UW System Board of Regents hosted a listening session at UW-Eau Claire Monday to discuss issues ranging from tuition cost to recruitment of quality staff members as well as the important role UW campuses provide in helping to create a thriving Wisconsin state economy.
The session addressed the concerns of faculty and staff from numerous UW System schools as well as students and community members.
Many faculty members spoke about the importance of increased salaries and benefits in the UW System.
\Salaries at UW-Stout fall up to $10,000 behind other universities, moreover, health care premiums are not part of their benefits any longer, which are now the responsibility of staff,"" said Sheri Klein, UW-Stout faculty member.
Not only have budget constraints on UW System campuses affected faculty and staff, they also greatly affect students.
""We have staff that fall into the low-income category,"" said a professor and 17-year veteran of the UW System. ""Budget constraints-especially over the past two years-have made it so we can't accept as many students.""
Students also noted budget cuts have impacted the student body as a whole, especially those students who are caught without substantial financial aid because their parents make too much money, yet they are unable to help the student pay for their schooling.
Funding is especially important to contributing to Wisconsin's economy often through UW System Schools' academic research.
""We need to restore eroded support, invest in specific projects that will raise a lot of support and help better connect the public and private sectors and do a better job bringing together different institutions,"" said Tom Still, president of the Wisconsin Technology Council.
With the lack of funding, retention and recruitment of high quality faculty and staff become more difficult, according to many attendees.
""Sometimes urges or calls to leave [are] too strong-retaining quality people pays back our students as well as our faculty, [and] certain staff have brought in two million dollars in grants,"" said Tom Miller, faculty member and head of the history department at UW-Eau Claire. ""Times are tough, but we have to have the resources.""
""The lack of funding is sucking the life out of the UW System Schools and there is no reason anybody can't get a quality education from a Wisconsin school,"" noted Jack Kaiser, an Eau Claire citizen.
