items under those three promises, the budget proposal requests an estimated $65 million for standard budget adjustments for costs such as fringe benefits; two statutory language changes that would stabilize university funding and increase administrative efficiency; a request that the Higher Educational Aids Board include, in its own budget request, $10.5 million in funding for the Wisconsin Grant program; and budget requests submitted on behalf of the Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Lab and Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene, which are administratively attached to UW-Madison.

The now-approved budget will be submitted to the state Department of Administration in September for consideration by the governor and legislature.

Capital Budget request approved

The Regents also unanimously approved a proposed 2027-29 Capital Budget Request of just over $2 billion. It consists of $1.2 billion of General Fund Supported Borrowing, $673.3 million of Program Revenue Supported Borrowing, $11.0 million of UW Cash, and of $115.1 million Non-UW Cash.

The capital budget recommendation is based upon strategic priorities that align with the 2023-28 Universities of Wisconsin strategic plan and emphasize the continued modernization, replacement, and repair of existing infrastructure, with nearly $1.0 billion of the investment focused on these activities.

The 2027-29 budget will renovate nearly 9.8 million square feet and demolish almost 363,000 gross square feet. Collectively, these investments will have a substantial impact on the condition, functionality, and long-term sustainability of the Universities of Wisconsin physical infrastructure.

Consistent with guidance issued by the Wisconsin State Department of Administration, the recommendation prioritizes stewardship by investing heavily in facility renewal, deferred maintenance reduction, and modernization of existing space.

As the cost of construction remains elevated, labor markets remain tight, materials costs continue to fluctuate, and project estimates reflect the reality of delivering major capital projects in today’s environment, these pressures make prioritization of the UWs’ capital needs even more important and reinforce the need to address deferred maintenance before costs increase further.

The accompanying six-year Capital Plan includes 232 projects and programs representing approximately $6.0 billion in planned capital investments through 2033.

The now-approved capital budget also will be submitted to the state Department of Administration in September for consideration by the governor and legislature.

“Wisconsin’s Future, Built Here” Budget Proposals Generate Discussion

Chancellors, business leaders, and students shared their perspectives on the importance of the proposed budget initiatives in both a “Wisconsin’s Future, Built Here” panel discussion before the full Board and earlier presentations before the Business & Finance Committee.

“College gives students life-changing opportunities, but only if they can afford to come here and stay here,” said UW-Whitewater Chancellor Corey King, who, like more than one-third of his university’s students, was a first-generation college student. “Affordability is a lever we can pull to help them graduate on time with minimal debt.”

Emma Close, a senior at UW-Whitewater, knows the challenges first-hand. Balancing classes with one or more jobs is a familiar experience for many students, she told Regents. “For these students, affordability isn’t simply a number on a tuition bill; it can determine where they go to college – and it can determine whether they are able to stay in college … And it can shape the opportunities available to them when they graduate.”

Lindsay Loohauis, a UW-Platteville senior and U.S. Army veteran, said a proposal related to veterans tuition remission would help veterans challenged to attend a UW university.

“Veterans do not have it easy,” she said. “Many of us have real life adult responsibilities by the time we start school … We are also trying to make up for time spent away from the civilian world. For many student veterans, tuition remission makes a college education a real possibility. It gives us a chance to build a future and become more.”

Nicholas Galich, vice president at Froedtert South, said he encouraged people to view funding for the UWs not simply as an expenditure for higher education but an investment in Wisconsin’s workforce infrastructure.

“When the UWs have the resources to develop programs that respond to regional workforce shortages, expand enrollment, and high-demand healthcare fields, recruit qualified faculty, invest in laboratories and technology, and partner with employers to provide clinical experiences, those investments have impact far beyond the university campus,” Galich said.

UW-Parkside Chancellor Lynn Akey agreed. “This investment will create sustainable opportunities to educate more professionals locally – and help keep them in Wisconsin to live, work, and serve their communities,” she said.

Brian Elwood, regional vice president for Xcel Energy, said investing in the UWs provides return for every citizen of Wisconsin. “When people think about energy, they often think about power plants and power lines and substations and all that stuff. But ask any energy professional and they’ll tell you that our most critical infrastructure is not all that stuff. It’s our people. And we all know that the Universities of Wisconsin are one of the state’s most important pipelines for our industry.”

Investing to expand health care is vital to address acute shortages of people who care for patients, particularly in Wisconsin’s rural areas, said UW-Madison’s interim Chancellor Eric Wilcots, and the UWs are well equipped to help.

“This proposed budget would expand our ability to meet the challenges of ensuring that all Wisconsinites have access to quality health care,” Wilcots said. “The work we do on our campuses across the state, including Madison, to educate the next generation of professionals is one of the most direct ways we can enrich, support, and help people live better lives all across Wisconsin.”

