Total Estimate: $65.0M

The figures for calculating the fringe benefits and lease rental payments are not currently available, therefore the UW System Board of Regents have been asked to delegate the authority to approve these requests and any others that may arise to the Universities of Wisconsin President.

The Universities of Wisconsin requests a change to statutory language in s. 36.11(13)(a), Wis. Stats., that would allocate the $15.25 million initially allocated in the 2025-27 Biennial Budget on the basis of declining enrollment to the basis of course credits awarded consistent with the methodology used in s. 36.11(13)(b), Wis. Stats. This funding has proven extremely useful to the universities, but implementation of the statutory language has identified several challenges.  

First, fluctuating enrollments are leading to volatility in the universities’ annual eligibility for these funds. For example, UW-Superior was eligible for funding in FY26 due to a 10-year enrollment decrease of 13 students and became ineligible in FY27 due to a 10-year enrollment increase of 33 students. UW-La Crosse became ineligible in FY27 due to a 10-year enrollment increase of 52 students, representing 0.5% of its fall 2025 enrollment. Various enrollment projection scenarios through 2030 indicate that several universities may change between being eligible and ineligible from year to year based on similarly minor enrollment changes.  

Second, while universities are committed to growing enrollments consistent with their missions, providing funding to universities based on declining enrollment provides a disincentive for universities to innovate in new ways to grow their enrollments. For example, the 10-year increase of 52 students at UW-La Crosse results in a loss of more than $1.7 million.  

Third, changing the way in which these funds are allocated would provide a more stable basis for universities to develop annual budgets and plans. Universities are cautious about using these funds in their base budgets for ongoing expenditures out of concern this could create a budget gap if funds are unavailable in future years. This limits the ability of universities to invest strategically in areas such as faculty salaries, student services, and enrollment growth initiatives.

The Universities of Wisconsin requests that funding currently provided under s. 20.285(1)(fa), Wis. Stats., related to faculty in high-demand fields of study be transferred to its General Program Operations appropriation under s. 20.285(1)(a), Wis. Stats. This change would improve operational efficiency for the universities without sacrificing accountability.  

In FY27, the majority of this funding is being used to increase the base salaries of faculty. Once so allocated, future allocations from this appropriation will be minimal and only occur if and when a faculty member leaves employment. Further, any such reallocation of these funds to another faculty member in a high demand field will be in accordance with the JCOER-approved plan. Finally, these amounts will continue to be tracked and monitored by university HR staff regardless of whether they are in a separate appropriation. By transferring this funding to the General Program Operations appropriation, university staff, particularly in academic departments, that would no longer be required to separately include salary and fringe benefits costs from this additional funding source in budget, accounting, and payroll systems, reducing an unnecessary administrative burden.  

Total Request: $10.5M Ongoing

The Universities of Wisconsin seek this funding to raise the maximum award amount and further the goal of covering half of the average tuition and fee costs at the comprehensive universities, which will help students access and complete a quality higher education program, producing a more highly skilled and educated workforce.  Additional resources for the Wisconsin Grant program will also help address student debt and affordability, two areas of growing concern to the citizens of Wisconsin.

Total Request: $82.3K Ongoing

This funding will support forensic veterinary necropsy and diagnostic services for Wisconsin law enforcement agencies, animal control officials, veterinarians, and animal owners. It would offset WVDL’s current service costs, which are covered by fee-for-services testing, and ensure continued statewide access to critical forensic diagnostic services

Total Request: $220.0K One-Time

WVDL requests one-time funding to replace three critical autoclaves that support daily laboratory operations and biosafety requirements. These autoclaves were installed during the original construction of the Madison facility in 2006 and are now over 20 years old. The typical service life of laboratory autoclaves is about 10 years; however, WVDL has extended their useful life through meticulous maintenance and preventive service programs. Despite these efforts, the equipment has reached the end of its operational lifespan, and replacement is now necessary.  

