Hey there, folks. Governor Tony Evers here.
Folks, our ability to compete and be successful—to have a strong economy and workforce, to retain our homegrown talent, and to make life better for everyone who calls our state home—depends on our UW System.
I’ve spent the last six years advocating for increased investments in the UW System to prevent further campus closures, staff and faculty layoffs, and program cuts and consolidations.
And with ongoing efforts from the Trump Administration to cut higher education funding and dismantle the U.S. Department of Education, things for our UWs could get a whole lot worse.
What’s at stake in our most recent budget was no secret—Republican lawmakers had planned to cut the University of Wisconsin System by tens of millions of dollars.
But, through our bipartisan budget negotiations, I secured over $250 million for the UW System statewide, including the largest increase for the UW System in nearly two decades.
This includes over $100 million to support UW System campuses statewide, $144 million to help retain and recruit faculty and staff, and $7 million to support mental health services for students.
Our budget also makes a nearly $1.2 billion investment in our campuses and building infrastructure statewide.
That includes critical building projects at UW-Madison, La Crosse, Oshkosh, Stout, Milwaukee, Platteville, and Stevens Point.
I’m incredibly proud of our work over the years to ensure these institutions can continue to offer the world-class education, research, and services they’re known for.
But folks, there’s still much more work ahead when it comes to building the future we want for our UW System, our kids, and our state.
So, we’re gonna keep working to invest in public education at every level, from child care and early learning to our K-12 classrooms to our world-class higher education system.
Thank you.
