University of Wisconsin System
President Kevin Reilly is scheduled to issue his report today on the
hotly contested segregated fee policies at the monthly Board of
Regents meeting.

The proposed policy changes were
forwarded to Reilly from the Segregated Fee System Committee and have
generated intense feedback from various viewpoints — including UW
students and state legislators.

Regent Vice President Chuck Pruitt said
he is looking forward to hearing Reilly's decision on the matter.

"I think it's certainly something
that needed to be talked about more," Pruitt said. "I think all
the regents are looking forward to hearing the report of that
committee and also hearing from President Reilly, his thoughts on the
status of it and where we go from here."

Regent Brent Smith said Reilly's
decision will most likely not end debate of the segregated fee issue,
but said a review of the policies was needed.

"I think it was an appropriate thing
to look at. I think there was some questions and some issues there —
it was a good thing that there was review of them," Smith said.
"Whether that takes care of the issue is just uncertain now. It
seems, though, there still may be some things left."

The Board of Regents' Business,
Finance and Audit Committee, which Smith chairs, will also be hearing
a presentation on textbook prices.

"I think the idea with the committee
on Thursday and the report that we asked for is to look at
disparity," Smith said. "There was a hope that maybe some of the
practices that we have on some of the campuses … could be used on
the other campuses."

He added, for example, bundling
textbooks, reviewing changes in different editions and working with
publishers could potentially make textbook prices more affordable.

Pruitt, former chair of the Business,
Finance and Audit Committee, said reviewing textbook prices is "a
high priority for the regents."

"I think the regents indicated that
earlier when we passed a resolution both endorsing the audit and also
in asking the campuses to come up with new, and more, better plans,"
Pruitt said. "I think that's going to be a continual interest on
the regents' part going forward because it really does directly
deal with the cost and the affordability of college for college
students."

The Board of Regents Education
Committee will also hear a presentation from the UW System Alcohol
and Other Drug Abuse Committee, who recently found binge drinking
throughout the UW System has dropped.

In addition, the regents will also pass
a resolution in response to a Legislative Audit Bureau's report
that found UW System faculty report significantly fewer sick days
than other state employees.

"I think the committee looked at it
very carefully, and I think it put together a pretty responsible set
of suggestions of how the policy can be improved," Pruitt said.