NEWS
La Crosse poses new growth plan
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by Kailey Bender
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
One state campus is preparing a new growth plan to bring before the University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents because its originally planned Growth and Access Agenda was not included in the state budget.
Cary Heyer, director of public relations for UW-La Crosse, said there is a big difference between the original growth plan and the modified one, which is expected to be brought to the regents in November or December.
"The major difference between the two proposals is now there is no financial aid involved," Heyer said.
The original growth plan had flexibility, Heyer said, so there were a number of items the money could be spent on, including offering financial aid.
David Giroux, UW System spokesperson, said the original proposal asked for the authority to raise tuition, but instead, UW-L got a small portion of tax dollars.
"[The new plan] purposes spending the money on staff and faculty or funding specific programs but not on financial aid," Heyer said.
Both plans seek to expand future enrollment by 1,000 students and add 120 faculty and staff.
"State money will propel where UW-L goes in the future," Heyer said.
UW-L’s Growth Agenda is part of a statewide growth plan, according to Giroux.
"The Growth Agenda for Wisconsin is a collection of individual incentives that will improve economics across the state," Giroux said. "All of the growth agendas have common themes and each is attacking their own agenda in a different way according to their region."
Other colleges in the state have created growth agendas, but UW-L’s was unique, Giroux said.
"[UW-L’s] was very, very different because they wanted to expand enrollment and hire faculty without asking for state resources. This is very different than anything that anyone else asked for," Giroux said. "For example, UW-Oshkosh succeeded in getting state resources to increase enrollment."
Heyer said UW-L is as a nationally recognized university and needs to have "adequate tuition."
"It takes more money to make it an exceptional and excellent school," Heyer said. "It takes an above average tuition to fund an above average university."
Giroux says he believes UW-L asked for the authority to increase tuition because it is a more reliable income source.
"Revenues are much more reliable than state support, especially if you depend on tuition from the get-go," Giroux said.
Heyer said he is confident UW-L’s new growth plan will pass, but is prepared for the worst.
"We will continue to explore creative ways to seek the funding for the university," Heyer said.
Giroux said the UW System is working closely with officials at UW-L to repack the proposal.
"The university is in a high-growth region, so we want to make sure the university is provided with the right support for economic growth," Giroux said.
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