Regents approve annual operating budget for Universities of Wisconsin (day 1 news summary)

Chancellor Mark Mone welcomes the Board of Regents to its annual meeting hosted by UW-Milwaukee. (Troye Fox/UWM)

MILWAUKEE – The Board of Regents today approved the annual operating budget for the Universities of Wisconsin for 2024-25, the second year of the State of Wisconsin’s 2023-25 biennium.

In summary, the expenditure budget for FY25 will increase by $474 million, or 6.3%, while the revenue budget will increase by $515 million, or just under 7%. The increases to the expenditure budget result mainly from projected increases in research grants, philanthropy, tuition, and GPR dedicated to employee compensation. In addition, a total of $34.8 million in tuition balances is planned for one-time use.

• See the PowerPoint, “Fiscal Year 2024-25 Annual Operating Budget”

Introducing the proposed budget to the full Board, Universities of Wisconsin President Jay Rothman told Regents that six of the 13 UW universities are now projecting a structural deficit for 2024-25, down from the 10 reported in the 2023-24 annual budget.

“While this is encouraging, some of the universities projecting deficit elimination still need to affect some substantial budget reductions to achieve their goal,” Rothman said. He added that budget documents include campus-by-campus descriptions of key factors that impact their revenue and expense budgets, their fundraising efforts, and the initiatives they are undertaking in support of the goals of the UW Strategic Plan.

Regent Ashok Rai, chair of the Business & Finance committee which discussed the budget proposal more fully in the morning meeting, encouraged universities to remain fully committed to the implementation of their fiscal remediation plans. “The elimination of structural deficits is not only an important goal of our strategic plan, it is imperative to the financial health and overall strength of our institutions,” he said.

Rai also urged consideration of setting benchmarks on the expense side to better track and compare campus differences. He noted that while campuses are unique, it is important to understand what it actually costs to educate students. He also suggested that the Board should take a strong stand on implementing shared services to further reduce costs.

The approved budget is based on the second year of the state’s biennial budget enacted last year, as well as tuition and rate adjustments approved by the Board at the April 2024 meeting. The costs for a typical resident undergraduate living on campus at a 4-year university, including tuition, segregated feeds, and room and board, will increase an average of 3.8% for 2024-25.

“The old adage, ‘You can’t cut your way to success’ applies – without question – to the Universities of Wisconsin,” Rothman said. “Through the investment of Wisconsinites over the decades, we have a stellar university system that is an undeniable contributor to our state’s economic prosperity.”

“But we take that for granted at our peril,” Rothman continued. “While there can be debates about whatever measure might be most appropriate, one cannot credibly argue that the state’s investment in our public universities does not generate a substantial return on investment. And yet, our state support and tuition dollars rank us 43^rd out of 50 states in terms of funding for public universities.”

Rothman noted the state has a clear decision to make about the future. “I hope we – as Wisconsinites – choose wisely,” he said.

Title IX Update

General Counsel Quinn Williams and Title IX Specialist Dany Thompson provided Regents with a brief history of Title IX as well as the steps the Universities of Wisconsin have taken and will need to take to gain compliance with new U.S. Department of Education rules.

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 requires that all educational institutions that receive federal funds of financial assistance prohibit sex discrimination in their education programs and activities. The U.S. Department of Education has engaged in rulemaking to further examine and clarify schools’ responsibilities in responding appropriately to reports of sex discrimination, sexual harassment, sexual violence, intimate partner violence, and stalking involving faculty, staff, and students, as well as pregnant and parenting students. On April 19, 2024, the department released a final rule which all recipient educational institutions are required to comply with by Aug. 1, 2024.

Regents approved a resolution calling for a Notice of Preliminary Public Hearing on the scope statements for the revision of Chapters UWS 1, 4, 7, 11, and 17 of the Wisconsin Administrative Code.

A virtual preliminary public hearing regarding the scope statements for the proposed rule changes will be held on June 14, 2024, from 2:30-3:30 p.m.

