The Badger Herald: News: UW plans tuition forums

News

UW plans tuition forums

Chancellor Biddy Martin will take feedback about future in Ingraham Hall

Jeff Schorfeide/Herald photo

Chancellor Biddy Martin takes questions about the tuition initiative at a press conference.

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By Signe Brewster
Thursday, March 26, 2009 1:11 a.m.

6 Vote 0 Votes

In wake of the announcement of an initiative that would increase tuition, financial aid and academic services for University of Wisconsin students, Chancellor Biddy Martin will host a forum tonight to field questions, comments and concerns of students and other community members.

The Madison Initiative for Undergraduates would increase in-state tuition by $250 and out-of-state tuition by $750 per year over a four-year period, after which rates will top out at $1,000 and $3,000, respectively, more than current rates.

The funding brought in by the initiative would allow for increased financial aid, the restoration of faculty seats and the improvement of students’ academic experiences.

“We really genuinely want to know what students and other members of the community have to say,” Martin said. “When it comes to education and student services, we really need to know from students whether our assumptions, based on listening to students over time, are actually going to be confirmed when students think about this in a focused way.”

The forum will be held at 6:30 p.m. in Room 19 of Ingraham Hall, where Martin will speak about the initiative and invite input.

An additional forum sponsored by Associated Students of Madison will take place March 30 at 4 p.m. in Gordon Commons. While they were originally asked to sponsor both forums, Wiegand said the short period of time between Martin’s announcement and the first forum lead to ASM only accepting to sponsor the second forum.

“I said if students are going to have one day before I don’t want to sponsor it [because the students would] think we aren’t getting them enough notice,” Wiegand said.

Wiegand said overall the forums will provide an important means for students to communicate their thoughts and suggestions, adding she thinks student input is a priority for Martin before the initiative goes before the Board of Regents in May.

Martin met with several groups on campus Wednesday to discuss the initiative, including members of the press and ASM representatives, where she emphasized student input will be key.

“I’ll use all the feedback, as will the rest of the administration, regardless of what its content is to inform what we will do. There’s no feedback that’s not going to come into consideration for what goes forward ultimately,” Martin said.

She said all proposals and suggestions will be weighed against benefits the initiative would provide to students in its current form, which she said are key to gaining student support for the initiative.

Under the proposal, students coming from families that make less than $80,000 a year with demonstrated need would receive grants to offset the tuition increase. According to UW Financial Aid Director Susan Fischer, this is expected to apply to between 6,000 and 7,000 students, though Martin noted the aid generated would benefit many more than this.

Martin later noted at Wednesday night’s ASM Student Council meeting the current median income of student families is $90,000. She said this means the university is not attracting enough low- and middle-income students.

“Tuition, and even tuitions plus fees, puts us at the bottom of our peer group along with Iowa,” Martin said. “It’s a wonderful value, but its academic stature suggests tuition here needs to be and ought to be higher.”

Martin said the $80,000 benchmark was chosen because it is significantly higher than the median annual income for Wisconsin households.

“Should it be higher than 80? That’s a question we should discuss,” Martin said. “There has to be a cutoff somewhere, and there are going to be people disappointed because they didn’t get [aid].”

— Taylor Cox contributed to this report.

6 Comments | Leave a comment

Anonymous | March 26, 2009 10:06 AM | Reply

Unbelievable how socialist this country is going. Now the cost of something it going to be based on the income of your PARENTS? What the hell? So what’s next, a progressively priced menu at the cafeteria? A students who’s an only child and his parents both work will have to pay more for a burger than a fellow student who’s parents only one works and they live in the boonies with a much lower cost of living? How is that FAIR? No matter the “wealthier” student may have to pay tuition out of his own pocket, not his parents.

How many more loans, grants, scholarships, etc do we need before the liberals will be satisfied that the school is “diverse” enough? How about lowering the standards (this is already part of the admissions process), then you’ll get the diversity you want so badly.

Or here’s a good one, let’s create a “white tax” that the white students have to pay to subsidize the tuition of non-white students. How long will it take before we realize affirmative action has not and will not work?

How about we get to the root of the problem which is the dysfunctional black family in America: mothers with 6 kids from 6 different father that are long gone. We’re now into the 3rd generation of black children who are growing up in a toxic environment of gangs, drugs, teenage sex, glorified violence and sex, who’s role models are professional athletes and rappers. This is an enormous tragedy, but it’s too much of a racial hot-button for anyone to acknowledge. I’d love to see our wonderful President talk about that, but it might upset his base.

Anonymous | March 26, 2009 10:16 AM | Reply

Am I getting this right? Biddy wants some students to pay more tuition to increase financial aid for other students, based on how much money their parents make? What if those who end up paying more tuition aren’t getting help from their parents? Aren’t we then just perpetuating the problem of student debt? And these tuition increases are additional to the state increases? I think Biddy needs a reality check…this isn’t going to bring more low-income students to the school. They’ll go to a cheaper UW school instead.

Anonymous | March 26, 2009 3:34 PM | Reply

This is ridiculous, why should I pay more so other people can get in for less? So what my parents went to college so they could make more? Why should that make ME pay more to go to college? This is getting ridiculous

Anonymous | March 26, 2009 3:58 PM | Reply

So what if my parents make more, but I am paying for my own college tuition with the money I have saved myself through my job. Another person whose parents don’t make as much money is also paying for his own tuition with the money he has saved. Why should I have to pay more money for him to go to college just because of what my parents make? MY TUITION IS NOT CHARITY!!! I worked to pay for my own college, not for someone else to go.

This is econ 101, You do not get the maximum level of surplus by raising prices. I really hope that this does not pass.

Anonymous | March 26, 2009 4:20 PM | Reply

$10 says neithe10:06 or 10:16 bothered to go to the forums. Or read the emails.

Quit your fucking bitching.

Anonymous | March 26, 2009 8:44 PM | Reply

This is great. I love this because the students that complain just sit on their asses and do nothing to stop the proposal. It is definitely within your rights and abilities to stop the proposal. Sitting on your ass and complaining to student newspaper does nothing.

I applaud this proposal and I’m happy it’s pissing the lazy ass students that it will affect.