With possible tuition increases on the horizon, Associated Students of Madison and Assembly Minority Leader Spencer Black, D-Madison, held a press conference Thursday to announce a provision permanently binding financial aid to tuition increases in the Wisconsin Budget Reform Bill.
UW System students came together last year to ensure the financial stability of future students as part of the United Council's statewide campaign promoting this legislation.
\The campaign was a joint effort by United Council and students from all 24 member campuses which employed e-mails, postcards, faxes, countless telephone calls and numerous letters to assure that the provision was included in the Budget Reform Bill,"" UW-Platteville Student Body President Jonathan Stevens said.
According to Black, the fight for the financial aid and tuition linkage began years ago and was introduced many times into the state legislature before being passed successfully.
""It took a statewide effort of thousands of college students to advocate for those who were blocked the access of education by outrageous tuition costs,"" said ASM shared governance chair and UW-Madison junior Austin Evans.
On July 26, 2002, Gov. Scott McCalllum signed the Budget Repair Bill, which guaranteed the growth of financial aid in response to tuition increases.
""He responded to the students and citizens he is responsible to, favorably, and for that we congratulate him,"" Evans said.
As of 2000, the average UW System undergraduate graduated with a debt of $15,314. Since then, tuition has increased, but financial aid has been unable to match the rise in educational costs. This prompted students to lead the statewide campaign to support Black's initiative.
""Students still struggle to make ends meet in regards to tuition, student fees, books, supplies, rent, food and other costs associated with higher education,"" Evans said. ""Potential students are still unable to afford the rising costs of the UW, and are either forced to leave the university early or not even attend in the first place.""
Some UW-Madison students said they felt the provision would increase the diversity on UW System campuses.
""There are a lot of people out there that want to go to college that can't,"" UW-Madison senior Beth Kleinman said.
Other students said they were worried about their own financial situations as a result of possible tuition increases.
""I already have two years in. I can afford tuition now, and if it goes up, I have no help to pay for it,"" said Ashley Caldwell, a UW-Madison sophomore who will now benefit from the passage of the bill.
Being a student who had to work unreasonable hours to support his education, Black said he was impressed with the students' participation in the campaign.
""I know what it is to scrimp and save to get through a college education,"" he said.
