Our UW System schools have an integral role in developing Wisconsin’s workforce. Wisconsin is in a global competition to educate and retain talent. Investments need to be made in our universities to ensure we can educate and train Wisconsin’s workforce for the future. The operating and capital budgets were approved by the Board of Regents at their August 2024 meeting.
Preserving Accessibility
Dual enrollment – $7.25M request
- UWM’s dual enrollment program enables more underrepresented students to earn college credits while still in high school, reducing overall tuition costs and building a stronger connection to the university.
- In the 2023-2024 academic year, 48% of the 1,200 participating students were classified as underrepresented minorities.
- 28% of dual enrollment students at UWM come from the City of Milwaukee, underscoring the program’s importance in serving urban communities.
- Increasing dual enrollment funding would have a significant impact on overall student enrollment.
- Dual enrollment student matriculation rates have increased by 4% over the past three years, driven by hiring an additional staff member dedicated to student engagement. Expanding this program will require additional staff to sustain and grow these outcomes.
Direct admit – $1.5M request
- With Direct Admit, prospective students do not need to fill out a lengthy application and it streamlines the admissions process. This further reduces barriers to college.
General purpose revenue (GPR) increase – $156M over two years
- Inflation has increased operating costs; and the 10-year tuition freeze combined with compounding inflation have eaten away at UWM’s ability to effectively cover our administrative operations, creating risk.
- These operating costs include additional investment in IT infrastructure needs, such as increased license fees/costs for SAAS services (including System-wide enterprise costs such as Workday), hardware replacement needs in networking, data storage cost increases, desktop computing and classroom support, information security and compliance, and digital accessibility.
Increased Affordability
Tuition Promise – $39.97M request over two years
- The Promise program aims to increase the number of Wisconsin residents who graduate with a bachelor’s degree, especially first-generation students and those from low- to moderate-income households. The program improves lives and helps meet the state’s workforce needs.
- UWM currently enrolls 1,548 Promise-eligible students across its first two cohorts. They represent 51 Wisconsin counties, including Waukesha, Kenosha, Sheboygan, Rock, Brown, Fond du Lac, and Dane counties.
Veteran student support – $42M/FY26 request
- In the last two years, 718 veterans have graduated from UWM, representing a variety of majors across all UWM’s colleges and schools. All have received some sort of tuition funding. Programs like Project 22, the Military & Veterans Ball, and Veterans Week provide critical veteran support and networking opportunities, fostering community and student success.
Tuition and fee remission for tribal members – $2.5M/FY26 request
- In Fall 2024, 474 students were enrolled who identified as American Indian. These students come from across the state (and scattered from other states), with significant representation from Green Bay and the greater Milwaukee area. Expanding tuition remission will support these communities and promote greater access to higher education.
Student Success
Mental health services – $11M request
- Budget cuts have reduced UWM’s Student Health and Wellness Center (SHAW) staffing by two positions since 2021. This is despite an increased demand for counseling services that runs counter to decreases in enrollment. This is consistent with national trends.
- UWM’s counselor-to-student ratio stands at 1 to 1,850 students, which is well above the 1:1,000 benchmark. With 12 clinical providers for 22,000 students, UWM has one of the highest ratios in the UW System despite being the second largest institution and the largest city in Wisconsin. According to the benchmark recommendation from the International Accreditation of Counseling Services (IACS), SHAW should have 22.2 licensed clinical providers.
- With additional staff, not only could more students be seen, but innovative prevention programming to reduce crisis interventions could be expanded.
- Programs like You@UWM (a web-based hub for wellness tips, resources, and self-assessments), used by a record 1,800 students this academic year, have shown success, with 93% of users practicing wellness tips learned through the platform. Additional funding could ensure the program’s future amidst uncertain financial support.
Academic support – $9.9M request
- Additional funding would enable hiring more academic advisors, addressing high caseloads, and ensuring students receive tailored support. This is essential to improving retention, time to graduation and student success rates.
Investment in Innovation
AI investment – $46.6M request
- Programs/initiatives that UWM would like to launch:
- Enterprise Chatbots: A campus-wide chatbot system (such as Ida) to improve student services, streamline processes for advisors, and allow staff to focus on high-value interactions.
- Customizable GPT Environment: Inspired by the University of Michigan’s Maizey tool, this platform would empower instructors and staff to develop course- or service-specific chatbots, enhancing student access to information and resources.
- AI Service Bureau: A structured AI support center, modeled after UWM’s App Brewery, would pair professional staff with students to design and deploy AI solutions, offering real-world experience and scaling innovation across campus.
Freshwater Collaborative – $2.5M request
- Increased investment would enhance K-12 outreach, inspiring future water professionals and strengthening Wisconsin’s role as a leader in solving critical water challenges.
Ensuring quality (Retaining & Developing Talent)
5% and 3% general wage adjustment ($56M in FY26 and $35.38M in FY27
- Competitive wage adjustments are crucial for recruiting and retaining top talent, particularly as UWM employees are paid below market rates.
- Addressing the significant wage gap between UWM faculty/staff and others at peer institutions will help attract skilled professionals to the university and improve morale.