Dear Colleagues,
I am pleased to share a positive budget update: On July 3, Gov. Evers signed into law a bipartisan budget agreement that includes $256 million in increased operational support for the Universities of Wisconsin (UWs). This is the largest increase in over two decades. The bill also includes $840 million for capital building projects across the UWs.
For UWM, this means:
- Health Sciences Renovation moves forward. With $189 million earmarked for this project, UWM will continue to transform former hospital buildings in the Northwest Quad into a modern health sciences hub, serving more than 20 majors and programs and producing more health care workers for the state of Wisconsin.
- Pay raises for our employees. Over $94 million will be used to increase wages for UWs employees at the rate of 3% in the first year and 2% in the second year of the biennium. The increases, which are partially funded by UWM, will depend on the final approval of the State Employee Compensation Plan by the legislature’s Joint Committee on Employee Relations in the fall. Details on employee eligibility and distribution will be developed by UWs and UWM. Once approved, raises will be retroactive to July 1, 2025.
- Funds to recruit and retain faculty in high demand fields. A budgeted $54 million over two years for UWs will provide merit and market-based compensation to attract faculty in high-demand fields of study.
- Operating funds. UWs will receive $26.5 million annually in general program revenue funding to be allocated to UW institutions. More work will be done to determine how and when funds will be allocated.
- Mental health services for our students. UWs will use $7 million over two years for a pilot program to provide virtual telehealth mental health services across all campuses.
- Building renovations and repairs. Approximately $35 million is budgeted for projects to renovate and upgrade UWM’s core campus building automation system, Lapham Hall’s exterior and roof, and the Maryland Avenue bridge, and to relocate classrooms from the Physics Building to the Kenwood Interdisciplinary Research Complex, modernize a large lecture hall into an active learning classroom, and design repairs for the Sandburg Hall East restrooms.
- Engineering & Neuroscience Project. Nearly $7 million has been designated to advance design to renovate the Engineering and Mathematical Sciences (EMS) Building and replace the outdated Physics Building with a new shared facility for these rapidly growing STEM disciplines.
This is a step forward for higher education in Wisconsin, and we are grateful to Gov. Evers, members of the legislature, UWs President Jay Rothman, and all who advocated on behalf of UWM.
While this increase helps us move forward, UWM will still face difficult decisions in the coming months. We will continue on the path of FY26 4% budget cuts due to anticipated reductions in graduate and international enrollments and reduced federal funding. We will also need to address workload, program array, and other decisions in order to align our work with the pillars of our 2030 Action Plan. Measures like these allow us to preserve UWM’s role as an indispensable resource for our city, state, and beyond. We will continue to carefully review UWM’s budget and share updates as available.
But today we celebrate the good news that we will soon be producing more health care workers for Wisconsin, our employees will receive well-deserved pay increases, our students can get the mental health help they need, and our campus buildings will look and function better.
These investments affirm the vital role you play in advancing innovation, student success, and economic growth in Wisconsin. Thank you for your dedication and commitment to UWM and our students.
Best regards,
Mark A. Mone, PhD
Chancellor