This week’s protests at the capitol, along with Chancellor Martin’s proposed Badger Partnership and her plan to hire an outside consulting firm to examine the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s finances, prove that “budget” has become more than a buzz-worthy term for 2011. And yet, despite all this focus on the university’s fiscal future, we members of the newly-founded Student Foundation would venture to say that few students truly understand the sources of UW’s budget.

We hope to change that.

While it can be hard to put a $2.4 billion budget into perspective for a college kid getting by on student loans, Ramen and care packages from Mom, consider this: Nearly 20 percent of UW’s budget comes from private support.

Private support encompasses anything from a $50 gift from alumni who support their department, school or college to a multi-million dollar gift for a new building project. If this does not impress you, then perhaps you will be surprised to know that the portion we students pay – tuition – accounts for only 15 percent of the budget.

Furthermore, although UW is a public institution, only 20 percent of our funding comes from the state – for now. If you’ve been paying attention, you will notice that that is the same portion covered by private support.

So why should you care about all this?

We are not hyperbolizing when we say that private support impacts each student every day. If you’ve assisted a professor or graduate student with any sort of research, your project was likely funded in part or whole by private support. If you’ve viewed a screening in Vilas 4070, you may be interested to know that the new projector along with countless other technological upgrades across campus, were made possible through the generosity of others. If you’ve set foot in Grainger Hall or the newly remodeled Education Building, you’ve seen how philanthropy funds the building upgrades our budget would not otherwise allow. Perhaps you are here on scholarship. It may just be the case that your favorite professor is here because of an endowed professorship paid for by an alum.

Regardless of the impending changes for UW’s budget, the university will continue to rely on private support as a critical source of funding.

Our mission is to bring the message that the generosity of others enhances the UW experience of students. We want to increase awareness and change attitudes so that students can gain more from their college experience. We also hope that by understanding how crucial private support is in preserving the university’s prestige and accessibility, you will be inspired to carry on the legacy once you’re ready to give back.

To clarify, we are not asking students to open their wallets. Rather, we hope you will open your minds and take time to consider how a philanthropic spirit makes the UW experience better for all.

We are a brand new student organization, and we know that there are plenty of you who will be interested in bringing our message to other students. We are looking for creative, motivated and enthusiastic students to join our cause.

If you are interested in gaining marketing or communication experience while being on the ground floor of a cause that should resonate with all students, do not hesitate to join the Student Foundation. Or maybe you are just looking for something meaningful to add to your resume. Either way, the future of the Student Foundation is largely undecided. It’s up to you to determine our fate.

If you are interested in joining the UW Student Foundation, contact us at [email protected] or go to www.studentfoundation.wisc.edu to apply today.

Seamus Fitzgerald-junior majoring in community and non-profit management

Holly Hartung-junior majoring in journalism and communication arts

Connor Killian-junior majoring in international studies

Peter Hoeschele-junior majoring in accounting and risk management