Gov. Scott Walker says he wants to extend the freeze on University of Wisconsin System tuition for another two years. He also warned that nearly all state agencies, including UW, should expect zero growth in their budgets over the next two years.
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UW supporters noted that numerous System’s campuses reduced class offerings and advising services as they managed both the tuition freeze and a $250 million funding cut in the 2015-17 state budget.
If the aid is approved, the Federal Emergency Management Agency will provide 75 percent of eligible costs with the state of Wisconsin and the affected communities sharing the remaining 25 percent. “This will make our universities affordable and accessible”.
“I think a tuition freeze is good for the state of Wisconsin and for students”.
The freeze has kept in-state tuition for UW-Madison undergraduates flat at about $10,400 for the past four years, after tuition rose at well above the rate of inflation for decades.
Democrats, faculty and others have countered that UW and other public universities across the country raised tuition because states cut their budgets. While certain priorities, like K-12 education and road funding, could be saved, the governor said department heads need to prepare for little funding increases and to “realign resources” to fit in with their current budgets.
A UW System spokeswoman said officials are similarly committed to college affordability and will submit a budget request that includes new initiatives with that goal in mind.
“There will absolutely be involvement and trying to engage students on, ‘Do you want to lobby at the state level for your education, and on the quality of your education, by asking for more state funding?'” Goséy said.
Assembly Minority Leader Peter Barca, D-Kenosha, said in an email that telling state agencies to expect zero growth in funding reflects a lack of direction.
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Without offsetting state aid, the freeze would mean two more years of fiscal headaches for UW schools. The Legislature’s finance committee will revise the document before sending it to the full Senate and Assembly for votes. “Should the governor maintain a freeze, we hope he will fund our new initiatives so that college remains affordable for Wisconsin families”.
