SB21: Bill Text

SB21,545,18 University of Wisconsin

SB21,545,19 system authority

SB21,1110 Section 1110. 36.01 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB21,546,11 36.01 (1) The legislature finds it in the public interest to provide In recognition of the constitutional obligation to provide by law for the establishment of a state university at or near the seat of state government, and for connecting with the same, from time to time, such colleges in different parts of the state as the interests of education may require, there is hereby created a state system of higher education, provided by the authority, to be known as the University of Wisconsin System, which enables students of all ages, backgrounds and levels of income to participate in the search for knowledge and individual development; which stresses undergraduate teaching as its main priority; which offers selected professional graduate and research programs with emphasis on state and national needs; which fosters diversity of educational opportunity; which promotes service to the public; which makes effective and efficient use of human and physical resources; which functions cooperatively with other educational institutions and systems; and which promotes internal coordination and the wisest possible use of resources. The principal office and one university of the system shall be located at or near the seat of state government.

SB21,1111 Section 1111. 36.01 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB21,546,21 36.01 (2) The mission of the system is to develop human resources to meet the state's workforce needs, to discover and disseminate knowledge, to extend knowledge and its application beyond the boundaries of its campuses and to serve and stimulate society by developing develop in students heightened intellectual, cultural, and humane sensitivities, scientific, professional and technological expertise, and a sense of purpose. Inherent in this broad mission are methods of instruction, research, extended training and public service designed to educate people and improve the human condition. Basic to every purpose of the system is the search for truth.

SB21,1112 Section 1112. 36.02 of the statutes is created to read:

SB21,547,2 36.02 University of Wisconsin System Authority creation; organization. (1) (a) There is created an authority, which is a public body corporate and politic, to be known as the "University of Wisconsin System Authority." The Board of Regents shall consist of the following:

SB21,547,3 1. The state superintendent of public instruction.

SB21,547,5 2. The president, or by his or her designation another member, of the technical college system board.

SB21,547,8 3. Fourteen citizen members nominated by the governor and with the advice and consent of the senate appointed for 7-year terms. At least one of the citizen members shall reside in each of this state's congressional districts.

SB21,547,25 4. Two student members nominated by the governor and with the advice and consent of the senate appointed for 2-year terms who are enrolled at least half-time and in good academic standing at institutions within the University of Wisconsin System and who are residents of this state. The student members may be selected from recommendations made by elected representatives of student governments at institutions within the University of Wisconsin System. The governor shall nominate one student member who is at least 18 years old and one undergraduate student member who is at least 24 years old and represents the views of nontraditional students, such as those who are employed or are parents. The term of the undergraduate student member who is at least 24 years old shall expire on May 1 of every even-numbered year. The governor may not nominate a student member from the same institution in any 2 consecutive terms; the 2 student members may not be from the same institution; and a student from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a student from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee may not serve on the board at the same time. If a student member loses the status upon which the appointment was based, he or she shall cease to be a member of the board.

SB21,548,2 (2) A vacancy on the board shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment to the board for the remainder of the unexpired term, if any.

SB21,548,5 (3) A member of the board may not be compensated for his or her services but may be reimbursed for actual and necessary expenses, including travel expenses, incurred in the performance of his or her duties.

SB21,548,9 (4) No cause of action of any nature may arise against and no civil liability may be imposed upon a member of the board for any act or omission in the performance of his or her powers and duties under this chapter, unless the person asserting liability proves that the act or omission constitutes willful misconduct.

SB21,548,15 (5) The members of the board shall annually elect a chairperson and may elect other officers as they consider appropriate. Ten voting members of the board constitute a quorum for the purpose of conducting the business and exercising the powers of the authority, notwithstanding the existence of any vacancy. The board may take action upon a vote of a majority of the members present, unless the bylaws of the authority require a larger number.

SB21,548,18 (6) The board shall appoint a chief executive officer of the authority who serves at the pleasure of the board. The chief executive office shall receive such compensation as the board fixes.

SB21,548,20 (7) The board shall provide in its operating policies for access to the board by the public, faculty, students, and employees.

SB21,1113 Section 1113. 36.03 of the statutes is repealed.

SB21,1114 Section 1114. 36.05 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB21,549,2 36.05 (1) "Academic staff" means professional and administrative personnel with duties, and subject to types of appointments, that are primarily associated with higher education institutions or their administration, but does not include faculty and staff provided under s. 16.57.

