Drawing both skeptics and supporters, the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse is raising its tuition to create a more diverse campus environment.

As part of its Growth and Access Agenda, UW-L is increasing tuition for all students by $1,320 over the course of three years in an attempt to create a more diverse community and maintain a level of quality education.

The tuition increase would create 1,000 additional student seats, 104 new faculty positions, additional financial aid and more student support programs.

The new positions, according to UW-L Director of University Relations Cary Heyer, would be used to admit more students from lower-income and minority backgrounds in conjunction with additional funding for financial aid.

Heyer added that the increase comes after years of state funding cuts to the UW System. According to Heyer, maintaining UW-L as an "institution of excellence" will be difficult without more financial support for the university.

"It takes additional funding to maintain quality programs and maintain quality education," he said. "The state has chosen not to fund UW-L to the level it needs to be."

However, with UW System universities as one of the major battlegrounds of this year's gubernatorial race, both candidates voiced serious concerns about the tuition increase.

Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle does not rule out his support for the plan, according to spokesperson Matt Canter. But Doyle is hesitant about implementing a tuition hike.

"The governor is skeptical about the plan," Canter said. "He has focused on making UW more affordable for Wisconsin students, and he has serious questions about whether this plan does that."

Canter added Doyle is working to limit tuition increases by asking the Board of Regents to keep tuition raises below the level of inflation.

"He will not support something that would not make UW more affordable," he said. "The governor would review the plan in detail as part of the normal budget process."

Opponents in the camp of Doyle's gubernatorial challenger U.S. Rep. Mark Green, R-Wis., also expressed similar skepticism.

Luke Punzenberger, spokesperson for Green, said despite the Growth and Access Agenda's intentions of creating a more diverse campus, Green is against a plan that increases tuition.

"Mark Green supports increasing diversity on our UW campuses; however, this approach is not the pathway to accomplishing that goal," Punzenberger said. "You can't expect to increase the number of low-income or minority students on UW campuses by increasing tuition, which is exactly what this proposal does."

Still, Heyer stands by the Agenda, saying it will create a better learning environment.

"We are confident this is the right plan for our students," he said.

Heyer added that other UW schools are paying close attention to UW-L's test.

"Other campuses are interested in watching our proposal and seeing how it goes," he said. "This is the one that has been drawing the most attention."