UW System President Kevin Reilly emphasized student access to the UW System and outlined UW System initiatives, including a budget exercise that proposes UW institutions cut 10 percent of spending, in a teleconference Tuesday.
\The UW System President needs to be out, around the state, advocating quality in the classroom,"" Reilly said. ""I need to do more of that.""
Also, the proposed creation of an executive vice president position in the UW System would allow the UW System President to achieve goals of simultaneously advocating educational quality and offering student access by having more time to travel to all of the UW System universities, Reilly said.
Reilly will meet with the United Council of UW in Wausau Friday to discuss UW System initiatives.
""The only way [the UW System is] going to be effective is if we keep this dialogue ... and students feel they have access to the president,"" Regent spokesperson Doug Bradley said. ""I think we're finding better ways to do this.""
Regarding the UW System Department of Administration proposed budget exercise, Reilly said the UW System is committed to making cuts in a way that protects instruction as much as possible. He stressed that administrative overhead can be downsized, but the cuts may affect student services.
""We'll try to do [the budget cuts] in a way that minimizes the cutting of classes and teachers in institutions,"" Reilly said, but ""we can't make these cuts without pain.""
The UW System faces stiff competition for retaining human talent, with regard to faculty, staff and students. There is a delicate balance between wanting to raise overall spending to improve the quality of education and UW System as a whole and balancing the budget, Reilly said.
The Board of Regents Resolution 8932 specifically addresses this dilemma, claiming the Board seeks to ""reassure students, parents, members of the public and others of its strong commitment to access to the UW System."" It also resolves to ""affirm [its] commitment to [its] 2005-07 budget proposal, including a hold harmless financial aids package and a 4.3 percent tuition increase, assuming a 7.2 percent increase in GPR.""
""When you have that kind of dilemma, you have to keep your eyes on the prize,"" Reilly said. ""[The UW System's goal is] to educate the greatest number of students with the highest quality education.""