• See Title IX hearing information, the public comment form, and FAQs at wisconsin.edu/compliance/title-ix/

Host Campus Presentation: “Transforming for Tomorrow Together”

Chancellor Mone (Troye Fox/UWM)

UW-Milwaukee Chancellor Mark Mone offered Regents a clear picture of the university’s integral value to the region in a wide-ranging host-campus presentation.

Mone explained UWM’s direct approach to overcoming the challenges facing all of higher education, including providing the support and expertise that students desire while training them in skills that the real-world marketplace demands.

Mone shared examples of how current and future investment in UWM will pay dividends for students, industry, the community and the state’s economy. He spotlighted two crucial projects that would resonate long into the future – the Health Sciences Renovation project and the Engineering & Neuroscience project. Investing in these initiatives will boost enrollment in the ever-growing fields of health care and STEM, he said. And because more than 80% of UWM graduates in the last decade have remained in Wisconsin, the state’s employers will get more of the highly skilled professionals they desperately need.

Mone said UWM’s reputation in these areas is a big reason why Microsoft chose UWM’s Connected System Institute to house the nation’s first manufacturing-focused AI Co-Innovation Lab as part of its $3.3 billion investment in southeast Wisconsin. In addition to strengthening UWM’s education and research missions, the new lab will connect Wisconsin companies with Microsoft’s artificial intelligence experts and developers.

Mone also told Regents about two of UWM’s forward-thinking initiatives to streamline and bolster enrollment. In partnership with Milwaukee Area Technical College and Milwaukee Public Schools, UWM recently implemented a direct admit program that allows MPS juniors to apply for free to both higher education institutions. UWM has also forged groundbreaking agreements with regional technical colleges that will guarantee admission to UWM for their graduates and streamline the credit transfer process.

“We need a successful urban research and access university,” Mone said. “Our alumni… they are the talent base. With further investment, we can do even more. If we don’t have that investment, we’re hobbled. A lot depends on this. We do value your support.”

Report of the Board President

Regent President Karen Walsh, closing out her term as president at this meeting, took the opportunity to thank her Regent colleagues for their dedication to the Board’s work and their support over the last couple years. She also acknowledged the key support of the Board office staff, the excellence of the UWs’ chancellors and provosts, and the commitment to higher education shown by shared governance groups. “I have learned so much from the faculty, staff, and students. They are so engaged, and I love their passion for the work they do,” Walsh said.

In her report to the Board, Walsh highlighted the success of the Regents Business Partnership Awards, which were launched just over a year ago. “From WE Energies to Kwik Trip to Sentry, these collaborations are vitally important to advance the next generation of research, provide career training through internships, and develop a pipeline for our students to that they can land a job before they graduate,” she said.

See video retrospective on Regents Business Partnership Awards

Walsh noted that the most recent award was presented last month to UW-La Crosse and the JF Brennan Company, a La Crosse-based marine construction firm. Collaborative efforts have included development of curricula and research opportunities, such as helping students gain valuable research skills on the Mississippi River through the UWs’ Freshwater Collaborative.

Walsh then recognized several significant accomplishments by the Universities of Wisconsin. She told Regents that the Wisconsin Small Business Development Center network – one of five programs at the UWs’ Institute for Business & Entrepreneurship – was recently honored with two Small Business Administration awards. She also noted that UW-Stout was recently named a national Green Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education, recognizing its long-term and ongoing efforts to infuse sustainability into operations and into the classroom and to create a campuswide culture that advances environmental initiatives.

Finally, Walsh also gave a shout-out to UW-Superior for cleaning up in the Division III Upper Midwest Athletic Conference this year, with 12 regular season championships, 3 post-season championships, 4 NCAA championship appearances, and a slew of individual awards.

