ACT 15 Update

Hello Union Community, 

We are reaching out to share an overview of this semester’s developments with Act 15, the law passed by the Wisconsin state assembly in July 2025. Two components of this statute included language mandating that the Board of Regents develop policies related to 1) the Core Education Requirements/Transfer and 2) Workload Requirements. The statute set the parameters of the policies, but left more complete policy development to the Board of Regents. As you may have already heard, the Board of Regents passed policies related to the Core Education Requirements/Transfer and Workload requirements on November 19th (Board of Regents Meeting Minutes). These policies will now shape our day-to-day work. Here’s a breakdown of how we got here, and what’s next for the union. 

Highlights (for those tight on time)

Learn how AFT-WI has been actively resisting Act 15 Core Education Requirements and Workload Requirements. The framework for these policies were embedded in the  statute, with some components left to the Board of Regents to more fully develop. 

  • Act 15 Gen Ed Requirements: The statute required a policy that enabled acceptance of general education courses across the UW system. Under the auspices of this narrow scope, the UW System advanced a standardization of general education requirements across all campuses without faculty input, undermining institutional distinctiveness. All campuses must re-organize their general education requirements within 6 buckets, totaling 36-credits. This far exceeds statute addressing transferability and reshaped curricular aims of campuses without faculty input. 
  • Workload: The statute also will require a minimum of 24-credit hours to be taught per academic year (see more details below), a workload policy that emphasizes “contact hours” over the full scope of time teaching requires, and demonstrates a limited knowledge of the day-to-day, multi-dimensional work of faculty (research, teaching, and service). It also does not account for differences across disciplines/fields. 
  • AFT-Wisconsin Resistance: AFT-WI organized a petition, statewide town hall, and model faculty resolutions that our members advanced on every campus. All campuses overwhelmingly supported resolutions opposing Act 15 policies. These strategies mobilized resistance through shared governance, which UW System sees as the core constituent body on curricular issues. 
  • Done Deal?: Despite the opposition, these policies were cemented by the Board of Regents on November 19, 2025, and approved by the Wisconsin Legislator’s Joint Committee on Employee Relations (JCOER) on December 11, 2025. We see these policies as a part of a larger  political project to undermine public higher education and the comprehensive system. 
  • Next Steps: Come organize us as we continue to build power against Act 15 implementation! Share Updates on Act 15 Implementation: Please share any experiences on Act 15 implementation to ufas223@gmail.com. Join our Work: Join us at our GMMs and events.

Detailed Breakdown Below

  1. Act 15 Statute: State Statute Creates Policy Parameters 

The Core Education Requirements and Transfer component required the Board of Regents to develop a policy that allowed the transfer of credits across all UW system institutions. The statute included a timeline, requiring implementation no later than September 1, 2026, and required the Board of Regents to submit a policy proposal to the Joint Committee on Employment Relations by December 31, 2025. Read Act 15, section 134 for original text. 

The Workload component set parameters for teaching load of full-time faculty and instructional academic staff to no fewer than 24 hours per academic year. If the faculty member or instructional member is employed on a 12-month contract, an additional 6 credit hours are required.. The statute includes allowances for reductions in the cases of chairpersons or instructional employees designated as having administrative responsibilities. The statute required that the Board of Regents create a policy for buyouts and other proposed guidelines for exceptions, which were due to the Joint Committee on Employment Relations by December 1, 2025, and subject to approval by January 31, 2026. Read Act 15, section 137 for original text. 

  1. State Policy Climate

The UW System has been the site of numerous attacks that undermine its fundamental educational aims as a public higher education system. Consider the 2023 efforts by Republicans to withhold pre-approved employee raises and building project funding from the UW system until agreement to limit “DEI” courses and initiatives. Additionally, the Senate Committee on Universities and Technical Colleges released a 2021 report, outlining recommendations to reorganize the UW System from 11-comprehensive campuses to a regional approach with increased online options; increased dual enrollment options; and calls to address the “liberal” orientation in higher education by protecting academic freedom of minorities, namely conservative students and faculty. AFT-Wisconsin’s Vice President of Higher Education, political scientist Neil Krause, sees the Gen Education policy as a strategic maneuver to undermine comprehensive campuses via standardization that will likely lead to reductions in course offerings and  faculty and staff lines, a  part of broader conservative agenda to undermine public higher education and liberal arts education. 

