Wisconsin Board of Commissioners of Public Lands
Encyclopedia
The Wisconsin Board of Commissioners of Public Lands is a Wisconsin
state agency
responsible for managing the Wisconsin Trust Funds for public education financing, and for managing remaining Wisconsin Trust Lands. The agency was set up in the Wisconsin Constitution
, ratified in 1848.
The board was originally set up in the nineteenth century to oversee the sale of Trust Lands, land that was allotted to the government for sale to finance public education. A limited amount of trust land is still administered by the board—about 5600 acres (22.7 km²) of the more than 1 million originally allotted to the state.
The Common School Fund was created from the sale of the 16th section
in each of Wisconsin's townships
—this amounted to almost 1000000 acres (4,046.9 km²). The U.S. Congress
added to the fund by allocating an additional 500000 acres (2,023.4 km²) to the state fund. In addition, the state grants the fund all fines, fees, forfeitures, and unclaimed property that escheat
s to the state. Funding is distributed annually to the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction
for distribution to public schools for use towards public school libraries.
The Normal School Fund was created in 1865 from the sale of half of the land Congress allocated to Wisconsin in the Swamp Land Act after the Wisconsin Legislature
decided not all of the land was needed to fund land reclamation
. The fund was meant to provide funding to normal school
s, or state teacher colleges. Since Wisconsin's state teacher colleges merged with the University of Wisconsin System
in 1971, the fund now is used for scholarships in environmental education
within the system.
The University Fund was created from Congressional grants in 1838 and 1854 of four townships to be sold to support a university. Interest from the proceeds are distributed annually to the University of Wisconsin–Madison.
The Agriculture College Fund was created from proceeds of land allocated to the state by the Morrill Land-Grant Colleges Act
. The state received 240000 acres (971.2 km²) of land under this act. Funds are distributed annually to the University of Wisconsin–Madison, the state's land-grant university
.
, State Treasurer of Wisconsin, and Attorney General of Wisconsin.
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
state agency
Government agency
A government or state agency is a permanent or semi-permanent organization in the machinery of government that is responsible for the oversight and administration of specific functions, such as an intelligence agency. There is a notable variety of agency types...
responsible for managing the Wisconsin Trust Funds for public education financing, and for managing remaining Wisconsin Trust Lands. The agency was set up in the Wisconsin Constitution
Wisconsin Constitution
The Constitution of the State of Wisconsin is the governing document of the U.S. State of Wisconsin. It establishes the structure and function of state government, describes the state boundaries, and declares the rights of state citizens...
, ratified in 1848.
The board was originally set up in the nineteenth century to oversee the sale of Trust Lands, land that was allotted to the government for sale to finance public education. A limited amount of trust land is still administered by the board—about 5600 acres (22.7 km²) of the more than 1 million originally allotted to the state.
Trust funds
Proceeds from the sale and management of the Trust Lands are now a part of four Wisconsin Trust Funds: the Common School Fund, Normal School Fund, University Fund, and Agricultural College Fund.The Common School Fund was created from the sale of the 16th section
Section (United States land surveying)
In U.S. land surveying under the Public Land Survey System , a section is an area nominally one square mile, containing , with 36 sections making up one survey township on a rectangular grid....
in each of Wisconsin's townships
Survey township
Survey township, sometimes called Congressional township, as used by the United States Public Land Survey System, refers to a square unit of land, that is nominally six miles on a side...
—this amounted to almost 1000000 acres (4,046.9 km²). The U.S. Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
added to the fund by allocating an additional 500000 acres (2,023.4 km²) to the state fund. In addition, the state grants the fund all fines, fees, forfeitures, and unclaimed property that escheat
Escheat
Escheat is a common law doctrine which transfers the property of a person who dies without heirs to the crown or state. It serves to ensure that property is not left in limbo without recognised ownership...
s to the state. Funding is distributed annually to the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction
Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction
The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction is the state education agency of Wisconsin. It is headquartered in Madison....
for distribution to public schools for use towards public school libraries.
The Normal School Fund was created in 1865 from the sale of half of the land Congress allocated to Wisconsin in the Swamp Land Act after the Wisconsin Legislature
Wisconsin Legislature
The Wisconsin Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The Legislature is a bicameral body composed of the upper house Wisconsin Senate and the lower Wisconsin Assembly...
decided not all of the land was needed to fund land reclamation
Land reclamation
Land reclamation, usually known as reclamation, is the process to create new land from sea or riverbeds. The land reclaimed is known as reclamation ground or landfill.- Habitation :...
. The fund was meant to provide funding to normal school
Normal school
A normal school is a school created to train high school graduates to be teachers. Its purpose is to establish teaching standards or norms, hence its name...
s, or state teacher colleges. Since Wisconsin's state teacher colleges merged with the University of Wisconsin System
University of Wisconsin System
The University of Wisconsin System is a university system of public universities in the state of Wisconsin. It is one of the largest public higher education systems in the country, enrolling more than 182,000 students each year and employing more than 32,000 faculty and staff statewide...
in 1971, the fund now is used for scholarships in environmental education
Environmental education
Environmental education refers to organized efforts to teach about how natural environments function and, particularly, how human beings can manage their behavior and ecosystems in order to live sustainably. The term is often used to imply education within the school system, from primary to...
within the system.
The University Fund was created from Congressional grants in 1838 and 1854 of four townships to be sold to support a university. Interest from the proceeds are distributed annually to the University of Wisconsin–Madison.
The Agriculture College Fund was created from proceeds of land allocated to the state by the Morrill Land-Grant Colleges Act
Morrill Land-Grant Colleges Act
The Morrill Land-Grant Acts are United States statutes that allowed for the creation of land-grant colleges, including the Morrill Act of 1862 and the Morrill Act of 1890 -Passage of original bill:...
. The state received 240000 acres (971.2 km²) of land under this act. Funds are distributed annually to the University of Wisconsin–Madison, the state's land-grant university
Land-grant university
Land-grant universities are institutions of higher education in the United States designated by each state to receive the benefits of the Morrill Acts of 1862 and 1890....
.
Investment
The board often invests money from Trust Funds to further other state purposes. In 2006, the board purchase $2 million in state bonds to benefit the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs.Commissioners
According to the constitution, the commission consists of the Secretary of State of WisconsinSecretary of State of Wisconsin
The Secretary of State of Wisconsin is an officer of the executive branch of the government of the U.S. state of Wisconsin, and the second in the order of succession of the Governor of Wisconsin, behind the Lieutenant Governor....
, State Treasurer of Wisconsin, and Attorney General of Wisconsin.
- Doug La Follette, Secretary of State
- Kurt W. SchullerKurt W. SchullerKurt W. Schuller is the State Treasurer of Wisconsin and a businessman.Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Schuller graduated from Concordia University Wisconsin with an associate degree in management and communications. Schuller owned and managed restaurants and lives in Eden, Wisconsin...
, State Treasurer - J.B. Van Hollen, Attorney General