The UW System has reportedly worked with Governor Jim Doyle in order to protect education in the midst of a $5.7 billion state deficit.
Together, a plan has been devised to cover tuition increase costs for families who earn less than $60,000.
"To emerge from this recession and pursue our better future, Wisconsin must expand its college-educated workforce," UW System President Kevin P. Reilly said in a UW System press release. "While working with the Governor on this tuition relief, we have worked with Congressional leaders to ensure that the Federal Stimulus package included significant new assistance for college students and their families."
Doyle addressed the state with the 2009-11 budget plan Jan. 28, where he said Wisconsin will see $2.2 billion in cuts. He said he was already able to cut $500 million from government spending and salaries.
"This budget makes the largest cuts we've ever seen," he said during the speech. "This budget does not fund nearly what was requested, but it provides an increase for our schools when almost everything else is being cut."
The budget will provide a $12 million increase for financial aid for families in need and another $24 million for the High Education Aids Board and the Wisconsin Higher Education Grant Program. However, it reduces the state tax support to the UW System, which could force universities to make their own cuts.
"Reflecting the state's fiscal reality, the budget presents serious challenges to the UW System, requiring our institutions to cut up to $174 million in funding over two years," Reilly said. "At this stage, it's too soon to tell how these reductions will affect individual campuses … reductions will undoubtedly result in fewer class sections, larger class sizes, reduced student services, and other impacts felt by our students, faculty, staff, and communities."
Chancellor Richard Telfer sent a university-wide e-mail to acknowledge the issues at hand and praise Gov. Doyle for supporting higher education during the state's economical hardship.
"We firmly believe that investing in higher education will serve as an engine for the state's long-term economic recovery," Telfer said. "UW System President Kevin Reilly and the chancellors are working hard to communicate to the legislature and others the importance of supporting higher education through this budget."
It is undetermined how this will directly affect UW-Whitewater, Telfer said.
"Currently, we do not know the specific amount that we will be asked to cut," Telfer said. "We expect to receive that information in the coming weeks. We do know that there will be modest and predictable tuition increases but there will also be increases in financial aid for our middle- and low-income students. As soon as I know more details I will share that information with the campus community."
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