The University of Wisconsin regents made a strong request on Thursday for an extra $855 million from Gov. Tony Evers in the next state budget to support the financially struggling system. President Jay Rothman of UW system assured that there would be no tuition hikes over the two-year spending plan if the system received the additional funding. Tuition and fees for in-state undergraduates at UW-Madison currently amount to $11,606 per year, with the total cost for a year estimated at approximately $30,000 when including room and board, educational supplies, and other expenses.
The budget for the UW system in the current fiscal year stands at $7.95 billion, with the proposed additional $855 million representing an increase of 10.8%. Regent Ashok Rai emphasized the impact of inflation on hindering campus investments and warned that without the extra funding from the state, the financial burden would shift to students and their families. Rai described the additional funding as a positive path forward for Wisconsin.
State aid for UW has decreased significantly from nearly 42% of revenue in 1984-85 to 17.5% currently, leading campuses to rely more on tuition due to declining enrollment. The request for additional funding includes an 8% salary increase for faculty and staff across the board, as well as the expansion of the Wisconsin Tuition Promise program, assisting low-income students with tuition and fees.
The budget request was unanimously approved by the regents but is just the initial phase in a rigorous budget-making process. Gov. Evers will review the request for his 2025-27 state budget proposal, with plans to present it to the Legislature’s finance committee for revisions before final legislative approval. Evers has committed to providing over $800 million to the university system and is anticipated to support the Board of Regents’ budget request.
However, the likelihood of UW receiving the additional funding remains uncertain, especially if Republican legislators, perceiving the university system as a stronghold of liberal ideology, maintain control after the upcoming elections. Republicans have a history of cutting UW’s budget and imposing tuition freezes, which were only lifted in 2021. The response from aides to Sen. Howard Marklein and Rep. Mark Born, Republican co-chairs of the finance committee, regarding the regents’ request is currently pending.
