In this update:

• UW System Updates
• Administration Updates
• Supreme Court Updates
• Legislative Updates
• Election Updates
• Federal Updates

UW System Updates

Regents approve deal that would invest over $800 million in UW-System

In an 11-6 vote, the Universities of Wisconsin Board of Regents approved a deal brokered by Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R) and UW System President Jay Rothman to bring more than $800 million in additional funding to the UW-System in exchange for restructuring administrative positions and programming related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Wednesday’s decision came just days after the Regents rejected the exact same deal in a 9-8 vote over the weekend. Several UW System chancellors endorsed the deal prior to the second vote, calling the additional funding “vitally important” for the future of their respective campuses. Regents who changed their vote from opposing the deal to supporting it include board president Karen Walsh, board vice president Amy Bogost, and UW-Parkside student Regent Jennifer Staton. DPI Superintendent Jill Underly was not present for either vote, citing a pre-planned vacation overseas.

Aspects of the deal GOP lawmakers support:

• Reclassify 43 current DEI positions to “student success” employees.
• Three-year moratorium on UW-System adding new jobs, except for faculty and staff who directly support students or research.
• Replace the TOP program, which provides funding for departments to hire diverse faculty, with a program that would seek to hire faculty who have success working with underrepresented students.
• Guarantee admission to UW-Madison for Wisconsin high school students who place in the top 5% of their class, and guarantee admission to other UW campuses for in-state students who place in the top 10%.
• Eliminate diversity statements from student applications.
• Raise money from private donors to fund a UW-Madison faculty member focused on conservative political thought, classical economic theory, or classical liberalism.

Aspects of the deal UW System supports:

• $740 million in infrastructure funding, including the money needed to construct the new UW-Madison engineering building.
• $32 million to spend on programs supporting the state’s workforce needs.
• Pay raises of 4% in 2023 and 2% in 2024 for UW-System employees.
• Redirects additional tuition dollars the UW-System receives from students from Minnesota out of the state’s general fund and into the UW-System’s budget.

Reaction:

Gov. Tony Evers (D): “This exercise has been about one thing—the relentless political tantrums, ultimatums, and threats of retribution by legislative Republicans, most especially Speaker Robin Vos, his negotiation-by-bullying tactics, and general disdain for public education at every level. I disagree with the regents’ decision today. I am disappointed and frustrated with this result, this proposal, and the process that led up to this point. It is also my expectation that every individual who promised in this process that the important work of building diversity, equity, and inclusion and making sure our campuses are welcoming and work for everyone would not be diminished by this action will be working in earnest to make good on that commitment. And I’m going to make damn sure that they do.” Read the full statement here.

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R): “I’m glad they approved the compromise tonight despite reported last-minute lobbying by Gov. Evers to scuttle the deal. We finally have turned the corner and gotten real reforms enacted. Republicans know this is just the first step in what will be our continuing efforts to eliminate these cancerous DEI practices on UW campuses.”

UW-System President Jay Rothman: “I thank the Board of Regents for approving this agreement that will deliver more than $800 million in projects, initiatives, and withheld pay to our employees. Given the circumstances, this is good for our students, our universities, and the state of Wisconsin. Compromise can be extraordinarily difficult, and I acknowledge that not everyone will be happy. Significant priorities that will benefit our students are in this agreement. Our commitments are conditioned on legislative action. We expect the state legislature will now honor the agreement we reached, which I believe, on balance, is in the best interest of the UWs and our state. As we made clear publicly for months, diversity and inclusion are core values, but we are open to changing how some of these positions can better benefit student retention and graduation. The UWs are here for every Wisconsinite. Our mission is developing the talent we all need to prosper economically, as well as to provide students with the education they deserve, and their parents expect.”

Administration Updates

Diana Maas appointed as assistant deputy secretary for DOA

Department of Administration (DOA) Secretary Kathy Blumenfeld announced the appointment of Diana Maas as Assistant Deputy Secretary for DOA. Prior to joining DOA, Ms. Maas served as government affairs coordinator for State Farm and before that, as legislative liaison for the Department of Transportation. “Ensuring we meet our mission of delivering effective and efficient services at the best value to government agencies and the public, means having the right people, at the right place, and the right time,” Sec. Blumenfeld said. “As we continue to modernize our state workplace and workforce, Diana will be a trusted partner in building the future of DOA, and I’m excited to welcome her aboard.”

