<p>UW, like everyone else, was hit with the recent economic fiasco. No one was prepared to lose 1/4 or more of their investments- governments and schools included. This is a brand new approach to keep up/improve the quality of a UW education when the funds aren’t available from other sources. Good news- the state is NOT making further UW- Madison budget cuts when they do so for the rest of the UW system. The reality is that economic times are tough. The further reality is that UW values education enough to not let its quality slip during this time, those getting a UW education in the near future should not have to worry about its worth due to cutbacks. The state is facing a huge deficit- state employees getting furloughs and all sorts of budget cutting measures unheard of (some of it is the former governor’s legacy, others the economy’s fault). A lot of things are unfair currently, everyone’s applecart was uset by the huge financial setbacks of recent months. A lot of students all over are going to find their college will have made cuts that affect them when it is too late to change plans.</p>
<p>It’s too late for the incoming OOS freshmen who had NO say in the extra $7,500 surcharge to change their plans - their own state schools’ incoming classes are already full in many cases. BUT, they have to suck it up and pay extra because the state of Wisconsin and Wisconsin taxpayers won’t adequately fund their own flagship university. </p>
<p>What on earth makes you think families are any less negatively impacted by the economic downturn than UW or the state of Wisconsin? They’re not, so why stick it to students and/or their families? Why make them take on even more debt? What does UW get out of breaking students’ and their families’ backs EVEN MORE in difficult financial times? Even more so, with Wisconsin taxpayers funding such a small percentage of the budget, why is UW even considered a state school? </p>
<p>I completely agree with the Badger Herald feedback comment that states, “What genius thought it would be a good idea to raise tuition in the midst of an economic crisis?” UW’s incoming class was blindsided as the extra surcharge was NOT disclosed during the application period, incoming students (who will pay a much higher amount than current students) had NO say in the matter, and now they’re stuck with the largest bill for it.</p>
<p>Both student news dailies endorsed the Madison Initiative as did the vast majority of the Board of Regents. </p>
<p>[Newsmakers</a> of the Year - The Daily Cardinal](<a href=“http://www.dailycardinal.com/article/23085]Newsmakers”>http://www.dailycardinal.com/article/23085)</p>
<p>[The</a> Badger Herald: Opinion: Initiative deserves support](<a href=“http://badgerherald.com/oped/2009/04/27/initiative_deserves_.php]The”>http://badgerherald.com/oped/2009/04/27/initiative_deserves_.php)</p>
<p>Wisconsin taxpayers finance the UW to the tune of about $500,000,000 per year. I don’t know what state you are from but that puts UW’s state funding well up the list. The taxpayers are doing their fair share. Tuition should at least equal tax funding and right now it is well below that amount at $350 Million. Michigan takes in over $650 Million in tuition. They don’t give that much of it back in fin aid either.</p>
<p>Look at the students’ comments in the article I previously linked AND the student poll. In the student poll that showed the most support for the surcharge, only 50.4% supported it, while 49.6% opposed it. Clearly, neither student daily reflected their readership’s opinion on the issue. Had they done so, they would have neither endorsed nor opposed the surcharge as the student body was pretty evenly split. The student Senate is a joke, too. Overwhelmingly, their votes were WAY out of line with their constituents’ position on the initiative surcharge.</p>
<p>
[Top</a> Stories: UW-Madison chancellor’s tuition initiative poised for regents’ approval](<a href=“captimes.com | The Capital Times: Madison WI News”>captimes.com | The Capital Times: Madison WI News)</p>
<p>Most of the comments on this article are negative, as well.</p>
<p>I put as much weight on random mostly anonymous student comments as I do on the meaning of the Shout Outs. Actually less. There is a good reason they don’t allow students to run the university. Most students have no clue about how the UW is funded or run. You can tell by some of the comments. “Close the Atheletic Dept.”. The UW AD is fully self-funded and receives no student or tax money other than student ticket sales–which are discounted. Many other schools have a required student fee that goes to the AD. I say this to them and you–you all are free to go elsewhere. We’ll see how many choose that option. I’d rather listen to some of our accomplished alums–people liek the Morgridges and Sheldon Lubar who actually know something about the UW and the larger world. Look at their letters in the BH. Both have donated many millions to the UW.</p>
