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UW leaders defend academic programs, promise updates on Haub School pages and scope audit requests

Joint Appropriations Committee (Wyoming Legislature) · January 9, 2026

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Summary

University of Wyoming officials told the Joint Appropriations Committee that some Haub School minors were discontinued and website pages will be updated, outlined private/block grant support for Haub, and agreed to scope a third‑party audit of a high‑cost research center and provide budget details for High Bay/CTE projects.

University of Wyoming President Ed Seidel and senior campus leaders answered follow‑up questions from the Joint Appropriations Committee on Jan. 9 about the Haub School's sustainability offerings, Wyoming Public Media, research center oversight, and capital projects.

Interim Provost Anne Alexander said the gender and women's studies minor was discontinued by the board of trustees in May 2025 and web pages remain temporarily visible while students who were enrolled are taught out; she said the site would be updated by Monday. Haub School deputy dean Temple Stollinger said the school primarily offers concurrent degrees in environment and natural resources and that many elective courses referenced on some pages come from other academic units across campus.

Vice President Mike Smith provided a ballpark: private and block grants to Haub total roughly $1.375M, approximately 18–22% of the Haub unit's budget. President Seidel said Wyoming Public Media absorbed a recent federal funding cut by fundraising and operating changes and that UW will work with the committee on a narrowly scoped third‑party management and financial audit for a major research center (estimated in the tens of thousands of dollars). UW also agreed to provide the committee a draft audit scope and cost estimate for consideration during budget deliberations.

Leaders reiterated the university's focus on aligning programs with state workforce needs while keeping access affordable; they asked lawmakers to consider that flat general‑fund support and inflationary pressures constrain campus choices.