Wyoming

Gail Symons: Who Is Really Out Of Touch On The University Of Wyoming’s Budget?

Published

3 weeks ago

February 15, 2026

Gail Symons: Who Is Really Out Of Touch On The University Of Wyoming’s Budget?

Freedom Caucus leaders keep calling the University of Wyoming “out of touch.” Their presentation of the budget to the House this week exposed who is actually “out of touch.”

Representative John Bear (R-Gillette) said, “The $40 million cut was meant to ‘get their attention.’”

A state budget exists to govern. A budget built to punish exists to posture.

Two problems drive this mess. First, ideology replaces fact finding, process, and consequences. Second, House Appropriations shows a deep disconnect from what UW means to Wyoming, culturally and economically.

Start with the “land-grant” argument. One footnote requires students to learn about the Morrill Act. Apparently, the House Appropriators did not bother understanding it themselves.

Representative Ken Pendergraft (R-Sheridan) claimed UW “lost focus on the land grant concept” and should narrow toward agriculture, engineering, and education, “the things that benefit Wyoming specifically.” That framing treats land grant as shorthand for vocational training. Federal law has never defined land grant that way.

The Morrill Act created land-grant colleges “to teach such branches of learning as are related to agriculture and the mechanic arts (Engineering)…without excluding other scientific and classical studies,” and “in order to promote the liberal and practical education of the industrial classes.” Land grant means practical education and broad education.

So let’s look at the academic fields that were not protected from that $40M haircut. Nursing, pharmacy, law, business, criminal justice…even Engineering which is specified in the Morrill Act. Those don’t benefit Wyoming?

Wyoming’s Constitution points the same direction. Representative Steve Harshman reminded colleagues that university instruction should be “as nearly free as possible.” Broad education plus public access forms part of Wyoming’s long game, keeping talent here and training professionals here.

Freedom Caucus budgeting takes a different route. Culture disputes become budget penalties, enforced through dollars instead of open policy debate.

Pendergraft had drilled UW during hearings on course topics like ecofeminism and asked, “How is ecofeminism helpful for a student who wants to stay in Wyoming and work in Wyoming?” A budget hearing became a curriculum trial.

Inside the Legislature, colleagues called out the method. One legislator warned, “$40 million sure is an attention getter, but that cut reaches all sorts of programs.” Another asked what the cost of the courses offensive to the committee is compared to the cut.

Rep Lloyd Larsen (R-Lander) challenged Bear: “Explain that a little bit. Because that would almost suggest this action is retaliatory; that we’re going to show you.”

Process matters because process signals seriousness. Reports from Joint Appropriations included a claim that a member was “handed a script,” plus an assessment that meetings produced “no honest debate on anything.” Wyoming voters should not accept scripted budgeting for a flagship institution.

UW administrators told lawmakers an annual $20 million reduction hits payroll first. Estimates put the impact near $16 million in compensation, roughly 160 jobs. Those jobs sit in classrooms, labs, advising offices, extension work, and maintenance. Wyoming pays twice, once in layoffs, again in lost capacity.

Now the second problem: cultural blindness. UW serves as Wyoming’s statewide anchor, and athletics offers the clearest proof. A statewide survey found 84 percent of Wyomingites agree Cowboys and Cowgirls athletics serves as a source of pride.

War Memorial Stadium has been described as a “statewide reunion” on fall Saturdays. Lawmakers also heard a warning from colleagues: losing Division I status “will have a ripple effect across this state.”

Athletics also carries real dollars. UW athletics runs an expense budget “about $53 million.” Roughly $11.2 million comes from the state block grant, $5 million from the Cowboy Joe Club, and roughly $36 to $37 million comes from self-generated sources. The program has been credited with about $206.4 million in annual economic impact for Wyoming.

Then comes the risk profile Freedom Caucus leaders ignore. Governance chaos and punitive budgeting damage credibility with federal partners, private donors, and accreditors who expect stable, mission-driven leadership.

Endowment talk displays the competence gap in plain daylight. Bear suggested “the university should rely more on its substantial endowment funds rather than taxpayer dollars,” and use those funds to “stand on its own.”

Endowments are legally restricted by donor intent. You can’t liquidate them to pay for keeping the lights on or general faculty salaries.