State Building Commission approves $589M for projects across Wisconsin

Governor Tony Evers (D) announced the Wisconsin Building Commission has approved approximately $589 million in projects across Wisconsin. “These critical investments will allow us to modernize our infrastructure and state agency operations while working to meet the needs of the next generation of leaders,” said Gov. Evers. “Whether it’s providing cutting-edge spaces for higher education or expanding capacity and efficiency in existing structures, I’m glad the Commission sees the value in continuing to invest in the future of Wisconsin. I’m excited to see the positive impacts these projects will have across the state in the years to come as we continue our work building a stronger, more successful state for all.”

Approved projects include:

• New unified home for the College of Arts and Human Services at UW-Stout’s Heritage Hall.
• Construction for UW-Stevens Point’s Champions Hall.
• Release of grant funds to propel the expansion of Children’s Wisconsin Dental Clinic.
• Vital Minor Facilities Renewal projects at UW-Madison and UW-Platteville.
• Planning funds to ignite preliminary plans for important projects, including replacements at Hartman Creek State Park, a remodel at UW-Oshkosh’s Polk Library, and classroom modernization at UW-Stevens Point’s Sentry Hall.
• 17 high priority maintenance and repair projects across various state agencies.

For Gov. Evers’ press release, click here.

DSPS announces partnership with WAICU

The Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) and the Wisconsin Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (WAICU) announced a partnership to streamline the professional licensing process for students graduating from health care programs at WAICU institutions. The partnership with WAICU mirrors DSPS’s collaboration with the Universities of Wisconsin that was announced last month, which allows the Universities to have limited access to the Educator Access Portal (LEAP) of LicensE, DSPS’s online occupational licensing system. The new agreement will now allow WAICU institutions to have the same access to LEAP, which includes the ability to monitor their students’ progress through the license application process and then can guide any students having challenges with the process.

LicensE was launched a year and a half ago and according to DSPS Secretary Dan Hereth, reduced the time it takes DSPS to review application materials from several weeks to 2-3 days. MTX Group collaborated with DSPS by using Salesforce technology to modernize the license application process from paper and PDF based to an online platform, further streamlining the application process. The partnership of MTX Group and DSPS has allowed for more people, including graduating students, to move through the licensing process quicker to enter Wisconsin’s workforce. Universities of Wisconsin President Jay Rothman said during the announcement at UW-Milwaukee last month, “Wisconsin is in a war for talent. It is real and it is urgent. This collaboration has so much potential for the graduates in these high-demand fields at UW-Milwaukee and all of the 13 Universities of Wisconsin.”

Supreme Court Updates

State Supreme Court rejects request to directly hear school choice lawsuit

Wisconsin’s Supreme Court ruled unanimously to deny a request to directly hear a lawsuit that sought to declare unconstitutional Wisconsin’s school choice program, the oldest such program in the nation. The justices did not comment on the rejected petition for original action filed by seven plaintiffs and Minocqua Brewing Co. owner Kirk Bangstad. The lawsuit challenges Wisconsin’s funding system for schools and claims the voucher program diverts resources from public schools, which is a violation of the state Constitution. Attorneys representing the petitioners now have the option to re-file the lawsuit with a circuit court. Along with rejecting the motion, the court also denied the nine friend-of-the-court briefs, ruling they’re moot.

The lawsuit names Speaker Robin Vos (R), Department of Administration Secretary Kathy Blumenfeld, and Department of Public Instruction Superintendent Jill Underly as defendants. While Superintendent Underly took no position, Speaker Vos and the Evers administration requested the court reject taking the suit directly. Gov. Evers’ office commented on the “factually intense nature” of the suit, and the Department of Justice said the case wasn’t appropriate for the court to take original action on.

Skwierawski receives permanent appointment as director of state courts

Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Audrey Skwierawski secured a permanent appointment as director of state courts despite her interim appointment to the post in August causing a rift among justices. Judge Skwierawski’s appointment will be effective December 31, making her the first woman to serve as director of state courts.

