UW System President asking for operating budget increase to renew Wisconsin Idea

President Tommy Thompson today announced he would seek a 3.5 percent operating budget increase for the 2021-23 biennial budget

MADISON, Wis. (WKBT) – University of Wisconsin System President Tommy Thompson today announced he would seek a 3.5 percent operating budget increase for the 2021-23 biennial budget, an investment that would renew the Wisconsin idea through 10 key initiatives.

If the budget request is approved by the Board of regents on Thursday, the request will be forwarded to the state Department of Administration for consideration by Governor Evers.

“Our mission is to meet the needs of Wisconsin. It is my goal with this budget to renew the Wisconsin Idea for the 21st century by making the University of Wisconsin System more relevant and relatable,” Thompson said. “We are facing unprecedented challenges, and we are ready to meet them.”

The 10 budget initiatives would:

• Launch the Wisconsin Tuition Promise, which would extend UW-Madison’s Bucky’s Tuition Promise to all UW System universities. It would provide “last dollar” tuition and fees for four years for Wisconsin resident freshmen and two years for transfer students who come from households with adjusted incomes of $60,000 or less.
• Expand and enhance online educational opportunities by shortening program development, partnering with businesses, and aggressively building up existing programs.
• Advance Wisconsin’s teachers and school leaders through student loan forgiveness, working with community and university education dean partners, and providing stipends for student teachers.
• Facilitate use of assets, including residence halls, dining facilities, and land, to generate new revenue.
• Modernize administrative and financial processes, including securing new borrowing authority.
• Increase regulatory flexibility by reducing reporting requirements by one-third.
• Support the Freshwater Collaborative of Wisconsin.
• Expand support for students’ mental and behavioral health.
• Support Wisconsin agriculture by adding 20 county-based agriculture positions in the Division of Extension at UW-Madison.
• Expand educational opportunity in Wisconsin’s prisons.

“When we asked Tommy Thompson to be UW System president we expected him to be bold,” said Regent President Andrew S. Petersen. “This budget reflects his clear-eyed assessment of what we need to do now, and we look forward to helping him renew the Wisconsin Idea.”

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