Rep. Sargent
At the Capitol, Democratic legislators are proposing a grant program for college students. This bill is out in the midst of a push to get a whole package of Republican proposals through the legislative process this spring.
“Ultimately, a lot of that is nibbling around the edges,” said state Representative Melissa Sargent (D-Madison). Her proposal would help cover living expenses, tuition, student fees and textbooks for students at UW campuses, tech schools and tribal colleges.
“If you are committed, if you roll up your sleeves, if you work hard, if you commit to the state of Wisconsin, we’re going to take care of you, because you’re taking care of us. You’re going to become part of our tax base. You’re going to be bringing money back into the state.”
Students would have to maintain a three-point-oh grade point average and work for three years in Wisconsin after graduating. If students leave the state prior to that or don’t graduate, the grant funds would roll into a regular student loan account. With Republicans in control both the Assembly and Senate, the bill from Sargent and Senator Chris Larson (D-Milwaukee) is likely to go nowhere.