MADISON – WI – Following negotiations for the 2023-25 biennial state budget, the proposed Engineering Building Project on the UW-Madison Campus was not included.

Representative Shelia Stubbs released the following statement:

“The University of Wisconsin-Madison is a world renowned academic institution that greatly and positively impacts our state economy. As such, we must understand the critical importance of dedicating state funds to our state’s flagship campus to help it maintain its wonderful reputation and academic output. During negotiations to establish the state’s 2023-25 biennial budget, Republicans failed to include funding for the UW-Madison Engineering Building Project. This disastrous choice will greatly affect our campus’ ability to keep up with competing institutions and will drastically impact our retention of talented students, hurt our workforce and economy. It deeply troubles me that policymakers have chosen to neglect this important funding opportunity for our state.”

“I remain dedicated to promoting the innovative capabilities of Wisconsin’s educational institutions, creating the output of a well-educated, dynamic workforce. The GOP-controlled Joint Committee on Finance neglected to allocate funding for a keystone investment into our state’s workforce in their decision not to fund this project. The $347 million engineering building at UW Madison would reverberate positive externalities throughout our state in the form of economic development and talent acquisition. Given the flurry of recent legislative productivity on the national level aimed at promoting infrastructure development, our state failed to capitalize on an opportunity to cement Wisconsin’s status among the best in the nation in terms of human capital development for the next crop of engineers.”

“I urge my Republican colleagues to reflect on the long term consequences of their actions. The last decade has witnessed a decline in younger cohorts migrating to the Badger State, a trend that will be compounded by poor investment into the UW System. These budget cuts to higher education undermine the lifeblood of our state’s workforce for both present and future generations.”

“Our state deserves a budget that addresses the moment and helps build a more diverse, well-rounded, and inclusive Wisconsin. Establishing a thriving set of public schools, technical colleges, and universities demonstrates our commitment to building a prosperous Wisconsin for all.”