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Goals for this meeting:

  1. What is in the budget?
  2. How can we build opposition to the budget?
  3. Who are the targets?
  4. What actions will we take to achieve our goals?
  5. What is our willingness and capacity?

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Agenda

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  1. What we know:
      • Budget proposal
      • Budget process
  2. Possible actions
  3. Organizing Blitz
  4. Feedback and Discussion

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Proposed Budget (UW):

  • $300 million cuts to UW System



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$300 million cuts to UW System:

  • $150 million annual cuts in 2015 and 2016
    • Equivalent to the entire operating budget of UW-Green Bay

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  • Base funding will further drops in 2017. The state will fund the entire UW Systems with $753 million, yeilding a 36% decrease in state aid to the university.

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  • Base funding will come from sales tax

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  • Comes after 40 years of declining state aid to university



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Source: PostSecondary Education Opportunity, January 2014, http://www.postsecondary.org/statereportslist.asp?subcat2=WI​

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Source: 2015-17, State of Wisconsin: “Budget in Brief”

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Proposed Budget (UW):

  • $300 million cuts to UW System (13% of state budget; 19% of UW revenue)
  • Effective July 1, 2016, create the new public authority for the system that has greater independence

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Proposed Budget (UW):

  • $300 million cuts to UW System (13% of state budget; 19% of UW revenue)
  • Effective July 1, 2016, create the new public authority for the system that has greater independence
  • Transfer all assets, liabilities and employees to the public authority

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Proposed Budget (UW):

  • $300 million cuts to UW System (13% of state budget; 19% of UW revenue)
  • Effective July 1, 2016, create the new public authority for the system that has greater independence
  • Transfer all assets, liabilities and employees to the public authority
  • Provide the public authority with control over tuition rates beginning with the 2017-18 school year

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Proposed Budget (UW):

  • $300 million cuts to UW System (13% of state budget; 19% of UW revenue)
  • Effective July 1, 2016, create the new public authority for the system that has greater independence
  • Transfer all assets, liabilities and employees to the public authority
  • Provide the public authority with control over tuition rates beginning with the 2017-18 school year
  • Provide the public authority with control over bidding and managing construction projects that are built with non-general fund supported borrowing

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Proposed Budget (UW):

  • $300 million cuts to UW System (13% of state budget; 19% of UW revenue)
  • Effective July 1, 2016, create the new public authority for the system that has greater independence
  • Transfer all assets, liabilities and employees to the public authority
  • Provide the public authority with control over tuition rates beginning with the 2017-18 school year
  • Provide the public authority with control over bidding and managing construction projects that are built with non-general fund supported borrowing
  • Provide public authority with ability to issue bonds for construction projects that are not paid for by “public debt”

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Proposed Budget (UW):

  • $300 million cuts to UW System (13% of state budget; 19% of UW revenue)
  • Effective July 1, 2016, create the new public authority for the system that has greater independence
  • Transfer all assets, liabilities and employees to the public authority
  • Provide the public authority with control over tuition rates beginning with the 2017-18 school year
  • Continues tuition freeze for in-state undergraduate tuition until 2017; out-of-state tuition could and would need to be raised to offset cuts
  • Provide the public authority with control over bidding and managing construction projects that are built with non-general fund supported borrowing
  • Provide public authority with ability to issue bonds for construction projects that are not paid for by “public debt”
  • Provide the public authority with control over revenues and interest earnings related to certain auxiliaries operations earned by the authority, but require the public authority to deposit net cash balances, except for gift and grant funds, in the local government investment pool

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Strikes WI Idea from System mission

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Budget Eliminates Protections of:

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Budget Eliminates Protections of:

  • Faculty tenure

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Budget Eliminates Protections of:

  • Faculty tenure
  • Accumulation of sick leave

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Budget Eliminates Protections of:

  • Faculty tenure
  • Accumulation of sick leave
  • Graduate student financial aid

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Budget Eliminates Protections of:

  • Faculty tenure
  • Accumulation of sick leave
  • Graduate student financial aid
  • Specified education programs and studies

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Budget Eliminates Protections of:

  • Faculty tenure
  • Accumulation of sick leave
  • Graduate student financial aid
  • Specified education programs and studies
  • Recruitment programs for minority and disadvantaged students

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Budget Eliminates Protections of:

  • Faculty tenure
  • Accumulation of sick leave
  • Graduate student financial aid
  • Specified education programs and studies
  • Recruitment programs for minority and disadvantaged students
  • Public broadcasting

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Budget Eliminates Protections of:

  • Faculty tenure
  • Accumulation of sick leave
  • Graduate student financial aid
  • Specified education programs and studies
  • Recruitment programs for minority and disadvantaged students
  • Public broadcasting
  • Orientation information on sexual assault and harassment

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Budget Process

executive legislative committee legislative executive

State agencies make requests to Gov.

Gov. proposes budget

Joint Finance Committee receives budget

Committee holds public hearings

Committee makes changes and votes

Assembly and Senate receive bill, make changes, and exchange

Conference Committee meets to reconcile two versions hearings

Gov. reviews, vetoes portions, signs into law

In rare cases, legislative branches can override Gov. veto

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Budget Process

executive legislative committee legislative executive

State agencies make requests to Gov.

Gov. proposes budget

Joint Finance Committee receives budget

Committee holds public hearings

Committee makes changes and votes

Assembly and Senate receive bill, make changes, and exchange

Conference Committee meets to reconcile two versions hearings

Gov. reviews, vetoes portions, signs into law

In rare cases, legislative branches can override Gov. veto

JUNE

NOW

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Demands?

No Public Authority

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No Cuts

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No Layoffs OR any layoffs should be to upper-level administration

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Targets?

  • State
    • Governor
    • Joint Finance Committee

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  • UW Administration
    • Chancellor(s)
    • Regents
    • System President

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Actions?*

  • State
  • Testify at the Joint Finance Committee (JFC) (Potentially starting on Feb. 16)
  • Issue demands to the JFC
  • Call constituents to urge legislators to vote against the budget (see sign-in sheet)
  • Organize students to encourage parents to take action (create postcards?)
  • Lobbying donors and prominent alumni
  • Informational Picket targeting students with information for parents and faculty/students/staff with information about contacting donors and prominent alumni

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Potential targets:

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Sen. Erpenbach (D)

Middleton

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Rep. Taylor (D)

Madison

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Sen. Vukmir (R)

Wauwatosa (1 hr. 18 min.)

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Rep. Kooyenga (R)�Brookfield (1 hr. 15 min.)

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Sen. Taylor (D)

Milwaukee (1 ½ hrs)

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Sen. Darling (R)�River Hills ( 1 ½ hrs.)

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Actions?*

  • UW Administration
  • Attend Board of Regents Meetings in March 5/contact BOR
  • Attend Graduate Student Forums to be organized by the Graduate School

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UW Administration?

UW Dean of Graduate School has called for a meeting with us.

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What questions should we have for them?

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Organizing Blitz

Organizer Training: Friday, Feb. 6, 4-7pm

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Bagels & Coffee: Monday, Feb. 9, 8-11am

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Letter Writing @ Bascom Hill: Monday, Feb. 16 starting at 2:00 pm (with potential occupation to follow)