The University of Wisconsin System’s Board of Regents is being asked to allow nine schools to raise tuition rates for graduate and non-resident students.
The requests, expected to be taken up by the board later this week, comes in response to cuts to campuses in Governor Scott Walker’s proposed state budget. The plan calls for cutting about $300 million in funding for the UW. While Republicans in the legislature have indicated that figure could be reduced, a freeze on general undergraduate tuition could be continued and several campuses are already taking steps to prepare for expected losses.
The requests for tuition hikes come from UW campuses in Madison, La Crosse, Milwaukee, Parkside, Platteville, River Falls, Stevens Point, Stout and Whitewater. Madison is proposing a four-year plan that would raise non-resident undergraduate tuition by $10,000, while international students would see an $11,000 increase. Other campuses are asking for tuition hikes of several hundred dollars, which would take effect during the next school year.
The Board of Regents’ Finance Committee will meet to discuss the requests on Thursday. If the panel signs-off on the changes, they would go to the full board on Friday for consideration.