Report of the Universities of Wisconsin President

Addressing the recent demonstrations related to the war in Gaza on college campuses both in Wisconsin and nationwide, President Rothman reiterated that the Universities of Wisconsin “remain committed to upholding free speech rights while simultaneously upholding the law and our mission to ensure the health, safety, and welfare of our students and the communities we serve.”

He added, “Our universities must be a home for passionate and vigorous debate. And our students need to be free from harassment and intimidation. Balancing these goals can sometimes be difficult, but I believe it can be done. And it must be a priority to ensure it is done.”

As with many principles, the challenge is to put them into practice, Rothman said, and he acknowledged that “we have been tested in recent weeks while striving to stay true to our core beliefs.”

Rothman stressed that the Universities of Wisconsin “must seek to maintain viewpoint neutrality on challenging public issues. This is especially important when there are students and university stakeholders on multiple sides of any given issue.”

He noted that starting this fall, all incoming freshmen at the UWs will learn more about free expression and the rights and responsibilities associated with the First Amendment through videos and other programming that will be ongoing during their first semester. Student-focused civil dialogue initiatives like “It’s Just Coffee” will also continue. Rothman said the universities can provide a forum for civil dialogue in other ways as well, pointing to a recent event hosted by the Wisconsin Institute for Citizenship and Civil Dialogue (WICCD) and the Wisconsin Institute for Public Policy & Service (WIPPS) that focused on the topic.

Rothman then provided Regents with an update on where things stand with the Universities of Wisconsin and the ongoing challenges presented by the very bumpy rollout of a new FASFA, typically the first step for students seeking financial aid for college. Due to various delays and snafus along the way, the number of FAFSA forms actually completed has plunged, both nationally and in Wisconsin, he said.

“The ramifications of this are potentially significant,” Rothman said. “We don’t yet know how the story is going to end, how the drop in FAFSA completions will impact fall enrollments, but it can’t be positive.”

About 60% of students currently attending the Universities of Wisconsin receive financial aid, he said. That’s about 90,000 undergraduates and 18,000 graduate students. It’s often a vital piece of their being able to go to college.

Rothman acknowledged and thanked financial aid officers for their commitment to getting things done as quickly as possible and universities for extending flexibility where possible.

Notwithstanding the FAFSA issues, Rothman said UW universities are taking positive steps to meet the strategic plan’s goal of increasing the number of college graduates through initiatives like Dual Enrollment and the new Direct Admit program.

He also recognized the efforts to support student success by campus advisors and academic coaches, and he directed attention to a video featuring students talking about how their advisers are important.

See video on impact of student advisers

Recognizing the importance of identifying and retaining campus leaders, Rothman told Regents that an assessment of where UWs’ leadership compensation stands relative to peers should be made in the near future. While the compensation proposal will start with leadership, faculty, staff, and employees will also be addressed in the biennial budget process.

“If we’re going to preserve the quality of education our students deserve and parents expect, we need to prioritize keeping the people that drive student success and treat them fairly,” Rothman said.

New Regents Welcomed

The Board welcomed five new Regents appointed by Gov. Tony Evers: Haben Goitom, vice president of Legal at Mainspring Energy; Tim Nixon, a commercial lawyer at Godfrey & Kahn; Jack Salzwedel, former chair and CEO of American Family Mutual Insurance Company; Amy Traynor, director of Learning Services at CESA 10 in Chippewa Falls; and Desmond Adongo, a nontraditional student at UW Oshkosh.

Regents Recognize Campus Leader’s Service

The Board recognized the legacy and accomplishments of Bob Hetzel, UW-La Crosse’s Vice Chancellor for Finance & Administration with a resolution of appreciation. After 17 years at UWL and innumerable accomplishments to benefit both the campus and community, Hetzel was honored as a “dedicated leader, educator, and mentor.” Hetzel is retiring at the end of June.

Business and Finance Committee

The Business and Finance Committee received an informational briefing on shared services across the Universities of Wisconsin, including both administrative and IT functions. The presentation included a history of these efforts, an update on current service offerings, and the level of participation by each university.

