OSHKOSH, WI – (WGBW & WISS) – Wisconsin’s governor says the University of Wisconsin system deserves the backing and financial support of the state government. While touring a public school in Oshkosh Governor Tony Evers said public education and higher education should merit attention from the legislature.

The University of Wisconsin Board of Regents has sent the governor and the state legislature a request for $855 million in the next state budget to fund higher education in the state.

They had been held back to zero (increases) in many cases for years. So yes, we will fight for that alone,” said Evers. “I mean it’s necessary whether it’s Oshkosh or Madison, all are suffering in some fashion. And it’s part of our state’s economy. If we want to have a solid economy, an economy for everyone that’s working, we need to have our public systems working at top speed.”

Evers blames short-sightedness Wisconsin ranking 43rd out of 50 states in public funding for state colleges and universities. But he believes that bipartisan support for additional funding will right a decade’s worth of wrongs.

“I’ve seen it work that way, and local people working with their legislators, whether it’s the people at UW Oshkosh or people in Oshkosh itself working with legislators from both sides of the aisle. That’s where change does happen–When we take those arguments locally or regionally. That’s when we have the best success,” said Evers.

One legislative committee making recommendations for the UW System is considering the effects of spinning the Madison campus off from the other 12 institutions in the system. It’s an idea that Evers disagrees with.

“Tell me why that’s a good idea. I have no idea,” said Evers. “We have a system. It works. It’s underfunded but it works. Madison’s fine with being a part of the system. We have a system. We created the system. It’s not that it’s dysfunctional. It’s just that it’s underfunded.”

Any change to the UW System’s structure and any increase in funding would require legislative approval.

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