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Engineers wait for tuition hike

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The University of Wisconsin has delayed a plan to increase tuition for the College of Engineering by $1,400 over three years. UW Provost Patrick Farrell said the plan is still being considered but will be held off while a committee appointed by the UW System Board of Regents analyzes policies related to such differential tuition increases. "The plan has pretty good support from students but didn't quite have all the paperwork," Farrell said. The hike was proposed earlier this year by College of Engineering Dean Paul Peercy, and would raise the budget for hiring faculty and upgrading equipment by $3 million over three years. The plan drew sharp criticism from some students and spawned listening sessions with the dean to explain the rationale behind the increase, as well as the process by which it will be implemented. The 3,200 students pursuing a major in engineering would have tuition increased by $600 in the first year and $400 in each of the following years, but the plan will be held off until fall 2008 at the earliest, Farrell said. Polygon Engineering Student Council co-president Emilie Siverling said the increase in tuition would make the college more competitive in hiring professors and fund the purchase of higher-end equipment for the department. "There is equipment that needs to be repaired and replaced, and we can't afford that," Siverling said. Siverling added the College of Engineering is lacking faculty, and some students in past semesters had problems graduating in time because not enough classes were being offered. Polygon held a vote last spring, Siverling said, and the majority of students approved the increase in tuition due to the promise of better quality education. The increase would make engineering the most expensive major to be pursued at UW, followed by those in the School of Business, which also has a differential tuition program. Critics of the hike said higher tuition might discourage certain students from pursuing a major in engineering. Farrell said one of the requirements for the increase forces the College of Engineering to provide additional financial aid for low-income students. Earlier this year the Board of Regents approved a $500 increase in tuition per semester for the school of Business, starting this fall. The increase was the first time students pursuing a specific major would have to pay more than other undergraduates attending UW.