July 25, 2005
GOVERNOR SIGNS BUDGET BILL
Earlier today Governor Jim Doyle signed the 2005-07 budget bill into law after making changes to the document sent to him by the Legislature earlier this month. In the last week the Governor had announced some of his 139 vetoes, including those of interest to the UW. Last Tuesday Chancellor John Wiley and UW-Madison student Amanda Leipold joined the Governor at the Red Gym to announce that his budget vetoes would accomplish the following:
- Release $35 million to the UW System base budget that would have otherwise been withheld pending Joint Finance Committee approval. The UW System will still absorb a $90 million cut over the biennium.
- Restore $8 million to student financial aid.
- Remove the requirement that non-represented state employees, including UW faculty and academic staff, contribute 1.5 percent of their salary towards their retirement benefits.
Chancellor Wiley’s statement on these vetoes is available at www.news.wisc.edu/11351.html.
The Governor also made the following vetoes of interest to the University:
- Removed a provision that would have required the sale of all state, including university, power plants. The Governor was not able to restore the 270 positions that were to be cut as a result of the sale, but has directed the Department of Administration to pursue restoration of the positions.
- Removed the directive for the Legislative Audit Bureau to study and complete a cost comparison of UW System building projects with similar projects at other public universities.
- Removed the requirement for the Regents to charge students the full cost-per-credit for any credits exceeding 125 percent of the graduation credit requirements towards a first baccalaureate degree.
- Removed the requirement for the Regents to charge students a 100 percent surcharge for each course retaken as a result of a failing grade on the first attempt.
- Deleted the repeal of various UW System reporting requirements.
- Removed a section of the bill that would have created a committee to study the public benefits of the state’s public system of higher education.
- Removed the requirement for the Regents and the Medical College of Wisconsin Trustees to submit a report to the Joint Finance Committee on the feasibility of creating joint academic programs.
Republican legislators will now decide if they will try to override any of the Governor’s vetoes, which would require a two-thirds vote of the Legislature. Republicans control the Senate 19-14 and the Assembly 60-39.
For more information on the 2005-07 biennial budget, please visit the state relations web page at www.staterelations.wisc.edu/0507budget.html.
LEGISLATURE APPROVES PAY RAISES
Last Tuesday the Joint Committee on Employment Relations (JCOER) voted to approve raises for most UW faculty and academic staff. The Committee approved the recommendations of the Office of State Employment Relations (OSER) to provide a two percent increase in July 2005, a two percent increase in July 2006 and one percent increase in April of 2007. The OSER recommendations also included holding employee contributions for health insurance steady for 2006, but raising them $5 - $25 per month (depending on type of coverage and provider) in 2007. JCOER approved these pay plan changes for all faculty and academic staff, except for those 34 individuals assigned to Senior Executive Salary Groups. Chancellor Wiley’s statement on JCOER’s action is available at www.news.wisc.edu/11358.html.
During the hearing, various members of the Committee made it clear they were unhappy with what they have been reading in the media about back up appointments and the use of leave. Before JCOER will consider pay adjustments for the senior executives, the Board of Regents is required to report to the Committee on their review of, and related action on, current UW System pay raises and employment practices. President Kevin Reilly assured committee members that he and the Board of Regents were looking into these matters and if the review demonstrated that practices needed to be changed, they would be. The Regents had previously announced that they would review employment practices at their September Board meeting, with a report expected at their October meeting.
HEARING ON UW BENEFIT, PAYROLL SYSTEM SCHEDULED
The Assembly Colleges and Universities Committee has invited university representatives to provide a briefing on the implementation of the new Appointment, Payroll and Benefits System (APBS). The hearing was originally scheduled for tomorrow, July 26, but has been rescheduled for September 6 (location and time to be announced). At the same hearing the Committee is expected to take up the following legislation:
- Assembly Bill 387 - eligibility of a person enrolled in a program that confers a master’s degree in nursing for a loan under the nursing student loan program.
- Assembly Bill 544 - requires automatic fire sprinkler systems at certain private higher education institution residence calls and at certain other private student residential facilities.
The Committee may vote on the above bills, as well as Assembly Bill 297 and Assembly Bill 439. AB 297 provides an education tax credit for businesses and AB 439 requires the Regents to hold a public meeting before making changes to salary and other compensation paid to UW System senior executives.
HEARING ON BILL TO REQUIRE COLLEGE RE-ENROLLMENT FOR CERTAIN STUDENTS
The Senate Veterans, Homeland Security, Military Affairs, Small Business and Government Reform Committee will meet next Wednesday, August 3, at 10:00 a.m. in room 411-South of the State Capitol. Included on their agenda is Assembly Bill 378, which would require college re-enrollment of persons called into active military service.
BILL TO EXPAND TAX DEDUCTION FOR COLLEGE TUITION EXPENSES ADVANCES
Last week the Assembly Ways and Means Committee unanimously passed, as amended, a bill to expand the individual income tax deduction for college tuition expenses. Assembly Bill 106 extends the credit to include attendance at universities, colleges and technical colleges located in Minnesota, Illinois, Iowa or Michigan.
For more information on state related issues contact,
Kristi Thorson or Don Nelson
Assistant Directors, State Relations
608/262-8967