UW System President Cross releases statement on governor’s budget plan

In response to Gov. Scott Walker’s announcement Tuesday night regarding his proposed 2015-17 budget, the University of Wisconsin System is sharing the following statement from UW System President Ray Cross:

“As part of his budget proposal, the Governor has embraced the idea of designating the UW System as a public authority. Increased autonomy and flexibility will allow us to use our resources more efficiently and provide significant savings and benefits over the long term. I strongly believe this authority, and the dedicated funding stream proposed by the Governor, provide the architecture and resources to stabilize our future. This will put us in a better position to continue to deliver a quality academic product.

The Governor’s budget also reduces state support of the UW System by $300 million over the 2015-17 biennium. This is a serious cut that will force each institution and campus within the UW System to make difficult decisions about its workforce and programming. We are hopeful that we will be able to work with our partners in the legislature to mitigate and reduce this cut in the coming months.

The combination of increased autonomy and the significant reduction in state support will change the way the UW System looks and operates. As with every budget, there will be a thorough and thoughtful discussion with the legislature, the public, and the administration about this proposal. We look forward to participating in that process to ensure the continued excellence of our world-class university.”