Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, told reporters Wednesday afternoon the Republican caucus supports a roughly $80 million cut to the University of Wisconsin System budget, saying the reform is needed to fix the “broken” process currently in place.
“There is still too much political correctness on campus. We don’t have enough respect for political diversity,” Vos said. “We want to ensure that whatever happens on campus it is a free exchange of ideas, and that people understand that's the basis for what the university should be.”
Republicans on the legislature's powerful Joint Finance Committee (JFC) privately proposed gutting around $80 million in funding for the University of Wisconsin System, discarding the UW System’s and Gov. Tony Evers’ record $856 million budget request, a source told The Daily Cardinal Tuesday.
UW System President Jay Rothman has indicated that if the budget request is not met, the system will have to make “painful” but “necessary” decisions.
In a February interview with WisEye, Rothman said he would not recommend raising tuition or closing any additional branch campuses if the UW System receives its $856 million funding request.
“It’s astounding that reductions would be a consideration when the legislature knows what is at stake for our communities, our workforce, and our ability to develop the talent that Wisconsin counts on for its economic vibrancy,” UW System spokesperson Mark Pitsch told the Wisconsin State Journal. “We should be investing in education and developing talent, not cutting it.”
Pitsch did not respond to an immediate request for comment from The Daily Cardinal.
The UW System is ranked 44 out of 50 in public funding for four-year universities. Rothman’s budget request moves the system ‘up to the middle’ to reach the national median of funding.
The JFC originally planned to discuss and vote on the budget for the UW System Tuesday, but removed the UW System from the agenda and declined to answer reporters' questions on why.
Republicans on JFC will need to propose and vote on their funding proposals soon if they are planning on submitting a budget proposal to Gov. Evers by the June 30 deadline.
Republicans need 17 votes in the senate to pass the budget. Sen. Chris Kapenga R-Delafield, said in a post on X that he does not support the budget the JFC is currently building and would rather let the current budget carry over.
Although Republicans showed more collaboration this year compared to before, budget negotiations broke down June 4 in part over disagreements with the UW System budget. Republicans walked away from the table, saying Evers’ spending went further than taxpayers could afford, leaving budget-crafting responsibilities to the JFC.
Clara Strecker is the state news editor for The Daily Cardinal. She previously served as copy chief. Clara has written in-depth on the 2025 Wisconsin Supreme Court race, the 2024 presidential election and abortion rights. She will spend the summer interning with WisPolitics. Follow her on X at @clara_strecker.