<p>Chancellor Biddy Martin recently released the details of a plan to enhance the quality of the undergraduate educational experience at the University of Wisconsin-Madison while preserving affordability for families with demonstrated financial need. The Madison Initiative for Undergraduates will be funded through an increase in tuition, a premium that will be offset with private grants for those who can least afford to pay the increase. The stakes have never been higher for our great university, and I wanted to share my thoughts on this initiative with current students who may feel confused or burdened by this.</p>
<p>As a taxpayer, involved alumnus, donor and former president of the Board of Regents, I believe I have a unique perspective on this initiative. UW-Madison has been one of the premier public universities throughout its history. Its excellence is embodied in the quality of people and ideas that it has produced. Our graduates have experienced considerable success in their endeavors. These achievements are extraordinary and stretch far beyond the average person or even the average college graduate. UW-Madison is a big reason why I am where I am today and why I have felt it my duty to step up and support the university for the next generations.</p>
<p>But don’t just take my word for it. UW-Madison alumni from around the world have delivered significant support to the university in recent years through efforts like the recently concluded “Create the Future Campaign” led by the UW Foundation, which raised more than $1.5 billion.</p>
<p>Despite this momentum, our work continues. There is still no guarantee the achievements of the university or its future graduates will match those of the past. As people have come to appreciate the value of an outstanding university education, competition has risen among states and nations to attract the best faculty and deliver the best programs. As others seek to capture the benefits we have long enjoyed at UW-Madison, we have seen increased departures of talented faculty and the cost to maintain a world-class university has increased while our share of state taxpayer dollars has decreased. This cost pressure inevitably shows up in all areas of our programs as more resources are required to attract and retain faculty. Chancellor Martin has taken a bold step by asking you to take more responsibility for the long-term quality of the university. This, I’m sure, was an extremely difficult decision for our new leader to arrive at considering the current budget tightening. You may have wondered, “Why me? Why now? How will I benefit?”</p>
<p>As you mull this over, I would urge you reflect on the high-quality education you have already received as a UW-Madison student and the importance of preserving this standard for the future generations. These are indeed tough times, but by taking important steps together, we all go further. This is an important moment in the future of the university, and I encourage you to join with alumni and others and make this investment today.</p>
<p>Sheldon B. Lubar</p>
<p>BBA 1951</p>
<p>LLB 1953</p>
<p>Dear Fellow Badgers,</p>
<p>You and I have been privileged to attend one of the top 25 teaching and research universities in the world. We are the beneficiaries of the people of the state of Wisconsin and of the ongoing support of our federal government. The people of Wisconsin recognize the role the university plays in educating the workforce of the state, in fostering the arts, in making breakthrough discoveries that improve our health and well-being and in broadening the opportunities for the citizens of Wisconsin. The federal government has consistently recognized the quality of the university by granting more research dollars to UW-Madison than to almost any other university in the country. </p>
<p>It is our collective responsibility to ensure that the university remains a premier institution for generations to come. This is one of the reasons that we have chosen to be longtime investors in the university. We are asking that you join us in supporting Chancellor Biddy Martin’s Undergraduate Initiative to ensure the continuing pre-eminence of the University of Wisconsin-Madison.</p>
<p>Tashia and John Morgridge
University of Wisconsin - Madison ‘55</p>
<p>The bottom line, barrons, is whether UW is burdening students and/or families who find it difficult to borrow yet another $2,500/$7,500. They are. It matters not what those who don’t have to pay say - 49.6% of the students who do pay find the surcharge to be too much of an extra financial burden. If some alumni want a surcharge (some don’t), let those who support it pay. They are the ones who can most afford it, not many college students and their families.</p>
<p>Likewise, your counsel that students can always go elsewhere if they don’t like the surcharge… exactly where do you suggest they go this coming school year since many colleges’ application deadlines have passed - not to mention the May 1st decision date?</p>
