A University of Wisconsin System advisory group Thursday called differential tuition one of the best tuition and financial aid alternatives.

The advisory group to UW System President Kevin Reilly reported to the UW System Board of Regents that increasing tuition, based on students? area of specialization, can aid in UW funding issues.

The report came to the regents as part of a broad discussion on different ways tuition and financial aid policies affect the UW System, while the system is exploring ways to expand tuition revenue across the state?s universities.

The advisory group ? including regents Michael Falbo and Judith Crane ? also found tuition stratification and differential tuition ?are most consistent with the enumerated tuition and financial aid policy principles.?

Tuition stratification involves the differences in tuition between UW-Madison, UW-Milwaukee, the UW System?s other four-year schools and UW?s two-year colleges. Annual in-state tuition at UW-Madison is the highest in the state this year at $6,330, although this is nearly $2,000 less than the average of its peer institutions nationwide.

As for differential tuition, UW-Madison already employs such a program at the School of Business, where students pay an additional $500 per semester for their education. 

The advisory group found the pros to differential tuition include the fact that all funding raised through the program remains at the home school, allowing for funding of programs for which the state does not provide.

Still, students who pay additional tuition through a differential program are not subject to additional financial aid through state funding. Also, differential tuition is designed to supplement state funding, and the advisory group fears the funding could be viewed as replacing state cuts.

Regents discuss UW Colleges? growth

The University of Wisconsin?s two-year colleges asked the UW System Board of Regents Thursday to receive restricted baccalaureate degree-granting authority.

Traditionally, the UW Colleges has served as a two-year institution granting associate degrees rather than baccalaureate degrees that four-year schools like UW-Madison grant.

UW Colleges would like to create its own bachelor?s of applied arts and sciences degree built around surveys conducted throughout the state.

Still, UW Colleges Chancellor David Wilson said the UW Colleges would continue to push students to move on to a comprehensive four-year UW System institution for a more specialized baccalaureate degree. The new program targets adults continuing their education in rural areas without four-year institutions rather than traditional college students.

Several regents raised questions following Wilson?s presentation at the meeting.

Wilson said neither the cost nor number of prospective students has been determined yet, which regent Brent Smith said makes it difficult to endorse the plan.

Regent Judith Crane expressed concern over whether the new baccalaureate degree would take away from the primary mission of the UW Colleges to provide a stepping stone for students to eventually move on to a four-year institution.

Wilson, responding to regent Eileen Connelly Keesler, said the UW Colleges campuses should have enough space to accommodate additional students interested in engaging in the baccalaureate degree program.

Economically speaking, Wilson said with more Wisconsin residents obtaining a baccalaureate degree and making more money, the plan is a win-win situation.

?If they have a higher annual income, they?ll pay more taxes, and we?ll have more resources to use in the UW System,? Wilson said.

Tuition levels at the UW Colleges are significantly lower than the four-year universities, so Wilson said a baccalaureate degree might be cheaper at the UW Colleges.

Regent Elizabeth Burmaster, who is also the state superintendent of public schools, said with the rising costs of education, a cheaper baccalaureate degree could pin UW Colleges against UW?s four-year schools.

?If we?re going to say you conceivably can get this degree, we are going to be duplicating and competing,? Burmaster said. ?We have to look at the entire system.?

The plan comes on the heels of an extensive look at how the UW Colleges can become more effective and expand. The baccalaureate degree-granting authority is one of two major initiatives coming as a result of the study, with the colleges also wishing to reach out more to people in northern Wisconsin.

Adults in northern Wisconsin surveyed by the UW Colleges acknowledged an interest in continuing their education and obtaining a baccalaureate degree.

The UW Colleges serves approximately 13,000 students this year, a record for the two-year institutions, and 8,000 of those students are new freshmen.

Board honors Milton McPike

The Board of Regents also honored former regent Milton McPike at their meeting Thursday.

McPike was forced to resign due to his ongoing battles with cancer.

A former long-time Madison East High School principal, McPike served on two UW chancellor search committees and was vice chair of the regents? Physical Planning and Funding Committee.

McPike, a one-time Madison Magazine Man of the Year, served on the board for four years beginning in 2004 and is active in community service to the Madison area.