WHITEWATER – May 13, 2022 – Senator Duey Stroebel, Representative Don Vruwink, and Representative Cody Horlacher are all being awarded “Legislator of the Year” for their honorable work authoring the GPR Equity Bill, which aids in the creation of an equitable GPR funding formula for the UW System.
All three of these legislators saw a disparity in the current funding formula and felt it needed to be addressed, inspiring them to author this GPR equity bill.
The current GPR funding formula allocates funding disproportionately within the UW System and the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater (UW-W) receives the least amount of funding. UW-W receives about $1,500 less in funding per full-time student compared to the average number received by the comprehensive campuses in the UW System. Most students go to a comprehensive university near their home, so the current funding formula penalizes families in the Whitewater region. Nine of the 12 comprehensive campuses receive less than average amount of funding.
Stroebel, Vruwink, and Horlacher all advocated for an equitable GPR funding formula, not just to benefit Whitewater, but to create equitable opportunities for all UW System students. UW-W in particular has a large number of disabled students, as well as students who come from low income or first-generation backgrounds. These factors increase the amount of aid needed to fund students.
“The entire Whitewater community is so grateful for all of the work done by Stroebel, Vruwink, and Horlacher on this equity bill,” said GWC Chairman Larry Kachel. “Thanks to these legislators, UW-Whitewater will be able to properly assist its students and provide the best education possible.”
The bill in question requires the Board of Regents to allocate an equal amount of GPR funding to all UW institutions per full-time equivalent undergraduate student enrolled at the institution. This will not include UW Madison or UW Milwaukee. As a result of this bill, the Board of Regents will create a task force, designed to address the disparities in the current funding formula. The GWC is committed to building an alliance with the other nine comprehensive campuses to continue to make a stronger case in the next legislative session.
The Greater Whitewater Committee (GWC) is beyond pleased to honor these three legislators for all of their hard work.
About the GWC
The GWC is an action-oriented group committed to working with citizens, elected officials, and policy makers to identify, craft, and implement a pro-business agenda. The agenda advances the economic, education, and social policies required to energize and secure the Whitewater area’s economic future, as well as protect Whitewater’s quality of life.
For further details, please contact Jeffery Knight at 920.728.0662 or jpk@knightpublicaffairs.com, James Hartwick at 608.206.3032 or jmmccabe9@gmail.com, and Eric Compas at 573.366.0422 or ericcompas@gmail.com.