  1. UW System: Working at the Speed of Light

 After the passage of the law, UW System President Jay Rothman appointed two workgroups to “operationalize” the policy: the Act 15: Core General Education Requirements and Transfer Work Group and the Act 15: Instructional Employee Teaching Workload Workgroup. See the websites for each work group for details on workgroup members, charge, and archive of updates. 

Both workgroups initiated their work in August 2025, which they framed as “operationalizing” the policies within Act 15, and submitting recommended policies to the Board of Regents prior to the November 19th meeting. 

Gen Ed Policy: The workgroup’s proposed plan goes far above the statute. Rather than developing a simple policy allowing for ease of transfer, they proposed a narrow plan that creates a 36-credit hour limit within six categories of courses that each university must now organize its general education requirements within. It is worth noting that transfers only make up 2% of the student population, illuminating how the issue of transfers are being utilized to advance a curricular overhaul.  For example, you may have heard about the concerns from our comrades and colleagues regarding the extent to which the Ethnic Studies requirement at UW-Madison would survive within this reorganization of the curriculum. And while UW-Madison administrators affirmed that the requirement could be preserved under the “Civics and Perspectives” general education bucket proposed by the work group. See the workgroup policy here. 

Workload: The workgroup’s proposed policy outlines teaching minimums according to the UW institution’s research activity designation, resulting in a distinction between Research (R1) Universities (12 credit hours per academic year; 3 additional credits for 12-month employees) and Polytechnic and Comprehensive Universities (24 credit hours per academic year; 6 additional credits for 12-month employees). They developed exceptions for employees with clinical appointments and extension appointments, and allowed for R1 universities to develop instructional equivalency policies that allow faculty to meet the minimum through other activities. It does not consider the substantial amount of work related to teaching that happens outside of “contact hours,” nor does it sufficiently appreciate the various strands of work we engage in (teaching, research, and service).  See the workgroup policy here. 

  1. AFT-Wisconsin: Challenges and Resistance to  Act 15

AFT-Wisconsin was deeply troubled by Act 15, which many of our members viewed as legislative overreach, and brought a critical lens to the policy’s potentially consequential effects downstream. Our sibling  campuses were deeply concerned that the narrowed general education curriculum would undermine institutional distinctiveness (Stephen Point’s emphasis on environmental sustainability), and the narrowed gen ed curriculum as justification for lay offs down the line. 

AFT-Wisconsin developed an Act 15 Explainer; held a town hall on October 30th, and circulated a petition to pressure the Board of Regents not to pass the proposed policies of the workgroup. 

Leaders from AFT-Wisconsin locals across the UW system met weekly to develop and implement a targeted strategy to pressure the Board of Regents throughout the fall. Given our ongoing 2-year campaign for union recognition, the leaders knew that curriculum matters were considered the domain of shared governance (and not eligible for union input). 

Therefore, AFT-Wisconsin developed model resolutions opposing Act 15 and our members organized on their campuses to advance resolutions in their respective faculty senates. By the November 19th Board of Regents meeting, faculty senates at 7 of the 13 campuses successfully passed opposing resolutions against Act 15 (over 90% voted yes, except River Falls, 80%). 

Since the November 19th Board of Regents meeting, UW-Madison and UW-Milwaukee have also passed faculty senate resolutions opposing Act 15. The UW-Madison faculty senate passed two resolutions (Resolution Regarding Regents Policy on General Education Requirements and Resolution Reaffirming UW-Madison’s Commitment to the Ethnic Studies Requirement and Shared Governance) crafted by fellow UFAS members, April Haynes and Aireale Rodgers.  

  1. Board of Regents to Wisconsin’s Joint Committee on Employee Relations (JCOER)

Despite resounding opposition from faculty senates across the UW System, on November 19, 2025, the Board of Regents approved the proposed policies of both workgroups, and submitted the policies to Wisconsin’s legislative  Joint Committee On Employee Relations (JCOER), which approved the Teaching Workload Policy and reviewed the Core Education requirements. 

