Race-based higher education programs and requirements, the official text

2025 - 2026 LEGISLATURE
LRB-2973/1
ARG:emw

2025 SENATE BILL 652
November 14, 2025 - Introduced by Senators Wimberger, Nass, Quinn and Tomczyk, cosponsored by Representatives Piwowarczyk, Behnke, Callahan, Dittrich, Goeben, Green, B. Jacobson, Knodl, Melotik, Murphy, Mursau, Nedweski, O'Connor, Penterman, Tucker and Wichgers. Referred to Committee on Universities and Technical Colleges.

An Act to repeal 36.34 (title) and (1) (title) and (a), 38.04 (8) (a), 38.26 (1), 39.15 (1) (c), 39.44 (1) (a) and 39.46 (2) (g); to renumber and amend 36.34 (1) (b), 38.04 (8) (b), 39.26 and 39.44 (1) (b); to amend 36.25 (14), 36.25 (14m) (title), 36.25 (14m) (a), 36.25 (14m) (b), 36.25 (14m) (c) 2., 38.04 (8) (title), 38.26 (title), 38.26 (2) (a), (b), (c), (d) and (e), 38.27 (1) (a), 39.40 (title), 39.40 (2) (intro.), 39.40 (3) (b) 1. and 39.44 (3) (c); to repeal and recreate 39.40 (1) and 39.44 (title); to create 36.05 (6r), 38.01 (4m) and 39.26 (2) of the statutes; relating to: race-based higher education programs and requirements.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
This bill changes certain race-based programs or requirements in higher education. In general, the bill modifies these programs and requirements so they apply to disadvantaged students rather than minority students. Under the bill, the term “disadvantaged,” with respect to a student, means having experienced any unfavorable economic, familial, geographic, physical, or other personal hardship. The term may be further defined by rule but may not include the consideration of 1) a student’s race, ethnicity, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, or religion or 2) a student’s identity as a member of a group without regard to individual qualities.
Higher Educational Aids Board
Minority teacher loan program
Under current law, the Higher Educational Aids Board administers a minority teacher loan program for minority students who meet certain criteria, including being enrolled in a teaching program in a discipline with teacher shortages. A “minority student” is defined as a student who is a Black American; an American Indian or Alaskan native; a Hispanic; a person of Asian or Pacific Island origin; or a person whose ancestry includes two or more races. Under the program, HEAB may award to an eligible student a loan of up to $10,000 per year for not more than three years. The loan is generally repayable, but HEAB must forgive 25 percent of the loan for each school year the loan recipient 1) is employed as a full-time teacher in a high-demand area related to the recipient’s discipline; 2) is employed by a public or private school located in a school district in which minority students constitute at least 40 percent of pupil enrollment; and 3) receives an educator effectiveness rating of proficient or distinguished.
The bill changes the program so that it is available to disadvantaged students rather than minority students. The bill also changes the criteria for loan forgiveness described in 2, above, so the recipient must be employed by a public or private school located in a school district in which “economically disadvantaged pupils,” defined as pupils eligible for a free or reduced-price lunch, constitute at least 60 percent of pupil enrollment.
Minority undergraduate grants
Under current law, HEAB administers a minority undergraduate retention grant program for minority undergraduates enrolled in private, nonprofit colleges and technical colleges. A “minority undergraduate” is defined as an undergraduate student who is a Black American; an American Indian; a Hispanic; or a person admitted to the United States after December 31, 1975, who is either a former citizen of Laos, Vietnam, or Cambodia or whose ancestor was or is a citizen of Laos, Vietnam, or Cambodia (Hmong). HEAB must evenly distribute program funds to private, nonprofit colleges and technical colleges, and these receiving colleges must award grants to eligible students on the basis of financial need.
The bill changes the program so that it is available to disadvantaged undergraduate students rather than minority undergraduate students.
Minority student enrollment at Medical College of Wisconsin and Marquette University School of Dentistry
Current law provides state funding to the Medical College of Wisconsin, Inc., for certain purposes, but one condition for receiving this funding is that MCW make every effort to ensure that at least 5 percent of its total enrollment consists of minority students.
The bill repeals this requirement.
Current law requires HEAB to facilitate a contract between the state and a private, nonprofit dental school for dental education services. The contract must incorporate certain requirements, including that the dental school make every effort to ensure that at least 5 percent of its total enrollment consists of minority students.
The bill repeals this requirement.
University of Wisconsin System
Minority and disadvantaged student programs
Current law requires the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System to fund programs for minority and disadvantaged students enrolled in the UW System and programs to recruit minority and disadvantaged students. The Board of Regents must also adopt a recruitment and retention plan for minority and disadvantaged students.
Current law requires the Board of Regents to establish a grant program for minority and disadvantaged graduate students enrolled in the UW System.
The bill modifies these provisions to delete references to the minority status of students, so they apply only to disadvantaged students.
Lawton grants
Current law requires the Board of Regents to establish a grant program for minority undergraduates enrolled in the UW System. The grants are known as Lawton grants. A “minority undergraduate” is defined as an undergraduate student who is a Black American; an American Indian; a Hispanic; or Hmong.
The bill changes the Lawton grant program so that Lawton grants are awarded to disadvantaged undergraduate students rather than minority undergraduate students.
Technical colleges
Minority student participation and retention plan
Current law requires the Technical College System Board to develop a plan to increase minority group member participation and retention in the Technical College System. The plan must include certain information, including a review of the progress made by the TCS Board and technical colleges in the previous school year. A “minority group member” is defined as a Black, a Hispanic, an American Indian, an Eskimo, an Aleut, a native Hawaiian, an Asian-Indian, or a person of Asian-Pacific origin.
The bill modifies this requirement so that it applies with respect to disadvantaged students rather than minority group members.
Minority student participation and retention grants
Under current law, the TCS Board, upon application by a technical college, may award a grant to the technical college to accomplish specified purposes relating to minority students, including the following: providing counseling and tutoring services for minority students; pursuing innovative approaches to increasing minority student placement and retention in programs that lead to a high earning potential; providing internships to minority students preparing for transfer to UW System teacher education programs; and recruiting, training, and retaining minority students through the use of community-based organizations. A “minority student” is defined as a student enrolled in a technical college who is a minority group member, as defined above.
The bill changes this grant program so that grants are awarded for programs related to disadvantaged students rather than minority students.
Incentive grants
Under current law, the TCS Board awards incentive grants to technical colleges for specified purposes. One such purpose is the creation or expansion of adult high school, adult basic education, and English as a second language courses. The TCS Board must give priority to courses serving students with disabilities or minority, unemployed, or disadvantaged students.
The bill eliminates the priority for courses serving minority students but does not affect the priority for courses serving students with disabilities or unemployed or disadvantaged students.

