Beginning in 2004, many UW-Madison \super-seniors"" will have to pay double for each credit they take. This is the result of a resolution passed Thursday by the UW System Board of Regents encouraging students to graduate more quickly.
According to the resolution, UW System campuses will now review all programs that require more than 130 credits to graduate, as well as identify and counsel students who are on track to surpass 165 credits.
All resident undergraduate students who surpass 165 credits will incur a surcharge equal to 100 percent of the regular resident tuition on each additional credit. However, campuses are given discretion over exceptions such as double majors.
""The goal was to develop a policy that was equitable for the students and for the state and was manageable for each campus to administer,"" said UW System spokesperson Erik Christiansen.
Christiansen said this will save money by eliminating unneeded subsidies to resident students, and in turn improve student access to courses needed to finish in a timely fashion.
""Each campus will develop a process to help flag students that are accumulating credits that would bring them to that 165 credit threshold,"" Christiansen said.
However, Regent Jay Smith said this will only affect 1,900 students in a system of 150,000.
In addition, according to UW-Madison Vice Chancellor of Administration John Torphy, UW-Madison students graduate with an average of 125 credits, the lowest in the UW System.
""This policy wouldn't affect Madison students as much ... they finish the fastest of all the system institutions,"" Christiansen said, attributing their faster graduation to a greater number of Advanced Placement and retroactive credits.
The new policy, however, has the potential to hurt transfer students most because they often come in with credits that do not count toward their UW-Madison major.
""While the credits will count, some of those credits aren't going to meet the degree requirements, and those excess credits which, in effect, would penalize them,"" Torphy said.
Another component of this policy seeks to reduce unneeded courses within each major.
""Something that was appropriate 10 years ago may have changed,"" Christiansen said.
The financial effects of the new policy still remain.
""There's a question on the Board whether it's going to make money or lose money--it's just not clear,"" Smith said.
According to Christiansen, UW-Madison receives 32 percent of its budget from the state, and money that would be going to help subsidize resident students could potentially assist others.
However, the long-term monetary impact is not the focus of this proposal, he said.
""Our larger effort is to improve student success, to help students graduate in a timely fashion, and to constantly improve so that our students can succeed,"" Christiansen said.
