None of us looks forward to tuition hikes, especially since all too often the benefits appear intangible or altogether nonexistent.
Tuition will rise this coming year, that much is a given regardless of which UW System university you attend. At UW-Madison, tuition will rise even with a supplemental charge under Chancellor Martin's recently proposed Madison Initiative for Undergraduates.
The initiative, which would increase tuition by an additional $250 per year for in-state students and $750 per year for out-of-state students and would also be matched dollar for dollar by private fundraising, is pitched as a ""pledge to quality, value and affordability."" Many probably react with the same instinctive question upon hearing the initiative: ""Just how does a tuition hike equate to affordability again?""
Ostensibly, higher costs and affordability contradict each other. So is this just political double-talk? Not exactly. Indeed, for few UW students will education be cheaper next year or the coming years outlined in the proposal, but it will remain distinctively affordable for all applicants, especially based on the ""value"" and ""quality"" in comparison with any of UW's peers. All three pledges of this proposal function in tandem and cooperation, and as the quality of this institution improves so does the overall value and affordability in comparison.
As it stands, UW is a world-class institution—ranked 17th in Academic Ranking of Worldwide Universities—and a top research university, but it is the second-cheapest among Big Ten schools, behind only Iowa. Meanwhile, despite this low-cost, high-caliber educational opportunity, there is still a gap of $20 million in available financial aid and the amount needed. This means students either cannot attend UW, find some alternative method to raise the money or eventually drop out from insufficient support—and these are usually the low-income individuals and families who need this educational asset the most.
The initiative improves affordability in addressing this $20 million gap, making the UW education affordable to more people that would otherwise be priced out. Additionally, families with an income of $80,000 or less would receive a grant reimbursing the cost of the supplemental charge. The $80,000 figure is derived as a median ceiling for the grant based on average UW student family incomes of both in-state and out-of-state students, as well as the median family income in Wisconsin. Bear in mind, to be eligible at all the normal FAFSA form must be filled out, so extenuating circumstances for families above the $80,000 threshold would still be taken into account.
In addition to making a UW education affordable for more people overall, the initiative would also dedicate a portion of the funds to improving the undergraduate experience and thus the quality of the university overall. Among the proposed ideas, most notable to us is the dedication to making high-demand ""gateway"" courses more accessible, improving the flawed and insufficient advising system and having more classes taught by the tenure-track faculty who help make this university so prestigious to begin with. Improving access to these courses would save families money by enabling students to graduate on time, as would improving the state of our advising system.
Martin made an important distinction in making clear this initiative was not a response to the gloomy state budget or ailing economy, and also wisely established a student oversight committee Monday to make sure students' best interests are kept in mind. We salute this proposal as a proactive measure to maintain and improve our university's overall quality and accessibility. UW will still rest below the median cost among Big Ten schools while providing arguably the best overall experience and education. No, it doesn't make the education cheaper for all current or potential UW students, but by enabling the improvements to the undergraduate degree, everyone's experience is enhanced.
Martin noted that no initiative will please absolutely every individual or group, but no one is entirely left out to dry when the university's experience and reputation is enhanced, and this proposal could realistically accomplish that and much more.
Educate yourself about the initiative by visiting www.madisoninitiative.wisc.edu.
