Gov. Scott Walker announced in an April 2014 statement he would include a two-year extension of the University of Wisconsin System’s current tuition freeze in his 2015 budget proposal, pending his re-election.
In 2013, the state legislature passed a budget recommended by the governor that included the first tuition freeze in the UW System’s history. The idea for a freeze came about after a government audit found the UW System had a $1 billion projected budget surplus.
Walker said in the statement continuing the freeze two additional years would help improve college affordability.
“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.
A UW System response clarified that most of its $1 billion program revenues are committed to expenses already. Only 3 percent of the total funds are without “specific, documented plans,” according to the statement.
UW System President Ray Cross said in the statement he remains committed to college affordability and stressed that tuition among UW schools is currently lower than comparable schools.
“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.”
If re-elected, Walker must submit his budget proposal to the state Legislature for passage next year.
