Leaders at the University of Wisconsin-Madison have instructed all departments to reduce their budgets by a minimum of 5%, the Wisconsin State Journal reports. The announcement comes amid a number of federal changes affecting higher education and uncertainty surrounding Wisconsin’s state budget.
University leaders stated that all UW-Madison schools and colleges would need to cut their 2026 budgets by 5%, and administration and other areas would need to cut theirs by 7% for the upcoming year. A small number of units may be given additional time to implement cuts or may be required to reduce their budgets by a small percentage, based on their financial situations, according to a letter to staff from Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin and other leaders.
Those savings are expected to result from cutbacks on non-personnel expenses and leaving vacant positions unfilled. What specifically will be impacted by the cuts will be announced later this summer.
Mnookin and other leaders said the budget cuts are necessary to maintain the university’s long-term financial viability.
