Evers signs bill authorizing new UW building, dorms that were part of deal with GOP

Democratic Gov. Tony Evers has signed a bill that authorizes spending nearly $700 million on Universities of Wisconsin construction projects, including a new engineering building at UW-Madison

Universities of Wisconsin Building Projects (Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

Democratic Gov. Tony Evers signed a bill Wednesday that authorizes spending hundreds of millions of dollars on Universities of Wisconsin construction and renovation projects.

The governor signed the bill privately on Wednesday morning. The measure is part of a deal Republican lawmakers cut with UW regents in December that limits diversity positions across the UW system in exchange for money to cover staff pay raises and construction projects.

The bill transfers $423.3 million from the state's general fund to the capital improvement fund and authorizes $110.2 million in borrowing to build a new engineering building at UW-Madison, renovate dorms at UW-Whitewater and heating and cooling plants across the system and fund demolition work.