Wyoming deserves better than governing by grievance. Bear’s admission of punishment and Pendergraft’s narrow (and inaccurate) view of land grant expose a House Appropriations operation driven by ideology, not stewardship.

This approach does not serve Wyoming’s best interests. It weakens a statewide institution, drives uncertainty, and signals contempt for the people who study, work, and build careers here.

It appears that it is the Freedom Caucus that is actually “out of touch.”

Gail Symons can be reached at: GailSymons@mac.com

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Wyoming

Wyoming Coaches Pick the Best of 1A & 2A Boys Basketball in 2026

Published

7 hours ago

March 11, 2026

Press Room

Wyoming Coaches Pick the Best of 1A & 2A Boys Basketball in 2026

The top boys’ basketball players in Wyoming for Classes 1A and 2A were chosen for the 2026 high school season. The Wyoming Coaches Association has unveiled the all-state awards for this year, as voted on by the head coaches in the two classifications, respectively. The Wyoming Coaches Association only recognizes one team for all-state, and only these players receive an award certificate from the WCA. WyoPreps only lists all-state players as defined by the WCA.

WCA 1A-2A BOYS BASKETBALL ALL-STATE SELECTIONS IN 2026

Each class selected 14 players for all-state, reflecting a broad recognition of talent across Wyoming. Notably, congratulations go to Hulett’s Kyle Smith, Brady Cook from Lingle-Fort Laramie, and Carsten Freeburg from Pine Bluffs, who earned all-state honors for the third straight year. In addition, eight more players achieved all-state status for the second time in their prep careers.

Class 1A

Paul McNiven – Burlington

Bitner Philpott – Burlington

Ammon Hatch – Cokeville (All-State in 2025)

Hudson Himmerich – Cokeville

Kyle Smith – Hulett (All-State 2024 & 2025)

Anthony Arnusch – Lingle-Ft. Laramie

Brady Cook – Lingle-Ft. Laramie (All-State 2024 & 2025)

Tymber Cozzens – Little Snake River (All-State in 2025)

Corbin Matthews – Lusk

Max Potas – Meeteetse (All-State in 2024)

Jace Westring – Saratoga

Hazen Williams – Saratoga

TJ Moats – Southeast (All-State in 2024)

Nic Schiller – Upton

Read More Boys Basketball News from WyoPreps

WyoPreps 1A-2A State Basketball Scoreboard 2026

WyoPreps 3A-4A Regional Basketball Scoreboard 2026

WyoPreps Coaches and Media Final Basketball Poll 2026

1A-2A Boys Basketball Regional Scoreboard 2026

WyoPreps Boys Basketball Week 11 Scores 2026

WyoPreps Coaches and Media Basketball Polls 2-25-26

WyoPreps Boys Basketball Week 10 Scores 2026

WyoPreps Coaches and Media Basketball Polls 2-18-26

WyoPreps Boys Basketball Week 9 Scores 2026

WyoPreps Coaches and Media Basketball Polls 2-11-26

WyoPreps Boys Basketball Week 8 Scores 2026

WyoPreps Coaches and Media Basketball Polls 2-4-26

Class 2A

Caleb Adsit – Big Horn

Chase Garber – Big Horn

Carsten Freeburg – Pine Bluffs (All-State 2024 & 2025)

Mason Moss – Rocky Mountain

Oakley Hicks – Shoshoni

Kade Mills – Sundance

Cody Bomengen – Thermopolis (All-State in 2025)

Zak Hastie – Thermopolis

Ellis Webber – Thermopolis (All-State in 2025)

Joseph Kimbrell – Wright

Mitchell Strohschein – Wright (All-State in 2025)

Adriano Brown – Wyoming Indian

Heeyei’Niitou Monroe-Black – Wyoming Indian (All-State in 2025)

Cordell Spoonhunter – Wyoming Indian

The 2026 state champions were the Saratoga Panthers in Class 1A. They beat Lingle-Fort Laramie, 50-45, in the championship game. The 2A winners were the Thermopolis Bobcats, who repeated as champions, after a 45-38 victory over Wyoming Indian in the title game.

Lusk versus Rock River high school basketball 2026

Game action between the Tigers and Longhorns

Gallery Credit: Courtesy: Lisa Shaw

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Wyoming

New laws establish a statewide literacy program

Published

19 hours ago

March 10, 2026

Press Room

New laws establish a statewide literacy program

A pair of bills signed into law last week aim to build out a more comprehensive system of literacy education across Wyoming’s public schools.

