<p>I just read that this has passed, which will result in a surcharge, if you will, of $7500 over four years on out of state families making over 80k a year. My question is this: how do they know if you're making over 80k a year if you're not applying for financial aid? Is the plan to tell everyone that you have to pay unless you can prove that you don't?</p>
<p>The following suggestion is on page 2 of this memo to the UW Regents from Dr. Noel Radomski:</p>
<p>"Require all undergraduates to complete a FAFSA before enrolling at UW–Madison, although an 'opt out' option can be added for personal and philosophical reasons."
<a href="http://media.journalinteractive.com/documents/WISCAPE_Memo_to_Regents_050709.pdf%5B/url%5D">http://media.journalinteractive.com/documents/WISCAPE_Memo_to_Regents_050709.pdf</a></p>
<p>I'm guessing the 'opt out' would include an automatic required payment of the surcharge.</p>
<p>I find the following comment from the same memo somewhat offensive:</p>
<p>"...send the message to hard-working Wisconsin families that they will not have to pay a tuition surcharge in addition to a tuition increase."</p>
<p>The implication seems to be that only families who earn less than $80,000 per year are 'hard-working.' C'mon... 'fess up... I know many of you are just lounging around eating bon bons and collecting $80,000+ per year for doing little to nothing to earn it. ;)</p>
<p>In case anyone was wondering, the 80,000 of income is a reference to adjusted gross income, not taxable income.</p>
<p>hard-working is just the new code for blue collar and lower income working people. It says we know you work hard--too bad you don't make better money. Sending you kids to college might change that.</p>
<p>...and your kids get to graduate with less debt because we'll make others take on more loans. Those others don't qualify for the 'hold harmless' exemption even though the $35,000 per year (and climbing) OOS UW COA is ALREADY nearly a full 44% of that $80,000 cut off. Never mind the fact that some families have two or more in college at the same time. Screw 'em - you'll get your freebie while we drive even more of the middle class OOSers away. :( </p>
<p>Sorry for the rant. This wealth redistribution UW 'initiative' is NOT good news for us. We're not even wealthy. ...At least Obama doesn't think so. :</p>