SB21,1115 Section 1115. 36.05 (1m) of the statutes is created to read:

SB21,549,4 36.05 (1m) "Authority" means the University of Wisconsin System Authority.

SB21,1116 Section 1116. 36.05 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB21,549,7 36.05 (2) "Board of regents Regents" or "board" means the board of regents of governing the University of Wisconsin System Authority.

SB21,1117 Section 1117. 36.05 (5) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB21,549,10 36.05 (5) "Chancellor" means the chief executive of an institution or a similar position designated by the board.

SB21,1118 Section 1118. 36.05 (6) of the statutes is repealed.

SB21,1119 Section 1119. 36.05 (8) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB21,549,17 36.05 (8) "Faculty" means persons who hold the rank of professor, associate professor, assistant professor or instructor in an academic department or its functional equivalent in an institution, persons described under s. 36.13 (4) (c) and such academic staff as may be designated by the chancellor and faculty of the institution board.

SB21,1120 Section 1120. 36.05 (9m) of the statutes is repealed.

SB21,1121 Section 1121. 36.05 (9s) of the statutes is repealed.

SB21,1122 Section 1122. 36.05 (10) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB21,549,21 36.05 (10) "President" means the chief executive of the system authority.

SB21,1123 Section 1123. 36.05 (11) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB21,550,2 36.05 (11) "Student" means any person who is registered for study in any institution for the current academic period. For the purpose of administering particular programs or functions involving students, the board shall promulgate rules adopt policies and procedures defining continuation or termination of student status during periods between academic periods.

SB21,1124 Section 1124. 36.07 of the statutes is repealed.

SB21,1125 Section 1125. 36.09 (title) of the statutes is repealed.

SB21,1126 Section 1126. 36.09 (1) (title) of the statutes is repealed.

SB21,1127 Section 1127. 36.09 (1) (a) and (L) of the statutes are consolidated, renumbered 36.11 (1c) (intro.) and amended to read:

SB21,550,20 36.11 (1c) In general. (intro.) The primary responsibility for governance of the system shall be vested in the board which shall enact policies and promulgate rules adopt policies and procedures for governing the system, plan for the future needs of the state, including workforce needs, for university education, ensure the diversity of quality undergraduate programs while preserving the strength of the state's graduate training and research centers and promote the widest degree of institutional autonomy within the controlling limits of system-wide policies and priorities established by the board. (L), and provide affordable access to high-quality postsecondary, graduate, and doctoral education. The board shall possess all powers necessary or convenient for the operation of the system except as limited in this chapter and ss. 13.48 (14) (am) and 16.848 (1). and implementation of this chapter, including the following powers in connection with its projects and program, in addition to all other powers granted by this chapter:

SB21,1128 Section 1128. 36.09 (1) (am) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB21,550,25 36.09 (1) (am) (intro.) The board, in consultation with the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation Forward Wisconsin Development Authority, shall do all of the following for each economic development program, as defined in s. 36.11 (29r) (a), administered by the board:

SB21,1129 Section 1129. 36.09 (1) (am) of the statutes, as affected by 2015 Wisconsin Act .... (this act), is repealed.

SB21,1130 Section 1130. 36.09 (1) (b), (c) and (d) of the statutes are consolidated, renumbered 36.11 (1g) and amended to read:

SB21,551,12 36.11 (1g) Institutions and college campuses. The board may, after public hearing at each an institution, shall establish for each the institution a mission statement delineating specific program responsibilities and types of degrees to be granted. (c) The board shall determine the educational programs to be offered in the system and may discontinue educational programs as it deems necessary. (d) The board shall establish policies to guide program activities to ensure that they will be are compatible with the missions of the institutions of the system. To this end, the board shall make all reasonable effort to provide night courses.

SB21,1131 Section 1131. 36.09 (1) (e) of the statutes, as affected by 2011 Wisconsin Act 32, is renumbered 36.11 (1t) and amended to read:

SB21,552,4 36.11 (1t) Personnel. The board may employ any agent or employee that the board finds necessary and shall appoint a president of the system; a chancellor for each institution; a dean for each college campus; the state geologist; the director of the laboratory of hygiene;, the director of the psychiatric institute;, and the state cartographer; and the requisite number of officers, other than the vice presidents, associate vice presidents, and assistant vice presidents of the system; faculty; academic staff; and other employees and fix the salaries, subject to the limitations under par. (j) and s. 230.12 (3) (e), the duties and the term of office for each. The board shall fix the salaries, subject to the limitations under par. (j) and s. 230.12 (3) (e), and the duties for each chancellor, vice president, associate vice president, and assistant vice president of the system. No. The board shall develop and implement a personnel structure and other employment policies for all employees of the authority. The board may not use or allow any sectarian or partisan tests or any tests based upon race, religion, national origin, or sex shall ever be allowed or exercised in the appointment of the employees of the system.

