UW–Madison and the State Budget

Budget News

• Tour of L&S, engineering facilities highlights need for new buildings

  April 12, 2021

  University of Wisconsin System Interim President Tommy Thompson and University of Wisconsin–Madison Chancellor Rebecca Blank today urged that planned projects to rebuild the College of Engineering and Letters & Science academic buildings move forward in the 2021-23 State Capital Budget.

  “Investing in higher education infrastructure is absolutely critical for delivering the kind of educational and research experience that UW–Madison strives to give,” Blank said at a press conference this morning outside the L&S Academic building. “The two projects that are in the budget for this year are cornerstones for growth and success at UW–Madison.”

  “My message to the legislature is this is our future,” Thompson said. “We want to build the campus, we want to build the state. In order to do that we need to have some collaboration and some understanding.”

  Blank and Thompson were joined at the press conference by College of Letters & Science Dean Eric Wilcots and College of Engineering Dean Ian Robertson.

  Read the full story

  Media coverage

  ‘Dire shape’: UW-Madison pushes for money to replace Humanities Building

  Take a tour of UW-Madison’s Humanities Building

  UW leaders seek funding for building improvements

  UW-Madison plans to replace buildings

  Thompson, Blank tour aging Humanities building, ask legislature to invest in new facilities

   

   

• Statement of Chancellor Rebecca Blank in response to Governor Evers’ Capital Budget Proposal

  February 22, 2021

  Chancellor Rebecca Blank shared the following statement in response to Governor Evers’ 2021-23 Capital Budget Proposal.

  “Governor Evers’ capital budget plan includes a major investment in higher education infrastructure that is critical for the future of Wisconsin. I am especially thankful for the inclusion of two major UW-Madison projects, the new College of Engineering building and the new College of Letters and Science Academic building, in his proposal.

  “The UW–Madison College of Engineering is the second largest school/college on campus, with nearly 1,500 future engineering leaders of Wisconsin earning degrees each year. UW–Madison engineering graduates are vital to the state’s workforce and economic development needs, but we need more of them. Every year, many more students apply to be an engineering major than the College of Engineering has the capacity to accept. A new, state of-the-art building will provide the college the space to educate more engineering students and enable it to recruit and retain top-tier faculty members, sustaining our excellence in research and graduate education.

  “The College of Letters & Science (L&S) is the largest of UW–Madison’s 13 schools and colleges, with nearly 20,000 students, 37 academic departments and schools, more than 120 undergraduate and graduate majors and 73 interdisciplinary research centers and institutes. As the foundation of a UW educational experience, nearly two-thirds of all undergraduate credit hours come from L&S. Unfortunately, the Humanities Building — one of campus’ biggest buildings and a primary home for many L&S courses — is in dire condition and is failing to support student needs. A new L&S Academic Building will provide modern classrooms and space for a number of programs currently housed in Humanities.

  “I am also pleased to see a healthy investment in the All Agency program to support maintenance work across the UW System. I thank Governor Evers for his support of these important projects, and I look forward to continuing to work with the governor and legislative leaders through the budget process.”

• Governor’s budget designed to help the university ‘bounce back’

  February 17, 2021

  Calling higher education an economic driver for Wisconsin, Governor Tony Evers proposed a major reinvestment in the University of Wisconsin System.

  Evers unveiled his proposed 2021-23 biennial state budget on Tuesday evening, recommending an additional $191 million in funding for the UW System. Breaking a decades-long trend, the budget calls for spending more on colleges than prisons.

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