The Weekly Update

Government Relations Newsletter Update  

Starting Tuesday, September 8, the regularly scheduled Government Relations Newsletter will resume on a weekly basis. 

Board of Regents 

The Board of Regents for the Universities of Wisconsin met in person at UW-Madison on Thursday, August 20, and unanimously approved the 2027-29 Universities of Wisconsin Biennial Operating and Capital Budget Requests. 

Within the UWs operating budget request are 3 promises to Wisconsin: 

• Promise #1: Every Wisconsinite will have access to an affordable, high-quality UW education. 

• Promise #2: Build Wisconsin’s workforce and next generation of businesses. 

• Promise #3: Advance life-saving discoveries and improve access to health care across Wisconsin. 

Both the operating and capital budget requests will next be submitted to the Department of Administration by the statutory deadline of September 15.  

A news summary of all board actions can be found here. 

Senate Committee on Health 

On Tuesday, August 18, at 11am, the Senate Committee on Health held an informational hearing on the topic of graduate nursing student clinical placements. Individuals from UW-Madison, UW-Oshkosh, and UW-Milwaukee were invited to testify. 

If interested, you can watch a recording of the hearing on WisconsinEye.  

Veterans’ Benefits Study Committee 

On Tuesday, August 25, the Legislative Council Study Committee on State Veterans’ Benefits held its first meeting. You can find more information on the committee page here. 

The next meeting is scheduled for September 22.  

Please check back for updates. 

Accreditation, Innovation, and Modernization Notice of Proposed Rulemaking 

On August 20, the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) related to Accreditation, Innovation, and Modernization: Secretary’s Recognition of Accrediting Agencies: Institutional Eligibility under the Higher Education Act, as Amended, Student Assistance General Provisions was published. 

At the time of the release, Under Secretary of Education Nicolas Kent said, “At a time when Americans have lost trust in higher education, the Trump Administration’s proposed changes to the accreditation system are intended to reorient our quality assurance framework so that accreditors prioritize student outcomes rather than bureaucratic processes or the promotion of divisive and unlawful ideological agendas. Instead of ensuring institutions offer high-quality educational programs that justify the time and cost of a college education, the antiquated accreditation system has contributed to inflated tuition, administrative bloat, and ideology-driven mandates on college campuses. The Department’s proposed changes to our higher education quality assurance system will improve college affordability, reconnect education to workforce needs, strengthen accountability, and restore confidence in our accreditation system.” 

For more, you can read the Department of Education’s press 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  

The House of Representatives is expected to be in session and voting this week. As it is announced, the expected schedule of votes for the House of Representatives can be found on the preceding website. The Senate remains in the scheduled August recess and is expected to return to DC the week of September 14.