The University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Student Services Finance Committee (SSFC) recommended a $27 increase in student tuition Monday night in order for University Health Services (UHS) to maintain its current services and prevent staffing cuts.
The SSFC is an Associated Students of Madison (ASM) committee of students in charge of allocating student segregated fees, a part of tuition that funds certain student services like bus passes and the Wisconsin Union. UHS asked the SSFC for a 10% increase to its fee, which currently costs students $277 per semester.
UHS intentionally spent most of its cash reserves in the past several years, according to Jake Baggott, the executive director of UHS. The fee will help fill 17 staff vacancies within UHS and prevent more from leaving.
“I feel like we have a clear direction to move forward,” Baggott told The Daily Cardinal Monday.
UHS staff are currently “feeling extraordinary levels of stress” trying to see as many students as possible, Baggott said. The 17 vacancies are currently being recruited for and will help alleviate UHS patient load as well as increase patient visits by 17,000 visits, according to UHS.
“I assure you, we will lose staff if we don't fill these positions,” Baggott told the committee.
The recommendation includes wording to prevent fee increases above 4% per year for the next five years, in line with a UHS internal financial forecast of predicted expenses. However, if the forecast is inaccurate and UHS expenses are larger than predicted, fees may increase above 4%.
SSFC initially recommended not increasing segregated fees and for UHS to implement cost saving measures. The committee believes UHS has an “outsized burden” on the segregated fee, taking up 35% of the total segregated fee, according to SSFC Chair Elijah Ling.
Still, Baggott argued the increased fee wasn’t intended to expand UHS operations but to prevent staffing loss. Baggott also said UHS was granted a 10% segregated fee increase last year but only implemented a 5% increase.
Ling told the Cardinal SSFC’s original recommendation was made before they were informed of what no increase in segregated fees would entail. The committee received an email stating that UHS would be prevented from hiring certain positions in the spring.
SSFC also asked UHS to make a committee to look at cost-cutting measures and revenue generation. Baggott told the committee UHS was already planning on creating one in the spring.
Ling said the committee came to agree with the 10% increase to keep those positions filled, with the clauses to cap further increases, and that SSFC is “making sure that we stay within fiscal responsibility for the coming years.”
SSFC’s recommendations will be sent to Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin for her approval, and if accepted, added to next year’s fiscal budget.
