PROFS — an NGO made up of University of Wisconsin faculty which advocates on their behalf before state legislators – held a public forum Wednesday to discuss national trends of budget cuts and politicization of funding flagship universities like UW.
UW Education professor Taylor Odle, University of Minnesota Education professor David Weerts and Stateline Journalist Elaine Povich spoke at the panel, which was moderated by PROFS President Michael Bernard-Donals.
The event, titled “PROFS Forum on the Future of Flagship Universities” — focused on flagship universities, which are defined as the most well known and accredited universities in their respective states — was held in the UW Educational Sciences building for an audience of over 30.
Higher education institutions have experienced declining state investment over the last decade. At UW specifically, state funding used to make up 45% of the university’s budget, but now accounts for less than 15%, Odle said.
Additionally, public perception on the value of higher education is changing — in 2023, a poll by The Wall Street Journal found that 56% of Americans don’t think college is worth the investment, Odle said.
But, universities, including UW, produce intangible contributions to research and development that are hard to communicate through numbers. In addition to benefits that are hard to measure, Odle said UW returns $13 for every dollar invested. The Georgetown Center on Education estimates that the 40 year return on investment for a student at UW is nearly $1.2 million.
“The average check a student family member writes UW is less than $13,000,” Odle said. “For students and families who make less than $75,000 a year, it’s less than $9,000. And that number has been going down over the last five years.”
Though research shows a college degree provides a strong return on investment, this message has been lost in communication, Odle said. The lack of a shared understanding between those regulating and working in higher education has contributed to the politicization of issues. There is a need for institutions to communicate the value of higher education, and for policymakers to be open to discussion, Odle said.
In the late 20th to early 21st century, consensus favored prestigious, high-ranking flagships, driving state support. But, overfunded institutions faced backlash, while underfunded ones mobilized coalitions for support. Examples include UW, which risked losing state aid due to perceived self-sufficiency, Weerts said.
Povich said another possible approach is recruiting out of state students from families that can afford to pay the full price. But, this brings up concerns of disadvantaged state students. States like Arizona and Oregon have engaged in this approach, and found that they do not disadvantage students who qualify and apply, according to Povich.
“We really have to stop the politicization of higher education,” Odle said. “We’re certainly losing the war for talent and the war for economic competitiveness as a state at large, and I think ultimately Wisconsin will feel those pains — I feel those pains.”
