SB 581 Wisconsin Senate · 2025-2026 Regular Session

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

SB 581 amends Wisconsin statutes to clarify and strengthen shared governance roles for faculty, academic staff, and students at University of Wisconsin System institutions. The bill gives faculty primary responsibility for advising on academic matters and requires STEM representation in faculty governance structures. Academic staff gain defined roles in shaping policies affecting their work, while students gain formal input on student life policies and control over fees supporting campus activities. These changes directly affect all faculty, academic staff, and students across UW System campuses by defining their specific participatory roles in institutional decision-making.
Bill status failed 1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Oct 2025
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Oct 24, 2025 Last action Mar 23, 2026
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Oct 24, 2025
Introduced
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, Sinic
upper
13 primary · 0 co-sponsors

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