One mandates evidence-based practices and requires regular screenings for dyslexia, while the other enables the Wyoming Department of Education (WDE) to hire a dedicated literacy professional to oversee statewide compliance.

Gov. Mark Gordon’s signing of both bills on Friday was the latest accomplishment of an ongoing push for improved literacy standards. That push has been spearheaded by State Superintendent of Public Instruction Megan Degenfelder.

“Wyoming is not going to let a single child fall through the cracks,” Degenfelder said during a public bill signing last week. “We are not going to fall behind when it comes to ensuring that our children can read at grade level.”

The primary bill, Senate File 59, establishes a statewide K-12 program for teaching students to read that is built on “evidence based language and literacy instruction, assessment, intervention and professional development that supports educators, engages families and promotes literacy proficiency for all Wyoming students.”

The bill defines evidence-based strategies as those that conform to the science of reading, a term that will be defined and updated by Degenfelder’s office. Nationwide, it generally means putting academic research into practice in classrooms. SF 59 specifically prohibits the exclusive use of “three-cueing” — a strategy once widely employed to teach reading but which education experts now say is outdated and less effective than other strategies.

It also requires annual dyslexia screeners for students below the third grade, and testing for reading difficulties for all students.

The screeners are used to identify the severity of reading difficulties in order to direct “tiered” support that offers the most intensive interventions to the students most in need, while still providing “evidence based” language instruction to all students.

Each school district must formulate an individualized reading plan “for each student identified as having reading difficulties or at risk for poor reading outcomes.”

Districts must now report to the state annually regarding their literacy-related work. Any district where 60% or more of the students are struggling will be required to implement “summer literacy camps or extended supports, including after school support and tutoring.”

The bill also requires literacy related professional development for teachers and specialists “appropriate to their role and level of responsibility” related to literacy education.

SF 59 was backed by dyslexia advocates and literacy specialists.

Senate File 14, the other literacy bill signed into law Friday, appropriates $120,000 annually for the next two years for a full-time position at WDE “to assist school districts in implementing a reading assessment and intervention program and language and literacy programs.”

Both bills go into effect July 1.

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Wyoming

Wyoming Announces 2026 Football Schedule – SweetwaterNOW

Published

1 day ago

March 10, 2026

Press Room

Wyoming Announces 2026 Football Schedule

Samuel “Tote” Harris. Photo from gowyo.com

LARAMIE — The University of Wyoming and the Mountain West Conference announced the Cowboys’ 2026 football schedule Monday, a slate that opens with the Border War and concludes with back-to-back home games in Laramie.

Wyoming opens the season Sept. 5 on the road against Colorado State in the 118th edition of the Border War. The Cowboys then host Northern Colorado on Sept. 12 in the home opener before traveling to Central Michigan on Sept. 19.

The Cowboys begin Mountain West play Sept. 26 at home against Hawaii in a matchup for the Paniolo Trophy. Wyoming then faces back-to-back road games at North Dakota State on Oct. 3 and San Jose State on Oct. 10.

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Wyoming returns to War Memorial Stadium on Oct. 17 to host conference newcomer Northern Illinois before facing Air Force at home on Oct. 24. The Cowboys will have an open week on Oct. 31.

The Cowboys open November with road games at UNLV on Nov. 7 and at UTEP on Nov. 14, marking Wyoming’s first meeting with the Miners as members of the Mountain West. Wyoming closes conference play by hosting New Mexico on Nov. 21 and wraps up the regular season with a nonconference game against UConn on Nov. 28 in Laramie.

Each Mountain West team will play four home and four road conference games during the 13-week season, which will conclude with the Mountain West Football Championship Game featuring the two teams with the highest conference winning percentages. The championship game date will be announced later.

With the conference schedule set, Mountain West television partners CBS Sports, FOX Sports, and The CW will begin selecting broadcast games, which could include moving some contests to non-Saturday dates. Network assignments and kickoff times will be announced at a later date.

Season ticket renewals for the 2026 Wyoming football season are now available. Fans can renew their tickets online by visiting gowyo.com/tickets and logging into their account.

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