In recent weeks, discussion has made its way to the table surrounding ways to increase diversity on campus and make tuition more affordable for out-of-state students. Tuition increases have once again been approved while diversity and recruitment plans continue. This is an ongoing debate with no easy resolution; however, this time around someone is pushing for something mildly intriguing and worth mentioning.
UW System Senior Vice President for Administration David Olien has a plan. Olien is pushing a “California compact,” which would offer tuition breaks to California residents seeking to attend UW schools. This plan would solve three problems according to Olien: more ethnic diversity on campus with California’s increasing population largely consisting of minorities, a potential to expand such a program to other states such as Texas and Florida, and a win-win situation for the UC System and the UW System. (UC schools have an overload of students, while UW schools are predicting an abundance of seats in upcoming years.)
It makes perfect sense, right? Let’s pull a few surfers from California and put them in below-zero temps in our open seats in Madison. Better yet, it’s the perfect way to keep the core Midwestern values close to home.
Plain and simple, this proposal is missing substance and points to larger problems at hand.
Having a few more California students on campus will do nothing for diversity. It’s one thing to push diversity and it’s another to dangle an offer in front of a few students who might linger this way.
Has anyone stopped to gauge an interest in California students for a proposal of this magnitude? Would Wisconsinites benefit in any way? It’s not as if ‘sconnies will be given the chance to attend UC schools in return — their system is already overloaded.
Out-of-state entrance into the UW System would not be altered. It would be no easier to gain admittance and enrollment numbers would not be increased. In turn, one would face a larger non-resident applicant pool while numbers for Wisconsin enrollment would remain steady. In essence this has potential to polarize the student body even further. The mentality of bringing in the best of the best from around the nation while leaving Wisconsin admittance the same will not work. Simply stated: Diversity is good. Separation on campus is bad.
As an out-of-state student myself, this proves frustrating. The breaks are flying but none are creeping my way. While my home away from Madison is a straight two-hour shot, I pay $15,000 more in tuition than my Minnesota peers with five-hour drives home. It’s a tiring complaint but is still worth noting. The irony is absurd.
However, it is true — all is fair in love and war. This is a constant battle. We are a college-bound generation coping with the hardships of our time. Universities are running out of space and money, competition is fierce and tuition is rising. Students are alone in the fight to receive a tier-one education.
We all see it — these tuition battles are waged nationwide. Shots are flying, and yet the love for this university, in particular, keeps students flocking. With two years left in Madison, I’m ready to throw in the protesting towel. My tuition is going to rise and the best I can do is continue the struggle to afford it. In the end, what worries me is the quality my degree will hold in 10 years. Will UW remain prestigious or will these affordability concerns bring it down? Will UW ultimately throw in the towel as well?
Our home away from home is drowning in a sea of financial frustrations and failing initiatives. This university pushes for diversity and instead manages to decrease enrollment numbers of international students. Raising tuition brings in a few rich out-of-state kids and suckers in those already enrolled to keep paying. The system pushes Plan 2008, a project centered on increasing minority enrollment and graduation numbers, and yet realizes halfway through that little progress has been made. It’s all the same. They try and try but come up empty-handed. Just imagine the potential of this university if officials were given a few bucks to throw around.
Cristina Daglas ([email protected]) is a junior majoring in journalism.
