If you have been away for the summer, you might notice several changes around campus as you return. Maybe you'll see the new Overture Center on State Street. Perhaps the new renovations to Camp Randall Stadium will tickle your fancy. And it's conceivable that the new Crew House has you impressed.
Then again, you could be too concerned with the lack of money in your pocket to notice much of anything.
After in-state tuition increased by 18 percent just a year ago, this year's tuition is up another 14 percent. This university, an institution that many in Wisconsin say is invaluable to the state because of the jobs it creates and the skilled labor force it produces, is out-pricing its own students.
The students who are here now see little benefit for their skyrocketing costs. Despite the rising price tag of attending UW-Madison, the number of classes offered continues to fall, while the size of these remaining classes grows. The Teaching Assistants' Association's members are underpaid graduate students expected to provide important academic guidance and even teach entire classes. Finally, most UW professors saw no increase in base pay over the past year, a trend that continues to keep them underpaid relative to similar institutions.
The UW System Board of Regents has taken an unfortunate approach to fixing the university's budget woes. The regents proposed a budget for 2005-'07 that would continue to raise tuition; under the proposal, tuition would increase another 4.3 percent a year. Additionally, the proposal hinges on the state of Wisconsin increasing its support for the university by 7.2 percent-hardly a likely scenario given that the state Legislature cut aid to the university by $250 million just two years ago.
Wisconsin's budget woes are unavoidable. However, the UW system is integral to the state's well-being, and it is inexcusable to continue to increase tuition while cutting services. In order for UW to remain a world-class institution, the Legislature needs to acknowledge the importance of the UW System, and the regents must convince them to fix the problem without forcing students to, as state Rep. Spencer Black, D-Madison, said, \[Pay] significantly more, for less.""