Regents also heard an overview of future opportunities to expand services, aimed at improving efficiency, increasing resiliency, and freeing up resources for the universities, all in alignment with the goals of the strategic plan.

In other business, the Business and Finance Committee:

• Reviewed and approved the Universities of Wisconsin 2024-25 annual operating budget, which was discussed and subsequently adopted by the full Board later in the afternoon;
• Heard a presentation from host campus UW-Milwaukee, in which Vice Chancellor Robin Van Harpen shared an overview of the current financial landscape, and discussed UWM’s strategies to further improve its fiscal sustainability. Strategies include investments centered on student success, and refinement of UWM’s budget model, which uses incentives and metrics to enable data-driven reinvestment in areas of strategic importance;
• Approved a UW-Madison master clinical trial agreement with Merck Sharpe & Dohme. This new five-year agreement extends the university’s relationship with Merck, which has resulted in more than 30 clinical trials over nearly two decades; and
• Received the Q1 report from the UW Office of Trust Funds. As of March 31, assets in the SWIB-managed portfolios totaled $613 million. For the quarter, the Long-Term Fund increased in value 4%, performing in line with its benchmark. In the Intermediate Term Fund, assets totaled $690 million after gains of 1.6% for that quarter, also performing comparably to its benchmark.

Education Committee

The Education Committee approved institutional policies regarding campaigning in residence halls. Wisconsin law requires the Board to promulgate rules prescribing the time, place, and manner in which political literature may be distributed and political campaigning may be conducted in state-owned residence halls. The Board complied by promulgating UWS s. 18.11(9) of Wisconsin Administrative Code, requiring institutions to adopt policies permitting and regulating political campaign activities in the residence halls. The institutional policies are subject to review and approval by the Board of Regents by UWS 18.11(9)(c). The Board last reviewed and approved institutional policies on campaigning in residence halls for all UW universities in 1988.

There have been no significant legal developments since 1988 requiring changes, but new threats to campus safety and evolving attitudes towards student privacy support updated approaches.

The resident hall campaign policy update project is also part of an ongoing effort to review and update campus policies which under Wisconsin Administrative Code require Board submission, review, or approval. Each of the UW universities has submitted proposed revisions updating their policies on campaigning in residence halls and summaries describing their processes.

In other business, the Education Committee:

