Recently, the Joint Appropriations Committee proposed significant budget cuts to the University of Wyoming’s state funding as part of the state’s biennial budget process for 2027-2028. These cuts target UW’s block grant, which is the primary unrestricted state funds used for UWYO operations like salaries, academic programs, and services. These proposals come despite Wyoming having no budgetary crisis and an estimated $250 million in excess revenue.
While the full scope of this legislation is nowhere near complete, we, the staff of The Branding Iron, would like to convey our strong disapproval of these cuts. Not only is there a significant chance of The Branding Iron itself being affected by this decision, but a plethora of other colleges and services that the University provides could be axed as well. The state of Wyoming only has one four-year university, and students wishing to remain in their home state to contribute to our economy should have as wide of a selection of degrees as possible. While we understand the need to be fiscally responsible, it appears that the primary reasons for this funding cut are political in nature, not financial.
While the staff of The Branding Iron is home to a wide variety of political affiliations and opinions on the specifics of these cuts, the one thing we can universally agree upon is that they’re the wrong course of action for the state to take. From our more left-leaning writers, there is significant concern about access to education for people who cannot afford to go out of state, and about the possible intentional targeting of a future well-informed public for political decision making. From our right-leaning writers, while there is a recognition of a certain amount of “fluff” within the University’s degrees, the answer should not be blanket cuts, but rather a concerted effort to reform the University of Wyoming to something more in line with the values of the state.
Regardless of the specifics of our disapproval, we are united in stating that these cuts should not go forward. Indeed, we agree wholeheartedly with Governor Gordon that this will be, “devastating to the University.” If the Freedom Caucus wishes to express their criticisms of the University’s programs, that is their right, and their opinion should be considered just the same as anyone else’s. But cutting a flat $40 million is, ultimately, a rash and knee-jerk reaction in a situation where significantly more care is needed.
