As the Legislative Council Study Committee on the Future of the University of Wisconsin (UW) System wraps up its activities, Senator Chris Larson has voiced concerns about the state’s approach to higher education. Larson, a member of the committee and Ranking Democrat on the Senate Committee on Universities and Revenue, highlighted several issues in his statement.
Larson pointed out that “the Wisconsin Idea signifies the general principle that knowledge and education should be used to ensure that the people of the State may retain and exercise power within their government and the state’s economy.” He noted that this principle has been undermined by years of declining state investment in the UW System. According to Larson, legislative interference has hindered universities from effectively addressing student needs.
The senator criticized the Republican majority for targeting the university system with significant funding cuts over multiple budget cycles. He cited $600 million in cuts between 2011 and 2015, an unfunded tuition freeze from 2013 to 2021, and recent challenges to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives as evidence of eroding state support. In contrast to past levels where state investment constituted about 18% of UW system operations in 2010-2011, it has dropped to 15% for the academic year 2023-2024 while students’ share increased to 24%.
Larson also remarked on Wisconsin’s decline in national rankings for state government support for higher education, now standing at 43rd out of 50 states. He argued that rather than receiving necessary funding increases amid rising costs for quality education, universities have had to downplay DEI practices just to maintain a frozen budget allocation.
The committee’s recommendations were critiqued by Larson for not involving key campus communities or public input. Two proposals stood out: separating UW-Madison from other campuses and restructuring the UW Board of Regents to include legislators. Larson warned these could harm higher education by disrupting coordinated efforts across campuses and increasing political influence within university governance.
He emphasized maintaining a unified governing structure and significantly boosting state investment as ways to support the UW System. “We can best support the UW System, its students, and our communities by maintaining a unified governing structure,” he stated. Larson expressed his commitment to working with colleagues on a sustainable budget that ensures affordable college education for all Wisconsinites.