• Approved the annual request for funding from the Vilas Trust Fund for UW-Madison and UW-Milwaukee, which this year totaled over $9 million. It will support Scholarships, Fellowships, Professorships, and Special Programs in Arts and Humanities, Social Sciences, Biological Sciences, Physical Sciences, and Music;
• Approved UW-La Crosse’s request for a Bachelor of Science in Food and Nutritional Science. This will expand upon the existing and popular Nutrition minor. Many required and elective courses for the Food and Nutrition program, except four that will be new, are currently regularly offered at UW-La Crosse. Students will be prepared for careers or additional education in various fields related to food and nutrition, including masters-level Food Science or Registered Dietitian preparation programs;
• Approved UW-Madison’s request for a Master of Social Work in Social Work – Advance Standing. The proposed program represents an elevation of a current option available under the existing M.S.W. in Social Work. The existing M.S.W. enrolls students with and without a Bachelor in Social Work (B.S.W.). Offering distinct M.S.W. programs would provide greater efficiencies, given the dissimilar admission and program requirements for each program. The formal distinction will allow faculty and staff greater opportunity for student tracking, management, and application handling. Graduates will be equipped with skills required to obtain certification as an advanced practice social worker;
• Approved UW-Madison’s request for a Bachelor of Science in Agroecology. The program represents a new area of undergraduate study at the university, focusing on agricultural production for food, feed, fiber, and fuel, and the abiotic and biotic constraints and enhancements of this production. Agroecology integrates environmental science, ecology, and communities to grow food in a way that sustains people and the planets. The program responds to increasing student demand for a sustainable agriculture degree program focused on particular types of farming, including low-input, organic, and small-holder systems;
• Approved UW-River Falls’ request for a Bachelor of Science in Community and Environmental Planning. This is an elevation of a successful environmental planning emphasis in the current B.S. in Conservation. These changes are a result of a recommendation from the UW-River Falls Plant and Earth Science Department to elevate the profile of the program which will strengthen recruitment efforts. The degree will prepare students for careers in areas such as environmental planning, urban and regional planning, and public administration;
• Discussed the Dual Enrollment Task Force Report and Implementation. Following a previous discussion of the potential benefits of dual enrollment, the Division of Academic and Student Affairs convened a task force to provide recommendations to advance the dual enrollment enterprise across the Universities of Wisconsin. The co-chairs of the task force, UW Associate Vice Presidents Tracy Davidson and Julie Amon, presented a brief overview of the final report and discussed next steps to expand dual enrollment access and participation for students;
• Approved the 2024 Report on Faculty Promotions, Tenure Designations, and Other Changes of Status. Each spring, the Universities of Wisconsin Division of Academic and Student Affairs compiles data on tenure designations, promotions, and new tenured appointments made at the 13 UW institutions. The names of those faculty members who have been newly tenured, promoted, and hired with tenure for academic year 2023-24 are included. Regent action is the final step in the rigorous tenure process, and the Regents congratulated the more than 450 faculty members who have been newly tenured, promoted, and hired with tenure;
• Heard a presentation by host UW-Milwaukee, “Amplifying Remarkable Potential.” UWM is one of just 78 universities in the country with both the Research 1 and Community Engagement classifications from Carnegie. The presentation highlighted the value of engaging undergraduate and graduate students in research. The breadth and impact of UWM’s research and the contributions students make to advancing knowledge was shared for four disciplinary areas: Freshwater Sciences; Neuroendocrinology; Gravitational Waves; and Advanced Manufacturing; and
• Heard a report by Interim Senior Vice President Johannes Britz providing an overview of the strategic initiatives undertaken during the 2023-24 fiscal year to address priorities of strategic enrollment planning, online growth, student advising and support, innovation, workforce development, and sustainability. He also shared updates, progress, and priorities for the 2024-25 year.

Capital Planning & Budget

The Capital Planning & Budget Committee approved UW-Madison’s request for approval of the UW-Madison Report to Honor Veterans as part of the Camp Randall Sports Center Replacement Project. In appreciation of the military-connected community on campus, UW-Madison is committed to providing spaces that welcome, engage and honor veterans, including at Camp Randall. This acknowledges the deep military history of this site and the importance of the Camp Randall Memorial Park.  Therefore, it is essential that any projects and activities impacting the buildings and park respect and honor this heritage.

Per 2023 Wisconsin Act 102, UW-Madison will present a plan that intends to honor veterans in three meaningful ways; Honoring Veterans in the Camp Randall Practice Facility Design; Honoring Student Veterans & Supporting Student Officer Education; and Recognition of Military Service in Athletics and Beyond.

In other business, the Capital Planning & Budget Committee:

