UW Extension (What is it, how is it different and separate from UWWC, and what is the county doing with it?)

There is a lot of confusion about what UW Extension is, and how it is different from UWWC (now named UWM in Washington County).  In fact, before I was first elected to the County Board, I didn't really understand very well about UW Extension and how they support and oversee 4H, even though my kids were had already been in 4H for several years.

Please note, throughout this article I will refer to UWM in Washington County as UWWC, as that is how most of us relate our 2 year college.  UWM only became involved with UWWC and renamed them in 2018.

What is UW Extension

U.W. Extension is a division of UW Madison.  They operate in all 72 counties.  They don't offer any degree programs or credit-bearing classes, nor do they receive any tuition support.  Instead, they do outreach-style education and support for 6 program missions.  Those are:

• Youth development
• Agricultural education
• Community development
• Health
• Natural resources
• Families & finance.   

4H is run through UW Extension as part of their youth development mission.  In fact, a lot of people don't realize that 4H in Wisconsin is run entirely through UW Extension.

U.W. Extension also has no campus.  Instead, they have a state office building on the U.W. Madison campus along with local offices in each of Wisconsin's 72 counties.  In Washington County, U.W. Extension has a small suite of offices in the County's Public Agency Building on Washington Avenue.

They are funded by the 72 counties, in partnership with U.W. who also contributes to their funding structure.  There is some federal funding for the various missions as well. 

Is UW Extension connected to UWWC (UWM in Washington County)?

The short answer is "no."  

UW Extension operates completely under the purview of U.W. Madison and is completely separate from any of the other U.W. schools.  Washington County sends about $400,000 per year to the U.W. Board of Regents, which is then used to support U.W. Extension's operations in our County.  Simply put, U.W. Extension is U.W. Madison's presence in all 72 counties in Wisconsin, and is not directly affiliated with UWWC (though all U.W. schools fall under the domain of the U.W. Board of Regents) .

What is the County doing with U.W. Extension?

County officials have received consistent feedback from the agricultural community concerning U.W. Extension.  That feedback is not positive.  U.W. Extension's priorities are not matching up with the needs of our community.  Other counties in Wisconsin are having a similar experience, and are taking or considering taking action similar to what Washington County has done.

Because of this feedback, we have decided to review the county's funding of U.W. Extension.  While we will keep 4H fully funded, we want to review the current arrangement with U.W. Extension, U.W. Madison, and the U.W. Board of Regents.  A steering committee is being put together, to study the situation and recommend a course of action.  Key community leaders and stakeholders will be part of this committee.  That committee may propose that we transition to a new model that has a stronger emphasis on local control and Washington County priorities, while preserving our strong roots in 4H and strengthening the agricultural education mission.  A new partner may be needed, one that will replace U.W. Extension with an organization that will support our local needs and priorities.

Once the committee makes it recommendation and it is implemented, the funding will then be awarded accordingly.  In other words, in the short term we are withholding the funding, preventing it from going to the U.W. Board of Regents, while we figure out what the right path forward is for the future of youth education and agricultural education.  In the long term, all of the funding will remain with the key missions (such as 4H) without regard to whether the partner in those missions changes.

To be absolutely clear, 4H will remain fully funded throughout this endeavor.

What is my view on this issue?

Madison often operates in a bubble, deciding their own priorities and then trying to push them onto the rest of the state.  A restructuring that provides more local control, so that we can make sure that the needs of our communities are being met, appears to be needed.  For that reason, I support preventing the funding from being passed on the the U.W. Board of Regents, and instead want that funding reserved for the potential new partner for these missions.

Preserving a strong 4H youth development program is important to many members of the County Board, including myself.  My 2 kids enjoyed Rocketry and Archery, and also had opportunities to experience other areas of interest including youth leadership, photography, model building, and cake decorating.  They each went to Space Camp in Huntsville, Alabama through 4H.