State Sen. Duey Stroebel (R-Cedarburg) and State Reps. Don Vruwink (D-Milton) and Cody Horlacher (R-Mukwonago) have each been named “Legislator of the Year” by the Greater Whitewater Committee (GWC), a Whitewater-based, action-oriented, pro-business group, according to information released by the organization. The three were honored Thursday at the Wisconsin State Capitol.
The three were chosen for the recognition in response to their work in introducing the General Purpose Revenue (GPR) Equity Bill. The bill aids in the creation of an equitable GPR funding formula for the UW System, according to the release.
“All three of these legislators saw a disparity in the current funding formula and felt it needed to be addressed, inspiring them to author this GPR equity bill,” the release stated.
According to the release, the bill, if made into law, will require the Board of Regents to allocate an equal amount of GPR funding to all UW institutions per full-time equivalent undergraduate student enrolled at the institution.
“This will not include UW-Madison or UW-Milwaukee. As a result of this bill, the Board of Regents will create a task force, designed to address the disparities in the current funding formula. The GWC is committed to building an alliance with the other nine comprehensive campuses to continue to make a stronger case in the next legislative session,” the release stated.
According to the release, the GPR funding formula in use allocates funding disproportionately within the UW System and the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater receives the least amount of funding. UW-Whitewater receives about $1,500 less in funding per full-time student compared to the average number received by the comprehensive campuses in the UW System.
“Most students go to a comprehensive university near their home, so the current funding formula penalizes families in the Whitewater region,” the release noted, adding that nine of the 12 comprehensive campuses receive less than the average systemwide amount as calculated by the funding formula.
The release continued: Stroebel, Vruwink and Horlacher each advocated for an equitable GPR funding formula, not just to benefit Whitewater, but to create equitable opportunities for all UW System students. UW-Whitewater in particular has a large number of disabled students, as well as students who come from low income or first-generation backgrounds. These factors increase the amount of aid needed to fund students.
“The entire Whitewater community is so grateful for all of the work done by Stroebel, Vruwink, and Horlacher on this equity bill. Thanks to these legislators, UW-Whitewater will be able to properly assist its students and provide the best education possible,” GWC chairman Larry Kachel was quoted as saying in the release.
A comprehensive report describing funding allocations throughout the UW System and at the UW-Whitewater is here: https://www.uww.edu/documents/facsenate/meeting%20archive/2021-2022/2022-04-12_Senate/D2.%20FEAOC%20-%20UWW%20GPR%20Fact%20Sheet%20-%20Spring%202022.pdf.
About the GWC
According to the release, the GWC is an action-oriented group committed to working with citizens, elected officials and policy makers to identify, craft and implement a pro-business agenda. The agenda advances the economic, educational and social policies required to energize and secure the Whitewater area’s economic future, as well as protect Whitewater’s quality of life.
Greater Whitewater Committee chairman Larry Kachel, from left, and three recipients of the committee’s “Legislator of the Year” award — Rep. Don Vruwink, Sen. Duey Stroebel, and Rep. Cody Horlacker — along with Greater Whitewater Committee President and CEO Jeff Knight, gather Thursday during a presentation of the awards made at the Wisconsin State Capitol. Contributed photo.
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