• Approved UW-Madison’s request for authority to sell 12.5-Acre Parcel at the Marshfield Agricultural Research Station. It’s a vacant, land-locked 12.5-acre parcel with limited access. The parcel is isolated from the other arable land by a wooded strip of forest, making it difficult to bring in machinery. The neighbor contacted UW-Madison to inquire about purchasing this plot of land for hunting. The township of McMillan has a “Farmland Preservation Ordinance” that requires the land to be combined with a neighboring parcel to maintain parcels of 30 acres in size. This is the only buyer with the ability to purchase this land;
• Approved UW-Madison’s request for authority to lease Office Space for University Marketing. The Office of Strategic Communication requests continued occupancy of their office space to accommodate current and new hires within a modern communications environment. Office space on UW-Madison’s campus is not available to meet these requirements. While University Communications has been an occupant of this leased space since 2002, no significant upgrades or tenant improvements have been made to the space since its original occupancy;
• Approved UW System’s request for authority to construct a 2023-25 Classroom Renovation/Instructional Technology Improvement Program Project. At UW-Madison, Brogden Hall Psychology Lecture Hall 105 will be renovated. The 394-seat lecture hall is located on the first floor and was built in 1964. The project will include new finishes, new ceiling, furniture, technology, HVAC, and electrical devices and fixtures. The new work will also include extensive A/V design including a projection screen and numerous data jacks to meet the requirements of a modern college lecture hall;
• Approved UW System’s request for authority to construct (3) All Agency Maintenance and Repair Projects:
  • At UW-La Crosse, the 1966 Heating Plant Chimney will be repaired. The project will remedy approximately 225 VF radial brick chimney completing both exterior and interior masonry repairs. Routine maintenance has been performed throughout its life, but the current state of deterioration indicates more substantial capital maintenance is required to assure the chimney remains sound, stable, and functional;
  • UW-Milwaukee will repair the Union Parking Structure Ramp & Stairs. The project includes completely enclosing four concrete stairways to minimize moisture, bird, and insect intrusion and removal and replacement of a concrete stairway. Two exterior concrete stairs and one concrete vehicular helical ramp will be demolished and replaced with new snow melt systems. A pedestrian concrete ramp at the upper-level parking deck will be demolished and reconstructed to meet ADA requirements;
  • UW-Platteville will replace the Heating Plant Chimney Liner. The project replaces the gunite liner inside the chimney stack structure. It is in a state of disrepair and requires removal and replacement to ensure proper working condition and longevity of the system. Similarly, the boiler casing has also corroded and must be replaced to provide continued safe operation of the converted coal boilers;
  • Approved UW-Madison’s request for authority to construct the Wisconsin Institutes for Medical Research (WIMR) East Wedge Cyclotron and Expansion. The Wisconsin Institutes for Medical Research (WIMR) East Wedge Cyclotron and Expansion project will construct a two-story addition to the WIMR East Wedge building to provide space for a 30 MeV cyclotron, BSL2 laboratory space, mechanical space, and space for the support staff of the School of Medicine and Public Health (SMPH). SMPH received a grant from the federal National Institutes for Health for the cyclotron laboratory;
• Approved UW-Green Bay’s request for authority to construct the Cofrin Technology & Education Center. This project demolishes the original 1972 Library Learning Center, renamed the David A. Cofrin Library in 1990 and replaces it with a new technology and education center on an adjacent site. It will transform the entire campus layout and main entry point by replacing the existing high-rise Library with a new low-rise, multi-use academic, technology center, and administrative facility. The programs and functions located in the new facility (including Campus and Regional Archives, First Nations Education, Library, Student Success, and Campus Administration) will be organized physically and operationally to promote collaboration among students and faculty in an interdisciplinary manner;
• Approved UW System’s request to amend Regent Policy Document 19-5, “Delegation of Authority to Remove Unneeded Structures,” to modify policy provisions to define the UW-Managed process as the second option for removing structures. This revision to Regent Policy Document 19-5 is made necessary by the implementation of the capital project management authority provided to the Board under 2015 Wisconsin Act 55. This authority allowed the Board to solely manage and oversee capital projects entirely funded through gifts and grants. The current policy was written before the Board had authority for solely managing capital projects, and thus is in need of revision;
• Heard UW System’s semi-annual status report on Leasing Activity from December 1, 2023 to May 31, 2024. Four leases for new space were executed in the last six months. Seventeen leases were either amended, renewed, or terminated. Only one lease action, the UW-Madison College of Engineering lease, required Board approval in the last six months. New leases include:
  • UW-Eau Claire – Student housing in Marshfield, 950 square feet, 1.5-year term
  • UW-Madison – School of Medicine and Public Health, 15,239 square feet,1.5-year term
  • UW-Madison – College of Engineering, 7,679 square feet, 5-year term
  • UW-River Falls – College of Agriculture, Food, and Environmental Sciences, 266 acres, 1-year term;
• Heard UW System’s status report on UW Solely Managed Capital Projects from June 1, 2023 to June 1, 2024. Since its inception in July 2015, the program has included a total of 166 projects. The total value of the projects that are or have been part of the program has increased from $614,290,868 in June 2023 to $646,847,552. In addition, the number of contracted On Call AE firms has increased from 12 to 29 in the past year. Program statistics include:
  • 53 active projects valued at $441.5 million
  • 29 projects, $55.6 million, are completed and working on close-out activities
  • 9 of the active projects are studies, totaling $5.3 million
  • 44 of the active projects include both design & construction, totaling $447.9 million;
• Heard UW-Milwaukee’s presentation “Capital Planning and Progress: Transforming for Tomorrow Together.” UWM shared the institution’s overall strategy in capital planning and space optimization, emphasizing the continued need to repair, renovate, and update facilities to support the needs of the students and researchers of today and beyond while working to achieve efficiencies in space usage. UWM also provided updates regarding construction and renovation projects completed in the last year or underway, including UWM’s Student Union renovation recently completed and new Chemistry Building in final stages of construction. Finally, UWM presented UWM’s most important unaddressed facility needs that are critical to Wisconsin’s talent pipeline and providing modern learning and skill development in the STEM and health areas; and
• Heard a report by Senior Associate Vice President, Alex Roe.

