The University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents will meet today at UW-Oshkosh to begin their monthly two-day meeting and discuss new system degrees and differential tuition programs.

The board will decide whether to approve the differential tuition programs at UW-Madison, UW-Oshkosh and UW-River Falls.

Regent Chuck Pruitt, chairman of the Business, Finance and Audit Committee, said the differential tuition programs are a complicated issue.

"It appears students are behind this," Pruitt said. "We are still sensitive to tuition increases and are committed to keeping the university affordable."

Jesse Siegelman, former president of the undergraduate business leadership council at UW-Madison, said students are overwhelmingly in favor of the differential for the business school.

"If we want to keep our reputation and be able to pay professors what private institutions can, we need to increase tuition through this program," Siegelman said.

Despite that the undergraduate business leadership council is in favor of the Board of Regents passing this program, the United Council of UW Students sent a letter to the board Wednesday expressing their concerns with this initiative.

"If approved, the Board of Regents will send a message to our legislators that students can do without much-needed GPR," United Council said in the letter. "As you know, this is simply not the case."

Petra Roter, vice chancellor for student affairs at UW-Oshkosh, said the university is looking to extend the campus-wide differential tuition program so the funding is used for student services and retention programs.

"We want to go ahead and fund differential tuition at its present rate," Roter said. "The Oshkosh Student Association voted in favor of the differential tuition program."

Mark Kinders, director of public affairs at UW-River Falls, said the differential tuition program would go to fund more library research, extended computer laboratory hours, undergraduate research opportunities and a testing and tutoring center on campus.

"We are in favor of the Board of Regents passing the resolution," Kinders said. "Regent Pruitt came to campus, and several student senators were adamant that he voice an opinion in favor of it."

New degrees proposed

The regents are scheduled to vote on whether to approve a new biochemistry degree at UW-Stevens Point, the First Nations studies degree at UW-Green Bay and the bachelor degree of applied studies in leadership and organizational studies at UW-Oshkosh.

According to a report issued to the board, the new undergraduate major in biochemistry at Stevens Point will be administered jointly by the biology and chemistry departments, and no additional funding is being requested for any equipment.

The biochemistry degree, the report said, will provide students with the essential skills and expertise necessary in the bioscience field and will aid Wisconsin's bioscience laboratories and biotechnology businesses.

UW System spokesperson David Giroux said the proposed First Nations studies degree offers students at UWGB the opportunity to learn about American Indian studies in a traditional and nontraditional way.

"The First Nations degree combines UW-Green Bay and the tribal college through a non-traditional curriculum," Giroux said. "The degree focuses on traditional American-style teaching and teaching through oral history."

Marsha Rossiter, assistant vice chancellor for lifelong learning and community engagement at UW-Oshkosh, said the proposed major in leadership and organizational studies is designed to target working adults who have an associate degree.

The idea came about, Rossiter said, when the university conducted a market research survey and asked 270 employers what types of skills members of the work force need to be successful. Results of the study determined employees need to possess the capacity to communicate, work effectively in teams, analyze problems and gather data.

"The curriculum is strong in all these areas," Rossiter said. "It is a unique project that involves UW institutions, UW colleges and technical colleges in a collaborative effort."

Rossiter added she is certainly unaware of any opposition to the program, and said she believes if the board approves this degree, it will benefit the nontraditional students on the Oshkosh campus.