SUPPORT ADEQUATE STATE FUNDING FOR UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN – BARABOO/SAUK COUNTY CAMPUS

WHEREAS, the City of Baraboo and Sauk County have long enjoyed a relationship with the University of Wisconsin (UW) and the State of Wisconsin to provide post-secondary education at the UW-Baraboo/Sauk County Campus (UW-B/SC) in the City of Baraboo; and,
 

            WHEREAS, that partnership has been consistent with the “Wisconsin Idea” in that the resources of the University are applied to solving problems of the region and conducting outreach activities so that more than traditional degree tracked college students are provided educational opportunity and access; and,
 

            WHEREAS, the facilities of the UW-B/SC campus represent a cumulative investment worth millions by the City of Baraboo and Sauk County taxpayers and they currently have under construction a new $6 million Science Building, with the understanding that the State of Wisconsin and the UW System would continue to adequately support its share of a comprehensive educational program at these facilities and through the partnership arrangement for which Sauk County and the City of Baraboo have unfailingly provided its share; and,
 

            WHEREAS, Governor Walker has proposed a $300 million decrease in funding to the UW System in his biennial budget and also frozen tuition, which will almost certainly force significant program cuts and positions at UW-B/SC and throughout the system; and,
 

WHEREAS, while it is yet unknown exactly how these reductions will be distributed by the UW Board of Regents among, individual campuses and County sites, the estimated funding loss of anywhere from $640,000 to $1.1 million of state support to UW-B/SC will have a significant impact upon UW-B/SC; and,

WHEREAS, the total economic impact of UW-B/SC is 133 jobs and $6,132,249 in total income, and every $1 of state tax investment creates approximately $3 in the local economy; and,         

            WHEREAS, as local government officials, we have provided the local share of financial resource needed to ensure the ongoing partnership with UW-B/SC, as we see the value of the two-year college and the resources it brings, enriching our community, growing our economy, providing employment and raising earning levels in the City of Baraboo and Sauk County; and,
 

            WHEREAS, as local government officials, we are not strangers to the need to control expenses and balance budgets. We have made hard choices in the past and will continue to make them in the future, in order to meet levy limit requirements and to provide a package of public services that is affordable; and,

WHEREAS, it is our belief that the proposed cuts to the UW budget, if distributed as expected, will potentially harm the delivery of educational services and could affect the economy in terms of job creation and wage growth in the City of Baraboo and Sauk County; and will diminish the return on local investment in educational services and facilities for which we partner with the State of Wisconsin and the UW System.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the City of Baraboo and County of Sauk oppose all funding cuts to the University of Wisconsin System, and strongly encourage the State Legislature to eliminate the proposed funding cuts to the University of Wisconsin; and,

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED,  that the agreement between the State of Wisconsin, the UW Board of Regents, and the City and the County continue by ensuring that the system has adequate resources to distribute in order to maintain the effectiveness of our educational partnership in public service to our citizens.
 

For consideration by the Sauk County Board of Supervisors on May 19, 2015

Respectfully submitted:

UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN BARABOO-SAUK COUNTY CAMPUS COMMISSION

__________________________________    ___________________________________

Phil Wedekind, cHAIR                           Tom Kolb

__________________________________    ___________________________________

Tom Geimer, VICE CHAIR                       Andrea Lombard

__________________________________    ___________________________________

Scott Von Asten                         Kathryn Schauf

__________________________________

Cheryl Giese

EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE

___________________________________              __________________________________

MARTIN KRUEGER, Chairperson                           JOAN FORDHAM

___________________________________              __________________________________

JOE FISH                                                                    DENNIS POLIVKA

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WALLY CZUPRYNKO      

MIS Note:       No impact

Fiscal Note:    No impact