Main components of the State Budget for the 2017-19 Biennium impacting the UW System

• In-state undergraduate tuition is frozen for the entire UW System for the 2017-2019 biennium

This will constitute years five and six of the tuition freeze.

• The $25 million “lapse” – a temporary reduction in state funding to the UW System enacted in the 2015-17 biennium – has been restored.

The proportion of base GPR funds to be distributed to our campus totals $1,082,000.

• 4% Pay Plan: to be distributed to eligible employees in two installments: 2% July 1, 2018 and 2% January 1, 2019 (contact Human Resources Director Michelle Drost with any questions: michelle.drost@uwrf.edu)

This is the first significant pay plan in several years and demonstrates a confirmation of the value of our faculty and staff.  Only part of the funding needed to enact the pay plan is coming from State GPR dollars. A portion of the expense will need to be provided from campus funds, and the increases for employees funded through PR accounts will need to be covered from the same PR source.

• Performance-based funding: metrics to be defined

In each fiscal year beginning in fiscal year 2018?19, the Board of Regents shall allocate $26,250,000 to be distributed to institutions under a formula developed by the Board of Regents based on each institution’s performance with respect to the metrics identified for meeting the legislative goals:

1. Growing and ensuring student access.
2. Improving and excelling at student progress and completion.
3. Expanding contributions to the workforce.
4. Enhancing operational efficiency and effectiveness

The Board of Regents is charged with developing and submitting metrics to the Joint Finance Committee based on four goals established by the legislature.

Of that funding, in fiscal year 2017?18, the Board of Regents shall allocate $5,000,000 (Innovation Fund), to distribute to institutions to increase enrollments in high?demand degree programs. The Board of Regents shall make the distribution through a competitive process involving a request for proposals from the institutions.

• May Hall renovation funding

In the state Capital Budget, the UW System Major Project Request for the May Hall Addition and Renovation was approved, for a total of $4,955,000 (Program Revenue Supported Borrowing).

• Teaching workloads

The Board of Regents is being required to develop policies for monitoring the “teaching workloads” of faculty and instructional academic staff (IAS). We will now need to “report the number of hours spent teaching to the system administration.” The board will also develop related polices for rewarding faculty and IAS who teach more than a “standard academic load.”

UWRF is committed to helping elected officials and the public understand the numerous roles of university faculty, and that a simple “teaching load” metric does not come close to accurately representing the totality of the professional efforts of faculty, including advising, research, preparing for class, grading, service, etc.