  1. Next Steps: 

AFT-Wisconsin is committed to following the implementation of these policies, and organizing resistance as (inevitable) issues emerge within our day-to-day work. The speed at which these policies were advanced (July to November 2025) demonstrates the need to build power for whatever may follow. 

  1. Share Updates on Act 15 Implementation: Please share any experiences on Act 15 implementation to ufas223@gmail.com .
  2. Join our Work: We also welcome folks to join work on our committees: Committee on Political Education (cope@ufas223.org), Organizing (organizing@ufas223.org), Communications, State and System Issues (stateissues@ufas223.org). 
  3. Connect with Community: Join us as a weekly Tuesday Happy Hour at Steenbock’s on Orchard; and join us at our GMMs and events. 

We know that our working conditions are our student’s learning conditions. These policy moves, while ostensibly framed as “commonsense,” create a precedent for state legislative overreach in the core academic functions of our work without regard for our expertise and input through shared governance. Even as faculty senate resolutions evidenced resounding opposition, this did not stop the timeline of the policies to overhaul the work that has taken place on each campus to craft a general education program or consider the multi-dimensional work activities of faculty and instructional staff.  It raises critical questions about shared governance as an effective venue from which to mount effective resistance. 

We are committed to building power. It is critical to build power through other ways beyond shared governance and  lobbying organizations. Even as these entities play a critical role in the ecosystem of higher education in Wisconsin, they cannot replace and must exist alongside an entity that is member-led, deliberating as a collective body on what it means to work in higher education in a time such as this. After two years of organizing, union recognition by the Board of Regents for “meet and confer” (6 meetings a semester with campus administrators) appears near, and Act 10 is moving through the courts. These possibilities rebuild the path for collective bargaining and worker power. Come organize with us!

Resources: Catch up on Act 15

*Written by union sibling

UFAS Sanctuary Resolution (September 11, 2025)

United Faculty and Academic Staff (AFT Local 223) represents faculty and staff at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. We are a member-run union whose members include international postdocs, immigrants, people in mixed status families, and people from all walks of life. We are a social justice union, and fight for all our members’ rights, inside the workplace and out.

RESOLUTION TEXT

Whereas, UFAS will continue to represent all of its membership, regardless of the member’s race, citizenship or immigration status, religion, ethnicity, gender identity, gender expression, sex, sexual orientation, or disability; and will not be impeded or intimidated from exercising its responsibilities;

Whereas, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents are kidnapping immigrants and other residents of the U.S., whether they have dissented with the administration or not, on the flimsiest of pretexts, with no regard for the law, how long they’ve lived in the U.S, how dependent their families are upon them, or the ties they have with their communities;

Whereas, federal immigration agents are waging a campaign against the fundamental human rights of immigrants who have been captured and detained without just cause, who have been severed from contact with their legal representation, and who have been disappeared without the due process to which they are entitled under the law;

Whereas, UFAS is committed to ensuring that our Union is a safe and welcoming place for all its members and their families regardless of their citizenship or immigration status;

Whereas, many cities such as Madison, WI, have declared themselves Sanctuary Cities, and universities such as Wesleyan University have declared themselves Sanctuary Campuses, where officials have vowed not to collaborate to volunteer the immigration status of their residents, workers, or students, or to cooperate with ICE;

Therefore, be it resolved that:

UFAS declares itself a “Sanctuary Union” that will protect the rights and safety of all of its members and their families, and will do everything within its power to ensure the safety and security of its members regardless of immigration status;

  • We will not cooperate with ICE or local law enforcement in the prosecution or attempted deportation of UW-Madison students or staff for alleged immigration violations
  • We will oppose UW-Madison administration assisting or facilitating ICE
  • We will oppose the use of the knowledge generated at this University to aid and abet the deportation and detention machine
  • We will advocate for, and work to collectively bargain for, strengthened workplace protections for immigrant and international members
  • We will ensure that our members receive support when they need to attend a required meeting or a proceeding before a government agency
  • We will continue to build alliances in the community with others engaged in similar work to protect communities and the undocumented, and participate in protests in response to ICE raids or employer collaboration for the sake of union-busting;
  • We will support the continuation of DACA and of just immigration reform that provides a path to citizenship and does not include the militarization of our borders or the building of border walls
  • We will not share any personal information from our members that may be used against them
  • We will mobilize support for Sanctuary Unions, Sanctuary Cities, Sanctuary States, and Sanctuary Campuses

