Legislative update on Act 15 policy provisions

Earlier today, the Wisconsin legislature's Joint Committee on Employment Relations (JCOER) approved Regent Policy Document 20-25, "Teaching Workload Policy," and a plan for distributing funds to help attract faculty in high-demand fields as required by 2025 Wisconsin Act 15. While not requiring a vote to approve, JCOER also reviewed Regent Policy Document 4-23, "Core General Education Requirements." Separately, JCOER approved the UW-Madison trades contracts.

2025 Wisconsin Act 15, which takes effect September 1, 2026, requires faculty and instructional academic staff to teach a minimum of 12 credits each academic year (at least one course per semester), plus three summer credits for those with 12-month appointments. The approved policy included important guidelines for exceptions and course buyouts.

Act 15 also includes a requirement that the Board of Regents establish a policy which would guarantee the transferability of general education credits between Universities of Wisconsin institutions.

Additionally, Act 15 established an annual appropriation for the Universities of Wisconsin to help attract faculty in high-demand fields, including enhancing viewpoint diversity on our campus. The plan for distributing these funds across campuses has been approved. Implementation details for UW-Madison will be shared next year.

Following today's legislative actions, UW System Administrative Policies impacted by the Regent Policy Documents will be developed and/or finalized. UW-Madison (and other UW campuses) will then create or revise instructional workload and general education policies to align with the new Regent and system-level policies. We anticipate that this alignment will require meaningful additional efforts at the department, school and provost's level; we are also confident that under these policies we will be able to continue to support the strong, important and varied work in teaching, research, and service that takes place across our institution.

Updates will continue to be provided as they are available.

Trades contract

Separately, JCOER approved a new collective bargaining agreement with the Wisconsin State Building Trades Negotiating Committee, which covers campus Building Trades employees.

The agreement includes a 2.95% percent general wage adjustment for employees within this bargaining unit, effective June 29, 2025, pending approval by the legislature and Governor Evers.

Employees who are in pay status on the date of implementation will receive a lump sum payment for the increase for all hours in pay status in the bargaining unit back to June 29, 2025. In addition, employees who have retired or died after June 29, 2025, will also be eligible for the wage adjustment and lump sum payment.

Covered employees on an unpaid leave of absence will also receive the wage adjustment and lump sum payment for hours in pay status back to June 29, 2025 upon return from leave.

Consistent with previous agreement implementations, employees who have resigned or been terminated will not receive the lump sum payment.