<p>
Would that be the same Chancellor Biddy Martin who earns $437,000 per year AND gets free housing in the UW Chancellor’s residence? What the heck does she know about what a family of 4 earning $80,000 or slightly more with 2 kids in college can afford? What a sick joke!</p>
<p>Ok seriously Jiffs Mom you need to stop complaining. Ya it sucks prices are going up, but it’s still lower or equal to other comparable universities. I dislike it as much as you do, but there’s nothing you can do about it. It does no good to complain how much people make and the problems you have. You made the decision that you could come to UW did you not so deal with it. Sure, they announced price hikes after the fact, but you had to expect tuition hikes anyway. No, us new students may not be able to experience all the new tuition has to offer, but again complaining on this board isn’t going to change a single thing. Send a letter to the Chancellor if you feel so strongly.</p>
<p>And she’s worth every cent. She makes below the average of her peers and took a CUT to come to UW</p>
<p>“The Oregon schools are planning to increase tuition by a good percentage with the budget cuts so they are passing the pain down to us. My daughter’s OOS tuition is estimated to rise by about $3600 next year…more than I had budgeted for sure! The in-state tuition is estimated to go up 22% I believe. They are still a bargain compared to many schools, but don’t think that the budget cuts were painless.”</p>
<p>A CC poster</p>
<p>Like the Chancellor even cares. She COMPLETELY ignored 49.6% of the students to cram a surcharge down everyone’s throat that SHE can easily afford, but many students/families can’t. How much of UW’s money did she spend on the initiative’s marketing campaign? Wouldn’t that money be better spent developing donations/contributions from foundations and individuals who can actually afford to support UW? For example, why didn’t UW get any of the millions donated to other state schools?
[Mystery</a> Donor Gives Universities Millions : NPR](<a href=“http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=103203966]Mystery”>Mystery Donor Gives Universities Millions : NPR)</p>
<p>Purdue got $8 million. My post on that, here:
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/1062337377-post17.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/1062337377-post17.html</a></p>
<p>Maybe it would be a better use of Biddy’s time to develop wealthy donor relationships than to try to squeeze already cash-strapped students and their families.</p>
<p>And gee, Cryto, don’t you think our family would have considered more expensive schools if we could afford it? UW caught D2’s attention because it used to be affordable for us. U Mich, UC Berkeley, etc., were out of the question because their costs are out of our reach. Money may be no object to you - we’re not so lucky.</p>
<p>More negative student comments on this article, too:
[The</a> Badger Herald: Opinion: UW tuition initiative good investment for all students](<a href=“http://badgerherald.com/oped/2009/04/09/uw_tuition_initiativ.php]The”>http://badgerherald.com/oped/2009/04/09/uw_tuition_initiativ.php)</p>
<p>Oh really Jiffs, perhaps you should have considered an in-state school if it were really such a problem. Or perhaps a school that gives more merit aid, because I’m sure you knew UW doesn’t really give much compared to schools like Purdue or Indiana. If you didn’t realize this going into the process or ignored the possibility of tuition rising in the face of this budget crisis you are just ignorant. Everyone is facing some economic problems in this economy, but going thread to thread complaining about it doesn’t solve a thing. This thread isn’t even about the new initiative for god sakes.</p>
<p>Don’t label me some bratty spoiled kid because my family can afford to send me there too. It’s not like tuition is a drop in the bucket. Our family needs to make some changes too. I didn’t even apply to UM either because it’s so expensive. All I’m asking is you stop arguing with Barrons over multiple threads about the Initiative. If you’re going to continue gripe about it at least keep it to one thread. At least Barrons makes points behind his posts and states reasons for the tuition hikes. All you do is complain about it hurting the “Cash-strapped middle class” over and over. If it’s going to be such a darn problem have your child go CC and then transfer elsewhere. It’s just tiresome.</p>
<p>Barrons injected the initiative into this thread, not me.</p>
<p>And it wasn’t such a problem until the undisclosed extra surcharge that 49.6% of the students don’t want on top of their annual tuition increase. It’s not likely the money will even solve the problems that UW claims it will. There are no accountability measures included in the initiative, and research disproves the claim that the surcharge will increase accessibility to low-income students.