For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

Section 1. 36.05 (6r) of the statutes is created to read:
36.05 (6r) (a) Subject to par. (b), “disadvantaged,” with respect to a student, means having experienced any unfavorable economic, familial, geographic, physical, or other personal hardship.
(b) The term “disadvantaged” may be further defined by the board by rule, but in doing so, the board may not permit, either directly or indirectly, the consideration of a student’s race, ethnicity, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, or religion or the consideration of a student’s identity as a member of a group without regard to individual qualities.
Section 2. 36.25 (14) of the statutes is amended to read:

36.25 (14) Graduate student financial aid. The board shall establish a grant program for minority and disadvantaged graduate students enrolled in the system. The board shall give preference in awarding grants under this subsection to residents of this state. The board may not make a grant under this subsection to a person whose name appears on the statewide support lien docket under s. 49.854 (2) (b), unless the person provides to the board a payment agreement that has been approved by the county child support agency under s. 59.53 (5) and that is consistent with rules promulgated under s. 49.858 (2) (a).
Section 3. 36.25 (14m) (title) of the statutes is amended to read:
36.25 (14m) (title) Minority and disadvantaged Disadvantaged student programs.
Section 4. 36.25 (14m) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
36.25 (14m) (a) The board shall fund programs for recruiting minority and disadvantaged students and for minority and disadvantaged students enrolled in the system.
Section 5. 36.25 (14m) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:
36.25 (14m) (b) By April 15, 1992, and annually thereafter, the board shall adopt a precollege, recruitment and retention plan for minority and disadvantaged students enrolled in the system.
Section 6. 36.25 (14m) (c) 2. of the statutes is amended to read:
36.25 (14m) (c) 2. All financial aid distributed to students, categorized by ethnic group, class level and dependency status. The report shall include
information on financial need, percentage of need satisfied by loan, percentage of need satisfied by grant, and the percentage remaining unsatisfied.
Section 7. 36.34 (title) and (1) (title) and (a) of the statutes are repealed.