SB21,1132 Section 1132. 36.09 (1) (f) of the statutes is repealed.

SB21,1133 Section 1133. 36.09 (1) (gm) of the statutes is repealed.

SB21,1134 Section 1134. 36.09 (1) (h) of the statutes is renumbered 36.11 (1L) and amended to read:

SB21,552,21 36.11 (1L) The board shall establish the authority's annual budget and monitor the fiscal management of the authority. The board shall allocate funds and adopt budgets for the respective institutions giving consideration to the principles of comparable budgetary support for similar programs and equitable compensation for faculty and academic staff with comparable training, experience and responsibilities and recognizing competitive ability to recruit and retain qualified faculty and academic staff. If the board ceases or suspends operation of any institution or college campus, the appropriations any appropriation to the board for operation of the institution or college campus may be utilized by the board for any other purpose authorized by the appropriations appropriation within the period for which the appropriations are appropriation is made. The board shall provide the secretary of administration with such financial and statistical information as is required by the secretary of administration.

SB21,1135 Section 1135. 36.09 (1) (hm) of the statutes is repealed.

SB21,1136 Section 1136. 36.09 (1) (j) of the statutes, as affected by 2011 Wisconsin Act 32, is amended to read:

SB21,553,23 36.09 (1) (j) Except where such matters are a subject of bargaining with a certified representative of a collective bargaining unit under s. 111.91, the board shall establish salaries for persons prior to July 1 of each year for the next fiscal year, and shall designate the effective dates for payment of the new salaries. In the first year of the biennium, payments of the salaries established for the preceding year shall be continued until the biennial budget bill is enacted. If the budget is enacted after July 1, payments shall be made following enactment of the budget to satisfy the obligations incurred on the effective dates, as designated by the board, for the new salaries, subject only to the appropriation of funds by the legislature and s. 20.928 (3). This paragraph does not limit the authority of the board to establish salaries for new appointments. The board may not increase the salaries of employees under this paragraph unless the salary increase conforms to the proposal as approved under s. 230.12 (3) (e) or the board authorizes the salary increase to correct salary inequities under par. (h), to fund job reclassifications or promotions, or to recognize competitive factors. The granting of salary increases to recognize competitive factors does not obligate inclusion of the annualized amount of the increases in the appropriations under s. 20.285 (1) for subsequent fiscal bienniums. No later than October 1 of each year, the board shall report to the joint committee on finance and the secretary of administration and director of the office administrator of the division of state employment relations personnel management in the department of administration concerning the amounts of any salary increases granted to recognize competitive factors, and the institutions at which they are granted, for the 12-month period ending on the preceding June 30.

SB21,1137 Section 1137. 36.09 (1) (j) of the statutes, as affected by 2011 Wisconsin Act 32 and 2015 Wisconsin Act .... (this act), is repealed.

SB21,1138 Section 1138. 36.09 (2) of the statutes is repealed.

SB21,1139 Section 1139. 36.09 (3) of the statutes is repealed.

SB21,1140 Section 1140. 36.09 (4) of the statutes is repealed.

SB21,1141 Section 1141. 36.09 (4m) of the statutes is repealed.

SB21,1142 Section 1142. 36.09 (5) of the statutes is repealed.

SB21,1143 Section 1143. 36.11 (title) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB21,554,7 36.11 (title) Powers and duties of the board Board of regents Regents.

SB21,1144 Section 1144. 36.11 (1) (title) of the statutes is renumbered 36.11 (1x) (title).

SB21,1145 Section 1145. 36.11 (1) (a) of the statutes is renumbered 36.11 (1x) (a).

