Paul Hoeft

In recent media articles, an alarm has gone off against proposed legislation to reduce appropriations to the University of Wyoming. Inflammatory language and blaming the Freedom Caucus does not address the looming storm ahead.

In four short years the state is facing an $800 million budgetary shortfall that will have to be addressed. Looking into the future, difficult decisions have to be made today. The Joint Appropriations Committee has to look at many factors relating to the budget. Spending and performance come to mind.

The UW appears to this legislator to be heavily funded compared to other universities in the region according to their financial statements. In 2024 Colorado State University received $22.3 million in state appropriations. UW, on the other hand, got $230.3 million. That’s more than 10 times what CSU got. CSU nonoperating funds are $204.6 million and the percentage of the total appropriation is about 10%. UW’s nonoperating funds are $338.4 million and the percentage is 68% of the total appropriation. UW also enjoys grants from state agencies and tuition subsidies from the Hathaway program. The Hathaway puts about $13 million into UW. The total budget for 2026 reported by UW is a staggering $533.7 million. Can you say more than a half billion? Surely UW could stand for a budget trim.

When it comes to performance, what are we getting in return for all that spending? President Seidel remains even after announcing he is leaving — a move made by the board of trustees. The scandal involving the dean of the Engineering program puts a black eye on leadership. What happened to the Geology program? It was once considered the best in the nation. A casual perusal of the programs offered by  UW on their website is considerable. Just how many of these programs equate into marketable jobs? I’m told that education is the key to the future of Wyoming — I agree. However, in the face of coming financial shortfalls, offering all kinds of social issue programs, in my opinion, is not the role of education. As one who has worked in the private sector and involved in the hiring of employees, I want to know what you can bring to the table to help the business flourish. UW needs strong leadership to take it into the future. Make decisions that take our young people into the arena of marketable skills. Leave women’s and gender studies behind. The students do all that on their own for free.

Part of the looming storm has already occurred. UW will most likely experience this in the coming 2026-2027 enrollments. In 2008, 18 years ago, a sharp downturn in the birthrate occurred due to recession. Lower birthrate, lower enrollments. For the United States population to remain stable, a birthrate of 2.1 is required. We are currently at 1.6. Our population is in decline. I bring this up because we have painted ourselves into a corner concerning our educational buildings — very nice I might add. They all have to be maintained. With declining enrollments, decisions will have to be made as what to keep and what to let go of. When you add in the cost of educational buildings, at the current rate of average daily membership (student attendance) K-12 education costs the Wyoming taxpayer $32,000 for each student per year. Time to stop blaming the Joint Appropriations committee and the Freedom Caucus for prior legislative spending. They are making the difficult decisions now. 

Too many tout the state is awash in cash. It is not. If every agency could get its hands on “the rainy-day fund” it would already be gone. Wyoming people are tax weary. They are expected to tighten the belt, so should the state. Families are struggling. Grandma and grandpa on a fixed income are having a hard time coming up with the property tax payment on a home many of them have owned for years! Inflation has been cruel on many of our residents. For those who say we should spend more, go ahead. Make your contribution, I know they will accept it. Bottom line, UW needs to up its game and support more skills-oriented education and dump wasteful nonproductive programs. 

That Y in the road? The Legislature has to consider many issues in the Budget Session. If we take the wrong path now the ramifications of wasteful spending and growing government further may take us down a path we may not be able to overcome. 

(Paul Hoeft is the Wyoming House Representative for District 25 Powell.)