University tuition freeze, DNR scientists up for key vote

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Proposals to continue a University of Wisconsin tuition freeze for another two years and restore previously cut scientist positions at the Department of Natural Resources were both up for key votes Tuesday in the Legislature's budget committee.

The Joint Finance Committee was scheduled to vote on UW funding, expanding anti-pollution programs at the DNR and raising pay for prosecutors and public defenders. The Republican-controlled committee is making changes to the state budget submitted by Democratic Gov. Tony Evers as it prepares to send the two-year spending plan to the full Legislature, likely in June.

Republicans are expected to go along with Evers' call to continue the UW tuition freeze for another two years, but they will likely pare back the $110 million in additional funding Evers had for the university. Nearly half of that would be used to pay for the tuition freeze.

Evers proposed giving UW $45 million to attract and retain students in high-demand areas including science, technology, engineering, math, nursing and health care and business.

The committee was also voting on whether to give the university $10 million to pay for a program that would establish fellowships and loan programs for nursing students who commit to teach for three years in the university's nursing program.

In the area of natural resources, the committee was considering whether to add five scientist positions at the DNR and create a Bureau of Natural Resources Science. The scientists would research areas related to water quality and contamination, all funded by grants.

The Evers proposal would restore five of 18 research scientist positions cut by then-Gov. Scott Walker and the Republican-controlled Legislature in 2015. The cuts were done to stop the department from studying climate change and the impact of...