Conservative Chief Justice Annette Ziegler called the liberal majority’s decision in August to fire former state courts director Randy Koschnick and replace him with Judge Skwierawski “nothing short of a coup.” Judge Koschnick had held the position since 2017. Chief Justice Ziegler also argued at the time that Judge Skwierawski was “unlawfully appointed” and could not be director of state courts while serving as an elected member of the Milwaukee County Circuit Court. State law mandates that a sitting judge cannot accept a position of public trust during their term, but liberals have argued that the position doesn’t qualify to the state law. According to a press release from the state Supreme Court, Judge Skwierawski will step down from the Milwaukee Circuit Court in order to take the new post. Justice Rebecca Dallet said Judge Skwierawski has an “immense understanding of the Wisconsin court system,” and Justice Jill Karofsky said she will work “tirelessly” for the people of Wisconsin.

Legislative Updates

Knodl moving forward with confirming Riepl to WEC

State Senator Dan Knodl (R) said he expects to continue moving forward with confirming Governor Tony Evers’ (D) appointment of former Eau Claire city clerk Carrie Riepl to the Wisconsin Elections Commission (WEC). Sen. Knodl, who serves as the chair of the Senate Shared Revenue, Elections and Consumer Protection Committee, made the comments after eight hours of public testimony on early absentee ballot processing and final five voting bills. He asked how long Ms. Riepl had clerked, if she’d engaged local lawmakers to change state laws, and if she thought the laws were easy to follow. Ms. Riepl said her legal background helps her better understand election law and that she had limited interactions with Sen. Jesse James (R) and a few others about state laws during COVID-19. However, she said “I am not an advocate for or against any specific change” to state law statutes. During the hearing, Ms. Riepl said, “It would be an honor to serve the voters and the clerks in this state.” Sen. Knodl responded, “I expect to expedite that opportunity for you, or to at least bring it forward so we can address that appointment.”

Ms. Riepl was appointed to replace former WEC commissioner and Milwaukee County Clerk Joseph Czarnezki, whose appointment to the WEC was rejected by GOP Senators in a 21-11 vote in October that fell largely along party lines. Sen. Knodl and other GOP senators who voted against his appointment claimed Mr. Czarnezki’s choice to abstain from voting on the reappointment of WEC Administrator Megan Wolfe was a “dereliction of duty” meant to prevent the Senate from exercising its right to oversight.

Election Updates

New polling on presidential, senate races in Wisconsin

Bloomberg/Morning Consult and Public Policy Polling (PPP) released new Wisconsin polling results this week.

Bloomberg/Morning Consult

• A poll of registered voters in Wisconsin found 45% would vote for former President Donald Trump (R) in the November 2024 presidential election, while 41% said they would vote for President Joe Biden (D).
• The poll interviewed 681 registered Wisconsin voters between November 27 – December 6, 2023. The margin of error is +/- 4 percentage points. The surveys were conducted online and weighted to approximate a target sample of registered voters in the state based on gender, age, race/ethnicity, marital status, home ownership, and 2020 presidential vote.
• FiveThirtyEight rates Morning Consult a B- pollster.

Public Policy Polling

• A GOP presidential primary poll found 54% of likely Republican primary voters in Wisconsin favored former President Donald Trump, 16% backed Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, and 15% supported former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Hailey. Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie picked up 5% and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy came in at 4%.
• Respondents were also asked who they would vote for in the GOP nomination for the 2024 U.S. Senate race in Wisconsin if the candidates were former Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke, Eric Hovde, and Scott Mayer. The poll found 52% of likely Republican voters in Wisconsin favor Sheriff Clarke, 7% favor Mr. Hovde, 6% support Mr. Mayer, and 36% were not sure who they would vote for.
• The poll of 503 likely Republican primary voters in Wisconsin was conducted between December 11-12, 2023. The margin of error is +/- 4.4 percentage points.
• FiveThirtyEight rates PPP an A- pollster.

Federal Updates

Biden to visit Milwaukee on Wednesday

President Joe Biden (D) will visit Milwaukee on Wednesday to discuss his economic policies. Pres. Biden’s last visit to Wisconsin was in August to tour a manufacturing plant for Ingeteam, a vehicle charger manufacturer. During that trip he said “Bidenomics” was reducing inflation, increasing wages, and bringing jobs back to America. Wednesday’s stop will be Pres. Biden’s seventh visit to Wisconsin since the beginning of his presidency. The White House said the President’s latest visit is a chance for him to tout “how Bidenomics and his Investing in America agenda are leading to a small business boom, lowering costs for hardworking families, and building an economy from the middle out and the bottom up.”