Lyall strongly urges budget passage

In a forceful address today (Tuesaday, Sept. 21) UW System President Katharine Lyall strongly urged state lawmakers to pass the 1999-2001 budget.

“The time has come,” Lyall said during her Roundtable speech at the Memorial Union. “We are on the job, and our state partners are missing in action. We need them to do their job to move forward.”

Lyall passed out copies of a letter she wrote last week to the budget conference committee members highlighting the budget issues most important to the UW System.

Those include fully funding the Madison Initiative at $30 million; providing 5.2 percent raises for faculty and staff; funding financial aid at levels equal to tuition increases; approving funds for Plan 2008, the UW System’s initiative to increase diversity; and supporting continuing appropriation, which will give the UW campuses much-needed flexibility with their budgets.

With the names and contact information of the conference committee members on the back of her letter, Lyall urged faculty, staff and students to lobby them for quick passage of the budget.

“The legislative leaders need to hear that someone is watching them and expecting results,” she said.