[The</a> Education Optimists: What is the Evidence on High-Tuition High-Aid Models?](<a href=“http://eduoptimists.blogspot.com/2009/04/what-is-evidence-on-high-tuition-high.html]The”>The Education Optimists: What is the Evidence on High-Tuition High-Aid Models?)</p>
<p>As part of a middle class family that doesn’t qualify for financial aid, these increases will further stretch our budget. However, in trying to find a silver lining, I hope that these increases will insure enough class availability that more students will actually be able to graduate in 4 yrs. as compared to the very common 5 yrs. Saving that 5th year of tuition fees will more than make up the difference in hikes. </p>
<p>To illustrate staffing shortages in some majors at Madison, I am copying an e-mail sent to IS majors-</p>
<p>"To All International Studies Majors</p>
<p>Dear Majors:</p>
<p>As both a professor and as the director of the International Studies Major, I write in strong support of the Madison Initiative for Undergraduates. </p>
<p>I urge you to learn about the Initiative because it does have direct benefits for undergraduates and for IS Majors. The Initiatives goals are outlined at: [Madison</a> Initiative for Undergraduates](<a href=“http://madisoninitiative.wisc.edu%5DMadison”>http://madisoninitiative.wisc.edu). Really, have a look. The Initiative addresses the quality of your education and the value of your degree. This is why the Initiative matters to all undergraduates.</p>
<p>In this last academic year, the International Studies Major has grown from 380 students to more than 500, making it one of the College of Letters and Sciences largest undergraduate majors. We take seriously our mission to educate our students about qualities and complexities of current international problems. </p>
<p>International Studies is a sprawling, complex interdisciplinary major with virtually no faculty and little staffing. We have one-half of a professor, one full-time academic advisor (for 500 students!), one-quarter of a professor to administer the Major, and one-half time administrative assistant. Were a pretty lean operation. </p>
<p>You know that International Studies is a high-demand major. So how do we serve the growing numbers of students who come to the International Studies Major? Well, the short answer is we can no longer serve you as well as we want. </p>
<p>The International Studies Major is simply stretched to its limits. Last semester, Rebekah Pare, our academic advisor, conducted focus groups with majors and non-majors. Her conversations with students confirmed what we have long thought: There is high student demand for a human rights option within the Major and a human rights certificate program for non-majors across campus. But because we lack the resources (faculty and advising staff) we cannot implement any new program in human rights. Thats a real shame for students. Indeed, the University of Wisconsin-Madison is one of a very few large public institutions without any kind of a human rights program for undergraduates.</p>
<p>The IS Major is strapped. You know all too well how long you wait for advising; we cannot offer capstone courses to you; we cannot have sections for our introductory International Studies course; we cannot offer figs; we cannot offer opportunities for students to collaborate with faculty on campus or abroad; we cannot offer internships, Honors theses, and directed studies; and we cannot offer easy access to our courses.</p>
<p>I want to make all these opportunities available to you, our Majors. But the Universitys budget has been declining for years. And that means that programseven those serving more than 500 studentsmust limit the range of services they can offer to students. I support Chancellor Martins Undergraduate Initiative because I see it as the only means that I, as director of the International Studies Major, will be able to provide the services, the advising, the classes, and the faculty interaction that you, our Majors, and all undergraduates, deserve.</p>
<p>For 20 years, I have taught at this great institution. I worry now about the quality of education UW-Madison can provide to its undergraduates as budgets tighten. I worry that the value of a UW-Madison degree will drop. The Madison Initiative for Undergraduates represents to me the one way we can provide quality education at an affordable cost to students and their families.</p>
