SB 581 — Relating to: shared governance at University of Wisconsin System institutions.

Summary

An Act to repeal 36.09 (3m); to amend 36.09 (4), 36.09 (4m) and 36.09 (5) of the statutes;

Bill Text

• Bill Text View text Current pdf

Compared against current U.S. Code AI-generated reading aid — verify against the official bill.

The bill restores shared governance provisions at University of Wisconsin System institutions to their form prior to 2015 Wisconsin Act 55.

• 36.09 (3m)

  36.09(3m) The faculty, academic staff, and students of each institution are subordinate to the authority of the Board of Regents, the UW System president, and the chancellor, and the authority of the academic staff and students is further subordinate to the authority of the faculty. Faculty have the right to determine their own organizational structure and to select their representatives in institutional governance, but must ensure that faculty in academic disciplines related to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) are adequately represented in the faculty organizational structure.

  This removes the subordinate status of faculty, academic staff, and students in governance and their representation requirements.

• 36.09 (4)

  36.09 (4) FACULTY . The faculty of each institution, subject to the responsibilities and powers of the board, the president, and the chancellor of such institution, shall be vested with responsibility for the immediate governance of such institution and shall actively participate in institutional policy development. As such, the faculty shall have the primary responsibility for advising the chancellor regarding academic and educational activities and faculty personnel matters. The faculty of each institution shall have the right to determine their own faculty organizational structure and to select representatives to participate in institutional governance, except that the faculty of each institution shall ensure that faculty in academic disciplines related to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics are adequately represented in the faculty organizational structure. → 36.09 (4) FACULTY . The faculty of each institution, subject to the responsibilities and powers of the board, the president, and the chancellor of such institution, shall be vested with responsibility for the immediate governance of such institution and shall actively participate in institutional policy development. As such, the faculty shall have the primary responsibility for advising the chancellor regarding academic and educational activities and faculty personnel matters. The faculty of each institution shall have the right to determine their own faculty organizational structure and to select representatives to participate in institutional governance, except that the faculty of each institution shall ensure that faculty in academic disciplines related to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics are adequately represented in the faculty organizational structure.

  This amendment clarifies faculty governance responsibilities while removing the requirement for STEM representation to be specified in governance structures.

• 36.09 (4m)

  36.09 (4m) ACADEMIC STAFF. The academic staff members of each institution, subject to the responsibilities and powers of the board, the president, the chancellor, and the faculty of the institution, shall be active participants in the immediate governance of and policy development for the institution. The academic staff members have the primary responsibility for advising the chancellor regarding the formulation and review, and shall be represented in the development, of all policies and procedures concerning academic staff members, including academic staff personnel matters. The academic staff members of each institution shall have the right to organize themselves in a manner they determine and to select their representatives to participate in institutional governance. → 36.09 (4m) ACADEMIC STAFF. The academic staff members of each institution, subject to the responsibilities and powers of the board, the president, the chancellor, and the faculty of the institution, shall be active participants in the immediate governance of and policy development for the institution. The academic staff members have the primary responsibility for advising the chancellor regarding the formulation and review, and shall be represented in the development, of all policies and procedures concerning academic staff members, including academic staff personnel matters. The academic staff members of each institution shall have the right to organize themselves in a manner they determine and to select their representatives to participate in institutional governance.

  This maintains the active participation of academic staff in governance without altering their existing responsibilities.

• 36.09 (5)

  36.09 (5) TUDENTS . The students of each institution or campus subject to the responsibilities and powers of the board, the president, the chancellor, and the faculty shall be active participants in the immediate governance of and policy development for such institutions. As such, students shall have primary responsibility for advising the chancellor regarding the formulation and review of policies concerning student life, services, and interests. Students in consultation with the chancellor and subject to the final confirmation of the board shall have the responsibility for the disposition of those student fees which constitute substantial support for campus student activities. The students of each institution or campus shall have the right to organize themselves in a manner they determine and to select their representatives to participate in institutional governance. → 36.09 (5) STUDENTS . The students of each institution or campus subject to the responsibilities and powers of the board, the president, the chancellor, and the faculty shall be active participants in the immediate governance of and policy development for such institutions. As such, students shall have primary responsibility for advising the chancellor regarding the formulation and review of policies concerning student life, services, and interests. Students in consultation with the chancellor and subject to the final confirmation of the board shall have the responsibility for the disposition of those student fees which constitute substantial support for campus student activities. The students of each institution or campus shall have the right to organize themselves in a manner they determine and to select their representatives to participate in institutional governance.

  This preserves the student's role in governance and their right to participate without changes.

Action History

1. March 23, 2026

   Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1

2. October 24, 2025

   Read first time and referred to Committee on Universities and Technical Colleges

3. October 24, 2025

   Introduced by Senators Hesselbein, Smith, Carpenter, Drake, Habush Sinykin, L. Johnson, Keyeski, Larson, Ratcliff, Roys, Spreitzer, Wall and Wirch; cosponsored by Representatives Joers, Stubbs, Stroud, Anderson, Andraca, Arney, Bare, Billings, Brown, Clancy, DeSanto, DeSmidt, Doyle, Emerson, Fitzgerald, Goodwin, Haywood, Hong, Hysell, J. Jacobson, Johnson, Kirsch, Madison, Mayadev, McCarville, McGuire, Miresse, Moore Omokunde, Neubauer, Palmeri, Phelps, Prado, Rivera-Wagner, Roe, Sheehan, Sinicki, Snodgrass, Spaude, Subeck, Taylor, Tenorio, Udell, Vining and Ortiz-Velez

Sponsors

• Habush Sinykin · Cosponsor
• Joers · Cosponsor
• Stubbs · Cosponsor
• Stroud · Cosponsor
• Andraca · Cosponsor
• Arney · Cosponsor
• Bare · Cosponsor
• Billings · Cosponsor
• Brown · Cosponsor
• Clancy · Cosponsor
• DeSanto · Cosponsor
• DeSmidt · Cosponsor
• Doyle · Cosponsor
• Emerson · Cosponsor
• Fitzgerald · Cosponsor
• Goodwin · Cosponsor
• Haywood · Cosponsor
• Hong · Cosponsor
• Hysell · Cosponsor
• J. Jacobson · Cosponsor
• Kirsch · Cosponsor
• Madison · Cosponsor
• Mayadev · Cosponsor
• McCarville · Cosponsor
• McGuire · Cosponsor
• Miresse · Cosponsor
• Moore Omokunde · Cosponsor
• Neubauer · Cosponsor
• Palmeri · Cosponsor
• Phelps · Cosponsor
• Prado · Cosponsor
• Rivera-Wagner · Cosponsor
• Roe · Cosponsor
• Sheehan · Cosponsor
• Sinicki · Cosponsor
• Snodgrass · Cosponsor
• Spaude · Cosponsor
• Subeck · Cosponsor
• Taylor · Cosponsor
• Tenorio · Cosponsor
• Udell · Cosponsor
• Vining · Cosponsor
• Ortiz-Velez · Cosponsor
• Dianne Hesselbein · Primary
• Jeff Smith · Cosponsor
• Tim Carpenter · Cosponsor
• Dora Drake · Cosponsor
• LaTonya Johnson · Cosponsor
• Sarah Keyeski · Cosponsor
• Chris Larson · Cosponsor
• Melissa Ratcliff · Cosponsor
• Kelda Roys · Cosponsor
• Mark Spreitzer · Cosponsor
• Jamie Wall · Cosponsor
• Robert Wirch · Cosponsor
• J ANDERSON · Cosponsor
• LaTonya Johnson · Cosponsor

Subjects