Statement of Interim Chancellor Ward on Gov. Walker’s Budget Proposal

Interim Chancellor David Ward said Wednesday that Gov. Scott Walker’s budget proposal is a concrete step toward renewing Wisconsin’s promise of making higher education accessible and affordable for all its residents. After several cycles of declining state funding support to Wisconsin’s public universities, Walker proposes reinvesting in the university system for the 2013-15 biennium.

“This is the best budget we have seen in many cycles,” Ward said.

“While the university will have to confront many challenges, that task becomes much more manageable when we are not heading into the future with a ready-made deficit,” Ward said. “I applaud the governor for recognizing the need to re-establish the state’s partnership in funding quality higher education in Wisconsin.”

Ward also lauded Walker’s other higher education plans, including the investment of $20 million in the new Incentive Grant Program. The program is designed to improve affordability for students and further develop a skilled workforce to meet the needs of employers.  Walker also proposes providing $3 million to expand the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health’s Wisconsin Academy for Rural Medicine (WARM) and Training in Urban Medicine and Public Health (TRIUMPH) programs and $3.75 million for the UW Carbone Cancer Center to expand development and use of molecular imaging technology around the state.

“UW–Madison has always been an important partner in serving the needs of the state of Wisconsin, and these investments will enhance that role.”

Ward served as chancellor from 1993 to 2000. He returned to the position on a two-year interim basis in 2011.