Total Request: $2.0M Ongoing

The Forensic Toxicology Section provides essential services to Wisconsin’s law enforcement agencies, prosecutors’ offices, and coroner/medical examiner (C/ME) facilities, delivering legally defensible data for Operating While Intoxicated (OWI) and death investigations. The cost of operating these programs has risen to $3.6 million annually, and the $1.6 million allocation from the Driver Improvement Surcharge Fund has remained the same since 2010. This funding gap has resulted in a degradation of service delivery: alcohol testing turnaround times have increased from 3 days to 50 days, and drug testing turnaround times have increased from 48 days to 270 days. This request for $2 million in ongoing annual funding is necessary to address the current shortfall, replace depleted reserves, and restore testing efficiency to sustainable levels.

Total Request: $450.0K Ongoing

The Department of Health Services (DHS) is statutorily required to provide statewide laboratory testing for biological lead specimens. The WSLH fulfills this statutory mandate on behalf of the state; however, no dedicated state appropriation exists to support the laboratory requirements of this service. This program is a vital public health function that primarily serves children and under-resourced populations who are at high risk for lead exposure. Because current fee-for-service revenue recovers only a small fraction of annual operating costs, the WSLH maintains this mandated service at a significant loss. This request for $450,000 annually will ensure the sustainability of the program and preserve statewide testing capacity for Wisconsin’s most vulnerable residents.

Total Request: $221.5K Ongoing

The upcoming redirection of grant funds by the Division of Public Health from WSLH to reproductive health and family planning (RHFP) clinics for cytology testing services will create a critical funding gap for the Cytology section. This section provides essential cervical cancer screenings, including Pap tests and HPV testing, for clinics across the state, the prison system, and University Health Services. Beyond its clinical role, the section serves as a vital satellite training site for cytotechnology students at Albany College, helping to mitigate the severe shortage of cytotechnologists in Wisconsin hospitals.

To ensure long-term self-sufficiency, the section is currently developing an HPV self-collect test designed to improve screening access and generate new revenue. This bridge funding is required to retain specialized, credentialed staff during this transition and to maintain the lab’s unique role in professional workforce development.

Total Request: $450.0K Ongoing

Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) and the associated bioinformatics analysis represent the most critical growth area in public health infectious disease surveillance. Since 2019, the WSLH Communicable Disease Division (CDD) has expanded from a single bioinformatician to a team of 6 FTEs to meet the state’s needs. This team performs essential strain surveillance and outbreak response for over a dozen pathogens, including SARS-CoV-2, RSV, Tuberculosis, Candida auris, Legionella, Cyclospora, and PulseNet organisms such as Salmonella, E. coli, and Listeria.

This expansion has been supported by federal ELC supplemental funding, which is scheduled to conclude in July 2027. Without a state appropriation to bridge this gap, the laboratory will lose the capacity for 2 NGS FTEs and 3 Bioinformatics FTEs. These positions are essential for identifying enteric outbreaks, investigating antibiotic-resistant pathogens, and tracking vaccine-preventable diseases to protect the health of all Wisconsinites.

Total Request: $500.0K One-Time

The Biosafety Level 3 (BSL3) suite is the state’s high-containment facility for testing high-consequence pathogens, including Anthrax, Ebola, and Tuberculosis (processing 6,000 specimens annually). A functional pass-through autoclave is a mandatory safety requirement for the sterilization and disposal of biohazard waste generated in this environment.

The current unit is over 10 years old and recently suffered a catastrophic 1.5-year period of non-functionality—an unacceptably long downtime for such critical infrastructure. This failure created significant operational risk and necessitated expensive workarounds. Replacing this unit is essential to ensure the safety of laboratory personnel and the continued readiness of the BSL3 space for public health emergencies.

Total Request: $220.0K One-Time

Wisconsin is transitioning to more stringent drinking water safety standards to align with federal Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI) and updated Wisconsin Administrative Code NR 809. These regulations lower the lead action threshold from 15 parts per billion (ppb) to 10 ppb by 2027.

To accurately detect lead and other metals at these lower concentrations, the Inorganic Chemistry Unit requires Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). This high-sensitivity instrumentation is the only reliable method to capture data below the strict 10 ppb limit. This request is for a one-time capital purchase to ensure the WSLH remains the gold standard for drinking water compliance and public health protection.