Welcome to the Universities of Wisconsin Government Relations Newsletter. The Office of Government Relations provides legislative and political updates that impact the Universities of Wisconsin at the state and federal level.
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Board of Regents
The Board of Regents for the Universities of Wisconsin met last week at UW-Superior.
A summary of the meeting can be accessed here.
State Relations
Please check back for updates.
State Building Commission
The next meeting of the State Building Commission is scheduled for Thursday, October 22nd. Below is the schedule for the day:
- 12:00pm – Administrative Affairs Subcommittee
- 1:00pm – Higher Education Subcommittee
- 3:00pm – Full State Building Commission
The meeting notice and agenda can be found here.
Federal Relations
Department of Education FY2026 in Review
On October 5, the Department of Education shared a release titled, “Fiscal Year 2026 in Review: Investing in Career Readiness, Improving Outcomes for Students, and Returning Education to the States.”
At the time of the release, Secretary McMahon said, “This is truly proof of concept that our interagency partnerships are delivering for the American people by streamlining services, breaking up the federal education bureaucracy, better stewarding taxpayer resources, and demonstrating these programs are better situated in other federal agencies. As we return education to the states, we are focusing our resources on the fundamentals – investing in literacy, expanding career training and apprenticeships, and delivering stronger support to students with disabilities. As a prime example, nearly 80 percent of new elementary and secondary education grants went directly to State Education Agencies or state-endorsed projects, ensuring federal dollars closely reflect local needs. When we zero in on these foundational needs and let states lead the way, students are better served.”
For more, you can review the release.
Full House and Senate Hearing Schedule
If interested, you can see a full list of upcoming hearings on the Senate Hearings & Meetings Page. A review of the committee hearings in the House of Representatives is available via the Committee Schedule within the House of Representatives Legislative Activity section on the Chamber’s main page.
House and Senate Floor Schedules
Both the House of Representatives and the Senate are in scheduled district and state work periods; each chamber is scheduled to return to Washington DC in November.
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