Gov. Scott Walker announced Friday he will call for an additional two-year tuition freeze for the University of Wisconsin System in his next budget.
Walker’s previous budget instituted the first two-year tuition increase in the system’s history, and he said in a statement he would like to see the freeze continue to improve college affordability.
Walker cited a $1 billion projected surplus in the UW System’s budget as one reason for his proposal.
“After years of tuition hikes, it is important to give our students and their families a break,” Walker said in the statement. “Our proposed second two-year tuition freeze will go a long way to helping working families and students have access to higher education.”
In a response to Walker’s statement, UW System President Raymond Cross reaffirmed his commitment to higher education affordability and said he looks forward to a discussion with the state Legislature.
“We will continue to work with the Governor and the Legislature to meet our shared goal of delivering value to the state of Wisconsin,” Cross said in the statement. “I intend to work vigorously to find a reasonable solution. I am confident that we can get the best budget possible for the university.”
The system’s statement clarified that of the $1 billion projected budget surplus, only $38 million are yet uncommitted.
