Potential effects of Gov. Scott Walker’s proposed state budget became clearer Thursday after the UW System Board of Regents approved their 2015-’16 internal budget.
Regents voted 15-2 passing the $6.194 billion budget, which includes cuts to fund balances, according to a UW System release.
UW System President Ray Cross addressed the Regents with a plan to use an estimated $180 million from past funds to support the next academic year’s budget.
“The use of balances will help transition to the lower base level, but cannot begin to permanently offset the budget reductions in the 2015-17 biennial budget,” Board of Regents President Regina Millner said in the release.
In the release, Cross acknowledged that balances of the System’s funds will decrease by nearly 40 percent across three years, falling from $1.1 billion in 2013 to $690 million by the end of the fiscal 2016.
“There is no question this is very painful,” said President Cross in the release. “Explaining to the public the value and importance of this university will be critical in positioning us for the next budget.”
Students at four-year institutions will face a 3.9 percent increase to segregated fees, charges apart from instructional fees that are collected from all students. Room and board fees at four-year institutions are set to increase by 1.7 percent due to rising food costs and maintenance projects.
When Walker first announced the proposed budget in January, the UW System faced a $300 million cut across two years. Currently the System is looking at a $126.3 million budget cut for the upcoming budget season, which Cross called a “dramatic improvement.”
The state Senate and Assembly approved the state budget Thursday, sending it to Walker for final approval.
