Democrats on the Committee on Colleges and Universities requested a public hearing about the impact of the additional $65.7 million in cuts to the UW System announced Friday, arguing that they will hurt student access to quality public higher education.
""While everyone knew additional lapses were coming, we were under the misguided impression that the lapses would be fair,"" State Reps. Mark Pocan, D-Madison, Terese Berceau, D-Madison, Louis Molepske Jr., D-Stevens Point, and Barbara Toles, D-Milwaukee, said in a letter to Colleges and Universities Committee Chair Steve Nass, R-Whitewater.
Mike Mikalsen, Nass' spokesperson, said Nass does not think a hearing is warranted because the cuts were made due to budget lapses and would be part of the biennial budget passed in June.
""It should not be a shock to anybody unless Democrats failed to read the budget bill that they voted on,"" Mikalsen said.
Democrats were also concerned Gov. Scott Walker's office would only receive $1,742 in cuts, or .001 percent of the budget shortfall, while the UW System would receive $65.7 million in cuts, or 37.7 percent of the lapse.
""Once again, there is no shared sacrifice. A budget that took from Wisconsin communities now takes more from our best resource for job creation while protecting spending in the governor's office,"" Berceau said in a statement.
Mikalsen said the UW System received a larger chunk of the cuts because various state agencies and programs, like prison operation and certain entitlement programs, are exempt from being subject to lapses.
One of the few remaining places with a ""sizable amount of money left"" to account for the lapses was the UW System, Mikalsen said.
""It would seem like there are plenty of places where administrative jobs could be eliminated,"" he said. ""[It would] easily save a large chunk of this money and have no direct impact on educational services.""
