SB 653

This bill prohibits, with an exception, University of Wisconsin System institutions from participating in a collaboration agreement, academic partnership, or research partnership with a college or university based in China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, Cuba, Venezuela, or Qatar or with the government or regime of any of these countries (foreign adversary) or certain persons or entities associated with these countries (foreign principals). A “collaboration agreement” is a written statement of mutual interest in academic or research collaboration. An “academic partnership” is a faculty or student exchange program, study abroad program, articulation program, recruiting program, or dual degree program. A “research partnership” is an agreement, memorandum of understanding, joint project, consortium, or other collaborative arrangement for the purpose of jointly conducting, funding, or facilitating scientific, technological, engineering, medical, social science, or other scholarly research.

This bill also prohibits, without exception, UW System institutions from accepting any grant from a college or university based in any of these countries or from a foreign adversary or foreign principal.

The bill provides an exception allowing a UW System institution, upon approval by the Board of Regents of the UW System, to enter into a collaboration agreement, academic partnership, or research partnership with a college or university based in any of these countries or with a foreign adversary or foreign principal if 1) the Board of Regents determines that the collaboration agreement, academic partnership, or research partnership is valuable to students and to the UW System institution and is not detrimental to the safety or security of the United States or its residents, and 2) the Board of Regents first requests and receives a national security risk assessment of the proposed collaboration agreement, academic partnership, or research partnership by a federal law enforcement agency. Also, the Board of Regents may not approve such an agreement or partnership if the agreement or partnership would constrain the institution’s freedom of contract or allow the institution’s curriculum or values to be directed or controlled by a foreign adversary or foreign principal. However, in the 2025-27 fiscal biennium, the exception does not apply to, and a UW System institution may not enter into such an agreement or partnership with, Russia. In addition, a UW System institution or researcher may not approve, continue, or enter into a collaboration agreement, academic partnership, or research partnership with a college or university based in any of these countries or with a foreign adversary or foreign principal if any project under the agreement or partnership is funded in full or in part by the U.S. Department of Defense.

The bill also requires the Board of Regents to adopt a policy prohibiting each institution from procuring or using educational software from a prohibited business entity. A “prohibited business entity" is defined to include a company domiciled, incorporated, or headquartered in, or having its principal place of business in, a country controlled by a foreign adversary, as well as a Chinese-controlled company.

The bill also prohibits UW System institutions, and their employees and representatives, from soliciting or accepting gifts in an official capacity, including favors and promises of future employment, from a college or university based in any of these countries or from a foreign adversary or foreign principal. UW System institutions also may not accept anything of value conditioned upon participation in a program to promote the language or culture of any of these countries.

The bill requires the Board of Regents to submit an annual report to the governor and the legislature relating to collaboration agreements, academic partnerships, and research partnerships of UW System institutions, including detailed information on each request by the Board of Regents for a national security risk assessment.

Under the bill, if a UW System institution violates any provision of the bill, the Joint Committee on Finance may determine the monetary value to the UW System institution of a violating collaboration agreement, academic partnership, or research partnership or otherwise resulting from the violation. An amount that is twice the monetary value determined by JCF is published in the Wisconsin Administrative Register and, upon publication, the secretary of administration must transfer the published amount from the UW System’s general program operations appropriation to the JCF supplemental appropriation.