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Priscilla Thain, Newsletter Editor
On February 8, Governor James Doyle introduced his budget for the UW System as part of his 2005-2007 state budget plan. It provides an average annual state tax dollar (GPR-General Purpose Revenue) increase of 1.27% over the biennium, ($49 million Systemwide). It also calls for tuition increases of 5.9% in the first year and 5.4% in the second year. However, pay plan considerations have not been included in those increases and the governor in his budget message indicated his willingness to support 7% tuition increases.
The pay plan is expected to be taken up later this spring. The governor directed that the following budget initiatives, totaling just over $200 million over the biennium, be paid for with a combination of state tax dollars ($49 million), tuition increases ($100.1 million) and reallocation ($65 million):
13.1 million in 2006-07 for the addition of 120 new faculty.
1 million to provide funding for UW domestic partner insurance. He recommended changes to the state statutes to allow this insurance to be provided.
$10.6 million for the UW's AOP and Lawton financial aid program. This increase includes funding both to replace auxiliary reserve revenues that were used to fund the programs in the last budget and funding to increase both programs by the estimated increases in tuition for the next two academic years.
$3 million for Alzheimer's research.
$11 million for debt service re-estimates.
$200,000 for the State Hygiene Lab.
$164.7 million for standard budget adjustments and utilities (cost-to-continue items)
The governor directed the UW System to reallocate $65 million over the biennium through administrative cuts ($35 million and 200 FTE over the biennium) and other efficiencies. The reallocated money would be used for the UW's cost-to-continue budget and some of the new initiatives outlined above.
In addition to the funding increases for the AOP and Lawton Grants, the governor provided funding to the Higher Educational Aids Board (HEAB) for Wisconsin Higher Education Grants (WHEG) for UW students. In addition, $30 million will replace the auxiliary reserve revenues that were used to fund the program in the last budget and $17.4 million will match the estimated increase in tuition for the next two academic years.
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