A recent poll of Wisconsin residents has shown sentiment toward the University of Wisconsin System to be unenthusiastic and even disapproving.

Findings showed 70 percent of Wisconsin residents think UW campuses spend money inefficiently and employ too many administrators. Slightly more said without funding help, they could not send their children to UW campuses.

"I think it puts a light on the fact that the general public believes [there needs to be] general reform in the UW System," Rep. Scott Suder, R-Abbotsford, said. "The series of scandals and missteps by UW administration officials and the Board of Regents have taken their toll."

Rep. Robin Vos, R-Racine, agreed with these sentiments, saying the results of the survey show Wisconsin residents are proud of UW but "seriously question some of the decisions of the system."

The survey, conducted by the Madison-based polling firm Wood Communications, began last August by gathering input from 600 residents around the state.

Though its results have not yet been released as a whole, some findings have been circulating in recent weeks among UW System officials and lawmakers. The latest round of information was released Sunday.

UW-Milwaukee Chancellor Carlos Santiago issued a statement Sunday attempting to provide "some context" to recent reports of negative sentiment by referencing new information released by the polling firm to The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that afternoon.

The information he listed was more positive than many of the initial revelations; Santiago referenced these new results by noting 80 percent of those polled believe the UW System is doing an excellent job of providing an education.

Suder, who also said he is upset with the incremental release of survey results, said he asked the UW administration repeatedly to publish the complete findings, but to no avail.

"I think the system paid for the survey, trying to get positive results," he said. "[They] certainly shot themselves in the foot."

If they had nothing to hide, Suder said, they would not hesitate to make the findings available in their entirety.

Sen. Fred Risser, D-Madison, also commented on the UW System's ability to relay information to the public, as he said not doing so effectively probably led to some negative sentiments reflected in the survey findings.

Risser pointed to the recent increase in UW administrators' salary ranges and the cut in out-of-state tuition as actions by university officials that could have avoided negative attention if UW officials effectively explained their reasoning behind the decisions.

"The bottom line is the university has to do a better job of educating the general public and the legislators," Risser said. "If you explain the situation, people will understand."

UW System President Kevin Reilly expressed similar sentiments to The Associated Press, saying the system has to do a "better job" explaining efficiencies it has already achieved.

According to Sen. Ted Kanavas, R-Brookfield, however, the merits of the UW System as a whole should be seriously examined.

"We have to make a judgment whether the [UW] System even has value," he said. "If it doesn't, it shouldn't exist."

He believes the best way to maximize benefits of UW campuses would be to eliminate the overarching system, making each individual campus autonomous.

While Vos agreed that it is "difficult to say one size fits all," he said there are important benefits to a system of public universities.

Business leaders are currently working to form a nonprofit group, separate from the university, in an effort to convince Wisconsin residents of the value of the UW System.

Reilly told The Associated Press business leaders approached him with worries about budget cuts to the UW System and offered to help "turn some of that around."

UW System Communications Director Doug Bradley did not return a phone call seeking comment as of press time.

Santiago is also working toward that end, stating in his release the value of a UW education.

The negative survey results, he said, contradict what he has heard from current and former students who "overwhelmingly value their UWM education."

— The Associated Press contributed to this article.