MADISON, Wis. – A couple of years after the Walker-Kleefisch administration’s storied $800 million cuts from K-12 education in 2011, they decided it was time to slash funding for the University of Wisconsin System.

 

Rebecca Kleefisch supported the 2015 budget that cut funding from the UW System by $250 million. This reduction in funding led to professors losing their jobs, cuts in student employment hours, and insufficient mentoring through advisors for students.

 

This cut is only slightly smaller than the original budget proposal that even Republican lawmakers thought went too far.

 

The UW System plays a critical role in Wisconsin’s economy, with 40,000 employees and more than 165,000 students across the state. According to a study from 2018, the university system has a $24 billion overall economic impact on Wisconsin and generates or supports nearly 167,000 jobs. Investing in quality, affordable higher education for Wisconsinites is the right thing to do for our kids and for our economy.

 

Unlike Rebecca Kleefisch, Governor Evers has increased the state’s investment in the UW System. Just this year, the governor announced $25 million to support tuition freezes for the next two years and $5 million to increase campus mental health services.

“Rebecca Kleefisch is clearly not supportive of Wisconsin students,” said Democratic Party of Wisconsin Rapid Response Director Hannah Menchhoff. “The Walker-Kleefisch administration slashed funding to public education in Wisconsin, from K-12 to the college level. The University of Wisconsin System is a crucial part of Wisconsin’s continued economic success — if we want our schools to be funded and our students to thrive, we need to re-elect Gov. Evers in 2022.”

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