Mid-State Technical College’s Board of Directors adopted its 2021–22 budget following a public hearing during its June 21 meeting in Wisconsin Rapids. The annual budget goes into effect on July 1, 2021.

The General Fund Operations budget is $31.5 million, a $210,000 increase from the amended 2020–21 Fiscal Year budget. The operational budget was prepared with the assumption of a slight enrollment increase from the 2020-21 pandemic year. 

As in years past, College administrators set out to develop a budget that balances the needs of its students and communities with available budgetary resources. The higher education industry continues to undergo rapid change, and Mid-State has aggressively sought to address that change through its Strategic Directions and the development of its Moving Forward Together 2025 Strategic Plan.

“As always, our mission at Mid-State is to transform lives through the power of teaching and learning, which is the driving force behind everything we do and essential to how we continue to meet the ever-evolving needs of the communities we serve,” said Mid-State President Dr. Shelly Mondeik. “We continue to listen to those communities and partners districtwide, and this budget enables us to develop the right programs and services to deliver on our mission. While this last year has been difficult on everyone due to the pandemic, Mid-State has invested resources to provide uninterrupted education and support students with responsive services and a caring learning environment they can thrive in.”

According to Mid-State Vice President of Finance and Facilities Greg Bruckbauer, the College’s mill rate is projected to increase 1.2 cents per $1,000 of equalized property value, increasing the tax bill for a $100,000 home from $94.49 last year to a projected $95.73 in the coming year. Mid-State poses a considerably lower impact than other taxing authorities because the College serves a broad tax base of 97 municipalities in all or parts of Adams, Clark, Jackson, Juneau, Marathon, Portage, Waushara and Wood counties. 
 
"This budget will fund Mid-State’s ongoing work to support its communities with innovative programs and access to world-class technology, facilities and services," Bruckbauer said. “The demand for professionals in central Wisconsin with hands-on, technical skills remains high, and we look forward to providing our highly sought-after graduates to meet that need.”