Republicans on the Legislature’s budget committee are weighing an $87 million cut to the Universities of Wisconsin — the largest in nearly a decade, according to the Wisconsin State Journal. UW had, by contrast, requested an $856 million increase in state aid.
For unspecified reasons, the committee decided not to take up UW’s budget at its meeting on Tuesday.
UW spokesperson Mark Pitsch said further cuts to the system would be “devastating” after years of prior cuts. The potential blow also comes as significant cuts to federal dollars funneled toward education loom.
It is unclear when the budget committee will take up UW’s budget, but to reach Gov. Tony Evers’ desk by the end of the fiscal year on June 30, it would need to happen next week. Other agencies, such as the Wisconsin Elections Commission and the Higher Education Aids Board, have also seen discussion on their spending levels pushed back.