Audit Committee

UW-Milwaukee presented its 2022-23 NCAA Division I Athletics report. Under the Regents’ Accountability Reporting Framework, each UW Division I athletics program is required to provide information to the Board annually describing the extent to which the program: (1) adheres to any performance standards implemented by a university or its athletics board; (2) safeguards the welfare of all students; (3) maintains NCAA compliance; and (4) assures fiscal integrity.

UW-Milwaukee presenters highlighted a variety of outstanding team and individual accomplishments, including the women’s hockey program’s seventh NCAA title.

Turning to academic measures, UW-Milwaukee student-athletes carried a 3.31 cumulative grade-point average (GPA) at the end of the Spring 2023 term and 35 student-athletes carried a perfect 4.00 cumulative GPA. Between the Fall 2022 and Spring 2023 semesters, a total of 382 student-athletes earned Academic All-Big Ten honors.

In financial highlights, it was noted the UW-Milwaukee Athletics Department hosts more than 1.8 million spectators each year and its economic impact has been estimated at $757 million annually, with nearly 5,600 jobs supported and created.

The Athletics Department recently underwent a compliance review by the UW System Administration Office of Internal Audit for 2022-23; that review did not identify any audit comments to report. The Athletics Department reported no Level I or Level II violations (formerly classified as “major” violations) to the NCAA and Big Ten in 2022-23.

In other business, the Audit Committee:

• Heard reports from Chief Audit Executive Lori Stortz, including the Fiscal Year 2024 Audit Plan Progress Report and the Summarized Results of Audits Recently Issued;
• Heard an update on the progress made to date on the Risk, Compliance and Audit (RCA) Pilot Program, which aims to enhance and improve the manner, method, and timeline for identifying, assessing, and managing high-level risks at the Universities of Wisconsin. The program is intended to be a long-term process, starting with a pilot involving five universities during the FY 2023-24 academic year;
• Heard a report on the implementation and development of processes, policies, and structures to fulfill the requirements under System Policy 625, Youth Protection and Compliance; and
• Heard an update on the Universities of Wisconsin 2023 cyber insurance renewal. After two years of decreasing benefits and increased premiums, last year saw improved market conditions and increased coverage of security controls across all institutions which resulted in a slight increase in benefits and premiums. The trend of increased benefits and coverage, combined with lower premiums, has continued for the 2024 calendar year.

The Board of Regents for the Universities of Wisconsin will resume its meeting at 8:30 a.m., June 7, 2024, at UW-Milwaukee.