MADISON — The University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents will meet Thursday, July 12, to adopt the annual operating budget and set tuition levels for 2001-02. The meeting begins at 8:30 a.m. in 1820 Van Hise Hall, 1220 Linden Dr., on the UW-Madison campus.
Since a state budget for the new biennium has not yet been adopted, the Board will act based on the best available assumptions about state funding increases. Traditionally, the Board sets annual tuition levels in July, so that tuition bills for the fall semester can be calculated, printed and mailed to more than 150,000 students.
The total UW System operating budget for the coming year will be $3.351 billion, about one-third of which is funded by state tax dollars. Another 16 percent comes from tuition, while the remaining 51 percent comes from other sources, such as room and board and gifts and grants.
Annual tuition for the 2001-02 academic year will increase by 7 percent for Wisconsin-resident, undergraduate students at the 11 UW System comprehensive campuses and the 13 UW Colleges. That amounts to a $91 per semester increase at the comprehensive campuses and a $79 per semester increase at the UW Colleges.
At UW-Madison and UW-Milwaukee, tuition for resident, undergraduate students will increase by the same 7 percent, with another 1.4 percent added to fund a portion of the Madison Initiative and Milwaukee Idea programs. That amounts to a $139 per semester increase at UW-Madison and a $134 per semester increase at UW-Milwaukee.
“These increases are consistent with the moderate tuition increases of the past decade,” said UW System President Katharine Lyall. “Among the public Big Ten universities, the annual increase at UW-Madison for the coming year is the third smallest. This follows a year in which tuition has been frozen Systemwide for resident, undergraduate students. Despite these increases, tuition in the UW System remains affordable, and our commitment to a high degree of student access remains strong.”
On Thursday, the Board will also set tuition levels for graduate students, non-resident students, and students in various other categories. The Board will also establish segregated fees — which vary from campus to campus — and room and board rates.
At the 11 comprehensive campuses, total tuition and segregated fees for resident undergraduates during 2001-02 will range from $3,648 at UW-Green Bay to $3,225 at UW-Oshkosh. At the 13 UW Colleges, the range will be from $2,657 at UW-Richland to $2,569 at UW-Marinette. The total will be $4,085 at UW-Madison and $4,054 at UW-Milwaukee.
Systemwide, room and board rates will increase by an annual average of $186 (5.2 percent). Total room and board costs (for the most popular meal plan) during 2001-02 will be $4,823 at UW-Madison, $3,604 at UW-Milwaukee, and between $3,169 (UW-Green Bay) and $4,560 (UW-Parkside) at the comprehensive campuses.
The annual operating budget for the 2001-02 includes a base budget reduction of $6.345 million, as proposed by the governor and approved by the legislature’s Joint Committee on Finance. The reduction is being allocated among the institutions based on principles adopted by the Board of Regents in April, and ranges from cuts of $2.4 million at UW-Madison to $91,107 at UW-Superior.
“We were given flexibility in deciding what should be cut,” noted Lyall, “but the cut will be felt at every campus. Some vacant faculty positions will be filled by lower-salaried instructional academic staff. There may be a reduction in some course options and larger class sizes. We made a commitment not to cut enrollment, and we are keeping that commitment.”
Because the final state budget figures are not yet known, the Board of Regents will be asked to authorize Lyall to bring forward a supplemental tuition increase plan “if the final budget contains significant additional unfunded cuts or further base reductions/lapses beyond the $6.345 million” already proposed. The Executive Committee will be authorized to act on such a plan, on behalf of the full Board of Regents, should it become necessary.
Thursday’s Board of Regents agenda is available on-line.
UW System Tuition Increases,
Resident Undergraduates: 2001-02*
| Institution | Increase, Per Semester | Percentage Increase | Additional for Madison Initiative, Milwaukee Idea | New Annual Tuition |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UW-Madison | $139 | 7.0% | 1.4% | $3,568 |
| UW-Milwaukee | $134 | 7.0% | 1.4% | $3,462 |
| Comprehensives | $91 | 7.0% | NA | $2,776 |
| UW Colleges | $79 | 7.0% | NA | $2,422 |
UW System Tuition Increases,
Non-Resident Undergraduates: 2001-02*
| Institution | Increase, Per Semester | Percentage Increase | Additional for Madison Initiative, Milwaukee Idea | New Annual Tuition |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UW-Madison | $712 | 9.0% | 1.4% | $15,112 |
| UW-Milwaukee | $658 | 9.0% | 1.4% | $13,958 |
| Comprehensives | $456 | 9.0% | NA | $11,034 |
| UW Colleges | $399 | 9.0% | NA | $9,646 |
UW System Resident Undergraduate Tuition History*
| Institution | 5-Year Average Annual Increase | 10-Year Average Annual Increase | 15-Year Average Annual Increase | Average Annual Increase Since Merger (1973) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UW-Madison | 6.1% | 6.2% | 6.3% | 7.2% |
| UW-Milwaukee | 5.6% | 5.9% | 6.1% | 7.1% |
| Comprehensives | 5.3% | 5.8% | 5.7% | 6.9% |
| UW Colleges | 6.4% | 6.5% | 5.1% | 6.4% |
UW-Madison Resident Undergraduate Tuition
Increase Compared to the Public Big Ten: 2001-02*
| Institution | Annual Increase | Percentage Increase | Estimated Tuition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois New Freshmen | $686 | 18.4% | $4,410 |
| Minnesota | $451 | 10.3% | $4,852 |
| Michigan | $401 | 6.0% | $7,079 |
| Ohio State | $384 | 9.5% | $4,410 |
| Michigan State | $338 | 7.0% | $5,168 |
| Big Ten Average, Excluding UW-Madison and Illinois New Freshmen | $319 | 7.5% | $4,612 |
| Purdue | $292 | 7.5% | $4,164 |
| Indiana | $292 | 7.5% | $4,195 |
| UW-MADISON | $278 | 8.4% | $3,568 |
| Iowa | $210 | 7.2% | $3,116 |
| Illinois | $186 | 5.0% | $3,910 |
* Does not include segregated fees, which vary from campus to campus, except for Purdue.
For 2001-02, UW-Madison tuition and segregated fees ($4,085) will be $935 below the mid-point for the other public, Big Ten universities. During 2000-01, UW-Madison tuition and fees were $901 below the mid-point. Other public Big Ten universities have much more tuition and fee funding available per student than does UW-Madison, and the disparity is growing.