Wisconsin’s public university system is emphasizing affordability, access and forward motion in its 2027-29 budget request, seeking a $730 million increase in funding from the state Legislature and governor ahead of November elections.
The budget was crafted in part by an interim UW president, Renée Wachter, after former President Jay Rothman was fired earlier this year. Flagship UW-Madison is also down a long-term chancellor. This November’s elections could prove consequential in determining how many of the Universities of Wisconsin’s proposals come to life.
Last year, the university system requested an $855 million increase and received a $256 million increase, which the governor’s office reported as the largest in 20 years.
Here are five takeaways from the universities’ budget request.
Tuition freeze, limit
One major highlight of the budget proposal is a four-year “tuition pledge”: a two-year tuition freeze and a two-year commitment to limiting tuition up to the rate of inflation. A new program, Wisconsin Work and Learn, would cover tuition for students from households earning below the median household income, with a work requirement.
In 2025, the UWs announced the return of its tuition promise program, funded by Ascendium Education Group through 2029, for Wisconsin students whose families earn $55,000 or less. A previous version of the promise program covered students whose families earned $62,000 or less.
Several previous legislative sessions have declined to fund a tuition promise program.
Building up Wisconsin’s workforce, health care sector
The UWs’ goals are to “create 300,000 career-ready workers, upskill 1 million workers for better jobs, and create 2,500 new businesses over a decade,” according to a news release, by helping wannabe business owners, developing new products and supporting continuing education. The dollar amount hasn’t yet been released.
A specific goal is to train 35,000 health care workers over the next 10 years, for which the university system is requesting $90 million across its 13 schools.
Increasing dual enrollment
A new program called Wisconsin Jump Start would expand dual enrollment at the high school level. The budget request doesn’t specify an amount, but asks that the state include a program and administering state agency in its finalized budget.
Dual enrollment has grown in schools like UW-Green Bay, whose Rising Phoenix program is meant to connect underrepresented students to higher education.
Research funding request
The UWs are also seeking a $25 million investment focused on advancing research on diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and cancer. UW-Madison alone estimated in February it had lost $27 million in federal funding under the Trump administration.
‘Ethical’ artificial intelligence
The UWs are requesting $45 million to build a large-scale AI network and to purchase AI licenses for advanced versions of AI models like ChatGPT and Claude for UW staff and students. This would also fund training and specialist positions for universities to “thoughtfully incorporate AI into courses and academic programs, research, and operations.”
What comes next?
The UW Board of Regents is expected to vote on the budget proposal later this week. From there, the newly elected governor will release his own statewide budget proposal in early 2027.
What that proposal will look like depends on who wins in November. Republican candidate for governor Tom Tiffany has said he would impose a tuition freeze and would consider decreasing UW funding going forward, while Democratic candidate David Crowley’s website emphasizes dual enrollment and clear career pathways.
Wachter and Regent President Kyle Weatherly declined to comment on any political preferences in an Aug. 17 news conference.
“We know that the election talk is in the air, but really the last few months we have spent most of our time and attention on really crafting a budget that is designed to be bold and address the state’s needs,” Wachter said.
The governor’s proposal requires approval from the Legislature, which has been controlled by Republicans for over a decade. In the past, that approval process has led to an appropriation that’s significantly less than what was requested.
Ahead of the 2025-27 state budget, the Universities of Wisconsin requested an $855 million increase and received a $256 million increase, reported as the largest increase in 20 years.
In the 2023-25 budget, the university system requested a $435 million increase, but the budget remained flat. In 2021-23, it requested a $96 million increase and received an $8.25 million increase.
Contact Green Bay education reporter Nadia Scharf at nscharf@usatodayco.com or on X at @nadiaascharf.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Tuition freeze, research, AI funding define UWs $730M budget request
Reporting by Nadia Scharf, USA TODAY NETWORK – Wisconsin / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Nadia Scharf, USA TODAY NETWORK – Wisconsin | USA TODAY Network
