University of Wisconsin Chancellor Biddy Martin told members of the Faculty Senate Monday she predicts UW will be subject to over $50 million in budget cuts under Gov. Jim Doyle’s proposed biennial budget.

The amount equates to more than a third of the $150 million in cuts expected across the UW System.

“The impact on Madison, well, we don’t have that completely calculated,” Martin said, explaining all the implications of the bill have not yet been accounted for.

She went on to say the total should be mostly offset by an increase in tuition, although the exact increase is not yet known.

Although students are expected to see an increase in tuition, and the future of faculty salaries is unknown, Martin compared UW to other universities with optimism.

“We’re in about as good as a position as one could hope to be in this environment,” Martin said. “As far as salaries go, I think we will not be in a much worse state than faculty at other institutions, that of course including the Ivies.”

Martin went on to say while pay plans for faculty members may be hurt, the proposed budget includes provisions for recruitment and retention of faculty.

“Nobody wants a university system, and this university in particular, to see the departure of strong faculty,” Martin said. “The state doesn’t have the funding or feel so presently it has the funding [to prevent cuts].”

Overall, she said the recruitment and retention program is extremely important, as the university is competing with peers both nationally and internationally.

Michael Scott, a Faculty Senate member and law professor, asked if there were any plans to declare a fiscal emergency.

Martin replied with several definite “no’s,” saying there is absolutely no need to even consider it.

When asked if the university would consider a graduated system of tuition payment for students based on their families’ incomes, Martin again disagreed, saying the current system of need-based financial aid is best.

While she said she is surprised at how little aid is offered to students at UW, she said overall students already pay a very low cost through state funding to attend the university.

“Every single student at this university is being subsidized. No one is paying the full cost,” Martin said. “I’m for the fundamentals: thinking to improve faculty salaries at this time, thinking to build a much bigger need-based financial aid and hoping to make sure we’re taking care of the people.”

An update was given on the university’s strategic framework document, which will refine the goals of the university before it moves forward into the next few decades.

Presented by Interim Provost Julie Underwood at the Feb. 2 Faculty Senate meeting, the document was initially met with intense critique by faculty.

A revised draft was supposed to be released this week, but last minute revisions by the chancellor have forced it to be pushed to next week, according to UW Director of Academic Staff Maury Cotter.

It will be presented at the April Faulty Senate meeting.