UW Regents Approve Tuition Hike At Four-Year Campuses
Tuition Frozen At UW's Two-Year Colleges
Updated: 7:33 am CDT August 8, 2007
MADISON, Wis. -- University of Wisconsin System regents voted on Tuesday to increase tuition by 5.5 percent at all of its four-year universities.
VIDEO: Watch The ReportThe hike is the smallest increase in several years and comes during great uncertainty over the UW System budget.The Board of Regents voted 14-3 to approve the increases totaling $330 for the coming school year for in-state students at UW-Madison, $323 at UW-Milwaukee and $251 at the 11 other four-year universities.The regents froze tuition at UW's 13 two-year liberal arts colleges in an attempt to keep them affordable for low-income and nontraditional students.Although the Board of Regents finalized its operating budget, it could be far from final. The Legislature hasn't yet passed its budget, and there is about a $120 million gap in UW System allocation in the Senate and Assembly's budgets.The Board of Regents made clear that it didn't want to make a decision that would raise tuition or hold down pay raises for quickly vacating UW faculty. UW System President Kevin Reilly said he hopes the new budget treads carefully."As we make these tuition decisions that are vitally important to families and students, we are really hampered by not knowing what state government will do to the university's budget," Reilly said.Students voiced disapproval of the tuition hike."Students are being stretched thinner and thinner," UW La Crosse senior Jeff Allen told the Board of Regents. "When will Wisconsin realize that students need a break?"But the Regents also approved a tuition freeze at the state's two-year colleges, which was good news for some."By voting to freeze tuition for students at the UW colleges, you'll be sending a clear message to me, my family and the UW-Marathon County community," said UW Marathon sophomore Brandon Hallstrand. "The message is one of hope and understanding, encouragement and support.Hallstrand said he came from a farm family where he had to work summers at home rather than elsewhere to make money to save for school.The UW System officials said they hope with this budget to include a 4 percent faculty and staff raise, which pleased some faculty at the Board of Regents meeting."I think they're going to send an amazing morale message to the faculty and staff that are here, I think they're going to keep the people that were thinking about leaving, and I think nationally Wisconsin will go back on the map as a place where people can say, 'Yeah, I can work there," said Lynn Freeman, director of academic advising at UW-Oshkosh.But everything could change based on the actions by the state Legislature."One thing is clear, however, if the Legislature backs off from their investments in the UW already approved by this board, by the governor, by the bipartisan Joint Finance Committee and by the Senate. Higher tuition is the chief alternative to preserve the level of quality and service demanded by Wisconsinites," Reilly said.While tuition is going up, the UW System said this is the smallest dollar increase in five years and the lowest percentage increase in seven years. Reilly also said that the increase would still put UW-Madison as the second lowest resident tuition in the Big 10.
VIDEO: Watch The ReportThe hike is the smallest increase in several years and comes during great uncertainty over the UW System budget.The Board of Regents voted 14-3 to approve the increases totaling $330 for the coming school year for in-state students at UW-Madison, $323 at UW-Milwaukee and $251 at the 11 other four-year universities.The regents froze tuition at UW's 13 two-year liberal arts colleges in an attempt to keep them affordable for low-income and nontraditional students.Although the Board of Regents finalized its operating budget, it could be far from final. The Legislature hasn't yet passed its budget, and there is about a $120 million gap in UW System allocation in the Senate and Assembly's budgets.The Board of Regents made clear that it didn't want to make a decision that would raise tuition or hold down pay raises for quickly vacating UW faculty. UW System President Kevin Reilly said he hopes the new budget treads carefully."As we make these tuition decisions that are vitally important to families and students, we are really hampered by not knowing what state government will do to the university's budget," Reilly said.Students voiced disapproval of the tuition hike."Students are being stretched thinner and thinner," UW La Crosse senior Jeff Allen told the Board of Regents. "When will Wisconsin realize that students need a break?"But the Regents also approved a tuition freeze at the state's two-year colleges, which was good news for some."By voting to freeze tuition for students at the UW colleges, you'll be sending a clear message to me, my family and the UW-Marathon County community," said UW Marathon sophomore Brandon Hallstrand. "The message is one of hope and understanding, encouragement and support.Hallstrand said he came from a farm family where he had to work summers at home rather than elsewhere to make money to save for school.The UW System officials said they hope with this budget to include a 4 percent faculty and staff raise, which pleased some faculty at the Board of Regents meeting."I think they're going to send an amazing morale message to the faculty and staff that are here, I think they're going to keep the people that were thinking about leaving, and I think nationally Wisconsin will go back on the map as a place where people can say, 'Yeah, I can work there," said Lynn Freeman, director of academic advising at UW-Oshkosh.But everything could change based on the actions by the state Legislature."One thing is clear, however, if the Legislature backs off from their investments in the UW already approved by this board, by the governor, by the bipartisan Joint Finance Committee and by the Senate. Higher tuition is the chief alternative to preserve the level of quality and service demanded by Wisconsinites," Reilly said.While tuition is going up, the UW System said this is the smallest dollar increase in five years and the lowest percentage increase in seven years. Reilly also said that the increase would still put UW-Madison as the second lowest resident tuition in the Big 10. Copyright 2008 by Channel 3000. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