<p>Yes, a tuition supplement is not happy news for students. I know. Im a parent with three undergraduates in college. Keeping a great university great is expensive. We need your help. We need help that the state will not provide. We need the Initiative to ensure that we can provide better services, more classes taught by faculty, more scholarships for students in need so that all may receive the benefits of a fine college education. </p>
<p>For these reasons, I support the Madison Initiative for Undergraduates. Please learn about the Initiative, and if you support it, write to me, write to ASMs chair, Brittany Wiegand, at (<a href=“mailto:blwiegand@wisc.edu”>blwiegand@wisc.edu</a>), or note your support on the Initiatives website: [Madison</a> Initiative for Undergraduates](<a href=“http://madisoninitiative.wisc.edu%5DMadison”>http://madisoninitiative.wisc.edu). Its your education. Take charge of it. </p>
<p>Sincerely,</p>
<p>Jo Ellen Fair</p>
<p>Professor, School of Journalism</p>
<p>Director, International Studies Major"</p>
<p>
The STATE won’t fund the university. That’s the problem. Middle-class families hurt by 5-6% yearly tuition increases compounded by additional tuition surcharges on top of that in the middle of a severe recession when their savings, college funds, and retirement accounts have been decimated, and pointing out that fact, are not - unless UW’s goal is to make education unaffordable for all but the high- or financial aid subsidized low-income earners.</p>
<p>
A Failing Grade: High-Tuition/High-Aid
<a href=“http://www.eoionline.org/education/reports/Failing-Grade-High-Tuition-High-Aid-Apr09.pdf[/url]”>http://www.eoionline.org/education/reports/Failing-Grade-High-Tuition-High-Aid-Apr09.pdf</a></p>
<p>Aren’t those outcomes exactly what UW is trying to avoid? </p>
<p>More:
[Spokesman.com</a> | Smart Bombs: Sticker Shock 101 | Apr 15, 2009](<a href=“Smart Bombs: Sticker Shock 101 | The Spokesman-Review”>Smart Bombs: Sticker Shock 101 | The Spokesman-Review)</p>
<p>There are A LOT of negative comments posted in response to the posted topics on the Madison Initiative’s web site:
[What</a> to Better Understand](<a href=“http://uwmadison.uservoice.com/pages/14578-questions-/filter/top]What”>http://uwmadison.uservoice.com/pages/14578-questions-/filter/top)</p>
<p>Geez, so THAT’s why there are no openings for the entry-level Int’l Studies courses. I had heard similar horror stories in the Bio department as well.</p>
<p>Definitely two sides to this. 'Course I’m the one that has to pay the increase through 2013, so I’m not overly sympathetic to the cause.</p>
<p>I will, however, get mighty P.O.'d if my D has repeated problems with scheduling for her major or double major, requiring her to spill over into a 5th year @ Madison. To be read between the lines of this J-School professor is that this increase is supposed to add sections to in-demand majors & streamline the process for all students. We’ll see.</p>
<p>YTD UW has attracted significantly more research money than last year so important research profs are not leaving. By comparison Michigan and UVa were flat to down. Win for UW. With Obama turning on the research $$$$ UW will get more than its fair sahre of the bigger pie.<br>
There is hardly a school in the country that does not have some limitations on courses and timing today. That includes some very highly ranked privates too. No school guarantees everyone access to every class when they want it. Um has problems, Berkeley has problems, UVa has problems, NYU has problems. Ivy schools have problems</p>
<p>[Ivy</a> League Cuts: What $50K in Tuition Buys at SmartMoney.com](<a href=“http://www.smartmoney.com/personal-finance/college-planning/ivy-league-cutbacks-what-50k-in-tuition-buys/]Ivy”>http://www.smartmoney.com/personal-finance/college-planning/ivy-league-cutbacks-what-50k-in-tuition-buys/)</p>
<p>Really this discussion is getting pathological. At some point the UW may be too expensive for some (Jiffsmom) and they may need to lose the deposit(s), app fees, go instate and still come out ahead.</p>
<p>Write a congressman or senator already. Go to UIUC or UI Chicago.</p>
<p>UIUC is still accepting enrollments?</p>