A sexual assault case involving a University of Wisconsin-Madison student was dismissed Thursday, one week before a scheduled trial and after more than a year of investigation.
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The university insists the move isn’t about money but bolstering Wisconsin’s workforce as in-state enrollment continues to dip.
UW System rules now cap the number of out-of-state students to 27.5 percent of the undergraduate population at each campus. If approved Friday, the new policy would be in place for next fall’s class of UW-Madison freshmen.
Officials say it would bring more younger students to Wisconsin, many of whom would stay and replace retiring baby boomers in a number of industries.
Eliminating the cap widens a potentially lucrative revenue stream for UW-Madison as it grapples with its share of a $250 million cut Republican lawmakers imposed on the system in the 2015-17 budget; out-of-staters pay about $20,000 more annually in tuition than Wisconsin residents.
UW-Police officials said a stranger sexually assaulted a UW-Madison student in a campus alley way around bar time August. 22, 2014.
The regents approved the report unanimously during a meeting Thursday at UW-Madison.
The group also refuted the school’s contention that out-of-state talent will help the workforce. They have questioned how the change could affect transfer students and those from Minnesota, who won’t be counted as part of the in-state student minimum, and have criticized Blank and Cross for not seeking more input from students and faculty before writing the proposal.
“This will be a workforce crisis if we don’t do something to start dealing with this problem now”, Regent S. Mark Tyler said.
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Spokesmen for UW-Madison and the system didn’t immediately return messages.