SB21,1146 Section 1146. 36.11 (1) (b) of the statutes is renumbered 36.11 (1x) (b) and amended to read:

SB21,555,3 36.11 (1x) (b) Except as provided in this paragraph and ss. 13.48 (14) (am) and 16.848 (1) sub. (27m), the board may purchase, have custody of, hold, control, possess, lease, grant easements and enjoy any lands, buildings, books, records and all other property of any nature which may be necessary and required for the purposes, objects and uses of the system authorized by law. Any Except for a lease under sub. (27m), any lease by the board is subject to the powers of the University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics Authority under s. 233.03 (13) and the rights of the authority under any lease agreement, as defined in s. 233.01 (6). The board shall not permit a facility that would be privately owned or operated to be constructed on state-owned land without obtaining prior approval of the building commission under s. 13.48 (12). Subject to prior action under s. 13.48 (14) (am) or 16.848 (1), the board may sell or dispose of such any property as provided by law, or any part thereof owned by the authority when in its judgment it is for the best interests of the system and the state. All purchases of real property shall be subject to the approval of the building commission. The provision of all leases of real property to be occupied by the board shall be the responsibility of the department of administration under s. 16.84 (5).

SB21,1147 Section 1147. 36.11 (1) (c) of the statutes is renumbered 36.11 (1x) (c).

SB21,1148 Section 1148. 36.11 (1) (cm) of the statutes is renumbered 36.11 (1x) (cm).

SB21,1149 Section 1149. 36.11 (1) (d) of the statutes is renumbered 36.11 (1x) (d).

SB21,1150 Section 1150. 36.11 (1c) (a) and (b) of the statutes are created to read:

SB21,555,11 36.11 (1c) (a) The power to sue and be sued, to have a seal and to alter the seal at pleasure, to have perpetual existence, to make and execute contracts and other instruments necessary or convenient to the exercise of the powers of the board, to contract for legal services, and to make, amend, and repeal bylaws.

SB21,555,12 (b) The power to accept gifts, loans, and other aid.

SB21,1151 Section 1151. 36.11 (1L) (title) of the statutes is created to read:

SB21,555,14 36.11 (1L) (title) Fiscal management.

SB21,1152 Section 1152. 36.11 (1p) of the statutes is created to read:

SB21,555,18 36.11 (1p) Bonds. (a) Issuance. The authority may issue bonds for any corporate purpose. All bonds are negotiable for all purposes, notwithstanding their payment from a limited source.

SB21,555,25 (b) Bonds not public debt. 1. The state is not liable on bonds issued by the authority and the bonds are not a debt of the state. All bonds shall contain a statement to this effect on the face of the bond. A bond issue does not, directly or indirectly or contingently, obligate the state or a political subdivision of the state to levy any tax or make any appropriation for payment of the bonds. Nothing in this paragraph prevents the authority from pledging its full faith and credit to the payment of bonds.

SB21,556,10 2. Nothing in this chapter authorizes the authority to create a debt of the state, and all bonds issued by the authority are payable, and shall state that they are payable, solely from the funds pledged for their payment in accordance with the bond resolution authorizing their issuance or in any trust indenture or mortgage or deed of trust executed as security for the bonds. The state is not liable for the payment of the principal of or interest on a bond or for the performance of any pledge, mortgage, obligation or agreement that may be undertaken by the authority. The breach of any pledge, mortgage, obligation or agreement undertaken by the authority does not impose pecuniary liability upon the state or a charge upon its general credit or against its taxing power.

SB21,556,16 (c) State pledge. The state pledges to and agrees with the bondholders, and persons that enter into contracts with the authority under this chapter, that the state will not limit or alter the rights vested in the authority by this chapter before the authority has fully met and discharged the bonds, and any interest due on the bonds, and has fully performed its contracts, unless adequate provision is made by law for the protection of the bondholders or those entering into contracts with the authority.

SB21,1153 Section 1153. 36.11 (3) (d) of the statutes is repealed.

SB21,1154 Section 1154. 36.11 (4) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB21,556,21 36.11 (4) Injunctive relief. The board may obtain injunctive relief to enforce this chapter or any rules promulgated or policies and procedures adopted under this chapter.

SB21,1155 Section 1155. 36.11 (5) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB21,557,2 36.11 (5) (a) The board may procure liability insurance covering the members of the board, any officer, employee, or agent, or such students whose activities may constitute an obligation or responsibility of the system and procure insurance against any loss in connection with the authority's property and other assets.

SB21,1156 Section 1156. 36.11 (5) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB21,557,9 36.11 (5) (b) The board may procure insurance to cover injuries sustained by students as a result of their participation in intercollegiate athletics. The board may not use general purpose revenue to pay for such insurance. With respect to any of the risks to be covered by the insurance, the board may contract for the services of a claims administrator and may obtain coverage by any combination of self-insurance, excess or stop-loss insurance or blanket insurance.