New Colleagues Welcomed

The Regents welcomed Lindsay Blumer, representing the Wisconsin Technical College System, to the Board.

Regents also welcomed new colleagues at the UWs: Provost Latha Ramakrishnan at UW-Stout Polytechnic and Vice Chancellor for Finance & Strategy Nathan Stuart at UW-Oshkosh.

Regent President’s Report

In his first in-person meeting as President of the Board, Kyle Weatherly thanked Regents for their confidence in naming him to the position. “We are at a moment of extraordinary internal and external change in the UWs, higher education, and the world,” he said, adding that such a moment of change also presents “an incredible opportunity to serve our students and our state even better.”

Weatherly told Regents he has three main goals for the year ahead. Goal No. 1, he said, is to choose the next generation of leadership at both the Universities of Wisconsin and UW-Madison while continuing to drive progress in the interim. “But hiring world-class leaders is only half of the goal as I see it,” he said. “The other half is being ready for them to succeed.” It’s also necessary to provide new leadership with organizations that keep moving and improving.

Goal No. 2 is to present Wisconsinites with a university budget that propels the state headlong into the next decade. “Wisconsin’s problems and opportunities are UWs’ problems and opportunities,” Weatherly said. “Everything starts and ends there.” The UWs’ budget request is based on three promises: affordability, stronger economic growth, and improving healthcare.

Weatherly said Goal No. 3 is what he’s calling Regents Lead the Way. “We ask our leaders, employees, and students to embrace a rapidly changing world. I hope we can model that behavior,” he said. That includes exploring ideas and best practices to best serve the UW and the Wisconsin Idea as well as embracing new technologies, exploring new approaches, and challenging assumptions to position themselves, Weatherly said.

“In the end,” he concluded, “our success will not be measured by the policies we adopt or the votes we cast. It will be measured by the opportunities we create, the lives we change, and the future we make possible.”

As part of his regular report to the Board, brief updates on the two major ongoing leadership searches were also provided. For the UWs president search, applications are due for priority consideration by August 31, with the search committee expected to identify finalists later this fall. For the UW-Madison chancellor search, applications are due by Sept. 10 for fullest consideration. With classes back in session soon, a final listening session is expected to be held on campus in early September.

Report of the UWs President

In her report to the Board, interim President Wachter opened with a reminder that the start of the new academic year is just around the corner – all with an energy that “never seems to get old.” “At the heart of our campuses are our students – whether they’re with us in person or online, and no matter where they are in life, they inspire us with their hopes and dreams for their future. We need to always keep in mind that our students, our learners, are why we’re all here,” Wachter said.

She noted that as of Fall 2028, UW-Eau Claire will become the 11th UW university to be part of the successful Direct Admit Wisconsin program. Through Direct Admit, qualified high school juniors across the state are offered early and proactive admission to participating UWs without submitting a traditional admission application. “This is a tremendous window of opportunity for so many potential college students,” Wachter said.

Wachter also gave Regents a quick overview of the recent statewide tour to launch the UWs’ biennial budget request. With media events hosted at UW-La Crosse, UW-Eau Claire, UW-Milwaukee, UW-Superior, UW-Stevens Point, and UW-Green Bay and participation from all the UWs, the three major promises of the budget request – as well as their major component initiatives – were introduced, with additional support voiced by local business leaders and students.

Finally, Wachter noted that in her new role as interim president, she has travelled extensively around the state and is seeing “with fresh eyes the broad array of accomplishments and the depth of commitment our universities have for the people of Wisconsin.” That, in turn, is a reminder that each of the UWs has a treasure trove of stories on how students, faculty and staff, and graduates make a difference and contribute to the richness of life in Wisconsin, she said.

To tell that story more broadly, Wachter said an existing UWs storytelling campaign – All In Wisconsin – has been given a reboot and is being relaunched on multiple fronts including the wisconsin.edu website, social media, and a revived All In Wisconsin newsletter. She also previewed a new video.

“We have great stories to tell about our impact,” Wachter said. “We can and should be proud to share them.”

