Campus Communities,

The 2019-2021 budget signed today by Gov. Tony Evers will help UW Oshkosh begin the long-awaited renovations of the Clow Social Science Center/Nursing-Education building.

I am pleased with the investment in higher education being made by our Governor and legislators. I particularly would like to thank State Sen. Dan Feyen, R-Fond du Lac, State Rep. Gordon Hintz, D-Oshkosh, and State Rep. Michael Schraa, R-Oshkosh, for their efforts to advance this worthy project. Read UW System President Ray Cross’s statement on the budget.

The Clow renovations will help us create an educational center that will provide innovative instructional environments for the teachers of tomorrow, particularly those in the STEM area. We have waited a long time to start this project and are pleased that it will finally begin. The $500,000 in the state budget allows design work to begin now and the construction launch in 2021-2023.

The Governor’s budget approval also means there are state funds for the 2% annual pay plan adjustments that will help us continue to recognize you and your contributions.

While the budget represents an investment in higher education, it falls short in some areas. The Governor, in his introduction to the document released today, notes that he is disappointed in the failure of the budget to address the student loan debt crisis. I appreciate the many competing interests that come into play with the state budget. I also know that faculty, staff and administration at all three UW Oshkosh campuses will continue to put our efforts into the work we do to transform the lives of our students and develop the leaders who will guide Wisconsin into the future. I will continue to advocate for increased state support for UW Oshkosh and UW System.

Higher education highlights from the budget include:

• The budget commits over $1 billion in bonding authority UW-System wide, the largest nominal increase ever, to modernize aging campus buildings and improve learning environments, which will help the system attract and retain students, faculty and researchers.
• The budget provides $45 million over the biennium to UW System for capacity-building initiatives, while continuing to freeze resident undergraduate tuition to keep higher education affordable and mitigate student debt. Additionally, this investment will help the system use innovative programs to enroll more students and produce more graduates in high-demand fields.

Thank you for your dedication to UW Oshkosh and the difference you make every day in the lives of our students.

Chancellor Andy Leavitt