Be it further resolved:

UFAS stands in solidarity with all communities under attack. We understand that the time for unity is now, and that standing united with all workers, particularly the most vulnerable among us, is key to beating back attacks on our unions, our educational institutions, our communities, and our lives in the years to come.

Academic staff can appeal layoffs!

We made a flyer to offer information and support for academic staff who may be facing layoffs. Special thanks to members of our Communications Committee for putting this together.

Please share the flyer widely with your networks, and post it where you can. If you or your coworkers have any questions, do not hesitate to reach out to our appeals support team at layoffs@ufas223.org.

Solidarity!

Here’s the text of the flyer:

Academic staff: you can appeal your layoff!

Reasons for appealing could include:

  • Your supervisor, unit, or OHR does not follow proper procedures or give you enough notice.
  • If you believe there is no valid grounds for your layoff (e.g.: if you are laid off because of budget cuts, could the money be cut in other areas?)
  • If you believe the layoff is “arbitrary, capricious, for reasons prohibited by law, or in violation of Academic Staff Policies and Procedures.”

Start the appeals process:

Submit a written request for review of a layoff decision to the dean or director and send a copy to the Secretary of the Academic Staff office within 20 working days of receipt of the written notice of layoff.

Even without filing a grievance, you are entitled to information. Supervisors must justify the layoff in writing and you are entitled to that justification, so why not check their work? Layoffs, whether they are full or partial reductions in your appointment percentage, must be approved by the employing unit and dean, director, and the Office of Human Resources. They must notify you in writing with the rationale, effective date, and your appeals rights. If you are on a fixed-term renewable or probationary appointment, you must be given at least 1 to 4 months notice (based on years of service).

See Academic Staff Policies and Procedures Chapter 5 – Layoff for Reasons of Budget or Program

Contact UFAS for help: layoffs@ufas223.org

Statement on Police Violence

Unanimously voted on by UFAS Membership on May 4, 2024

WHEREAS, on May 1, 2024, Chancellor Mnookin authorized UWPD, Madison PD, Dane County Sheriffs, and Wisconsin State Troopers to forcefully disband a group of students, faculty, and staff peacefully protesting against the mass slaughter of civilians in Gaza; and

WHEREAS, faculty and academic staff of color, including multiple members of United Faculty and Academic Staff (UFAS), AFT Local 223, were disproportionately targeted with violence and detention during this action; and

WHEREAS, the use of armed law enforcement resulted in intimidation, violence, and physical harm of students, faculty, and staff exercising their right to peaceful protest; and

WHEREAS, the administration’s decision to deploy police prior to meeting with students contradicted their stated support for peaceful protest and failed to protect the rights of students and university community members to dissent; 

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that United Faculty and Academic Staff, AFT Local 223:

  • Condemns the violent and disproportionate actions taken against peaceful protesters, especially targeting faculty and staff of color; 
  • Urges full investigation and accountability for all acts of police violence;
  • Demands that the administration listen to and address the demands of student protesters, engage in sincere dialogue with community members expressing dissent, and respect the rights of students and workers to protest safely on campus;
  • Commits to providing full support and representation to any faculty or academic staff member at UW-Madison who faces disciplinary action for exercising their right to peaceful protest.

UFAS reaffirms the rights of students, faculty, and staff to peacefully protest and call for changes to the governance of our institution. We stand in solidarity with those targeted by violence and repression, and we will continue to fight for a safe and democratic environment to work, study, and dissent at UW-Madison

Updates from the September Special Membership meeting

Happy Fall, Friends of UFAS!

Hope you’re all keeping well during this shift into Fall weather. Here’s some updates from last night’s special membership meeting:

For further reference, the draft (to be approved) meeting notes are available here.