In other business, the Regents:

  • Heard a resolution, read by Regent Vice President Ashok Rai, from UW-Green Bay’s Faculty Senate in memory of Lou LeCalsey, who served and supported the university in countless ways for more than 50 years, becoming a respected advocate, counselor, coach, advisor, and ambassador and whose presence strengthened the academic, athletic, and civic life of the university;
  • Approved revisions to Regent Policy Document 13-1 on general contract approval, signature authority, and reporting. The revisions serve to clarify the distinction between contract signature authority and procurement authority; expressly delegate the Board’s Chapter 36 procurement authority to the President; modernize and clarify Board approval thresholds and approval triggers; establish more explicit delegation, governance, and reporting requirements; and codify existing operational practices regarding amendments, extensions, and administrative execution of contracts. In total, the revised policy strengthens governance and risk-management controls without compromising operational efficiency;
  • Approved an amendment to the Connected Systems Institute membership agreement between UW-Milwaukee and Rockwell Automation. The amendment, under which Rockwell will contribute an additional $1 million to this center of excellence over five years, provides for technical updates and revises membership obligations and advantages in a manner that reflects CSI’s evolving structure;
  • Approved an agreement on behalf of UW-Stout Polytechnic with Veritas Education, which provides services as an international recruitment agent aggregator. This agreement falls under the terms of a Master Service Agreement already utilized by several UW universities in support of their efforts to strengthen international student enrollment;
  • Approved an addition to the UW Strategic Plan for Major IT Projects, in which UW-Madison will migrate its current data center infrastructure to an existing hosting environment in Milwaukee. With the transition scheduled to be completed by December 2027 at a cost of $17 million, the project establishes a stable, long-term foundation for the university’s research and administrative computing needs while reducing operational risk and positioning UW–Madison for future growth;
  • Approved the Status Report on Large or High-Risk Information Technology Projects. The report, which will be submitted to the legislature’s Joint Committee on Information Policy and Technology, covers six major IT projects within the system totaling $40.6 million. For projects in progress, the report offers updates on their schedule, scope, and budget;
  • Approved UW-Platteville’s request to offer a Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences. The proposed Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Health Sciences is an elevation of a highly popular emphasis within the current Biology major. Graduates of this program will be prepared to pursue professions and professional pathways for clinical healthcare fields as well as allied health careers, filling an increasing workforce need for rural healthcare workers, particularly in Southwest Wisconsin;
  • Approved UW-Platteville’s request to offer a Bachelor of Science in Public Health. The proposed Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Public Health is a new interdisciplinary degree program designed to address growing regional and statewide community health workforce needs. Graduates of the program will be prepared for careers in public health organizations and related health services fields in rural communities, as well as entry into professional programs of study;
  • In the Education Committee, heard a panel discussion by representatives from UW Administration as well as UW universities on “2025-2026 Update on Universities of Wisconsin Support for Student Basic Needs – Where We Are & Where We’re Going.” The discussion provided an overview of Open Educational Resources (OER) efforts across the UWs, including perspectives on current practices, challenges, and opportunities to expand the use of affordable course materials in support of student success;
  • In the Education Committee, heard an update by Senior Vice President Johannes Britz on progress toward implementation of SYS policies that support the operationalizing of RPD 20-25, “Teaching Workload” and RPD 4-23, “Core General Education Requirements”. Key updates include:
    • The Appendix B Workgroup, comprising representatives from all UW universities, completed a draft that was reviewed and finalized by the Act 15 Teaching Workload Workgroup. Interim SYS 200-03 is currently under review and is expected to be updated with Appendix B in the coming weeks.
    • Continued collaboration with vendor partners to identify updates and tools needed to support development of the CGER Student Profile and improve operational efficiency. A Universities of Wisconsin CGER website also has been launched, providing an overview of the framework and links to each university’s CGER website. Ongoing collaboration with university stakeholders continues to address implementation challenges and develop supporting resources.
    • Engagement with the Legislative Audit Bureau has begun regarding audits of Teaching Workload and Core General Education Requirements.
  • In the Audit, Risk, and Compliance Committee, heard a report on audit progress for the Fiscal Year 2027 Audit Plan;
  • In the Audit, Risk, and Compliance Committee, received the Office of Internal Audit Annual Report (Fiscal Year 2026) and Segregated Fees Report (Executive Summary);
  • In the Audit, Risk, and Compliance Committee, heard a report of Integrity Hotline Activity, which included 54 hotline cases being reported from July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026. As of the latter date, 43 of the incidents had been closed, with 29 incidents not requiring corrective action; two incidents were referred; and 12 resulted in corrective action being taken. Most of the cases were classified as student relations;
  • In the Audit, Risk, and Compliance Committee, heard a report from the Office of Compliance and Risk Management (OCRM) on a proposed enterprise risk management (ERM) framework and governance structure. The OCRM will finalize the framework through collaboration and engagement with UWs leadership and begin implementation efforts during Fiscal Year 2027; and
  • In the Audit, Risk, and Compliance Committee, heard an overview of the most recent data collected by the Office of Compliance and Integrity (OCI) for the Fiscal Year 2025 involving sexual misconduct reports that align with the rights and protections under the Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. By capturing these details, OCI supports institutions in identifying, evaluating, and understanding the nature, type, and extent of incidents.

The next meeting of the Board of Regents for the Universities of Wisconsin will be September 17, 2026, by videoconference.