Chancellor John Wiley addressed the Faculty Senate Monday, speaking to issues important to professors, such as sick leave and vacation policy, in his annual State of the University speech. While these shortcomings are important, we believe a much wider portrait must be painted to fully assess the condition of our great, state university of Wisconsin.
Accordingly, we have identified three areas that should be of great concern to students, alumni, administrators, faculty and staff, as well as state legislators and the citizens of Wisconsin. These are the ever-growing budgetary burden students and their families carry in the form of tuition, the poor execution of Plan 2008 to create a diverse campus community and problematic university employment practices that continue to raise doubts about the state of UW-Madison.
As state funding dwindles, students continue to pay greater tuition upon matriculation. This fall, returning in-state students forked over 6.9 percent more funds than in the spring and out-of-state students faced a 1.9 percent rise. Additionally, the UW Board of Regents' request for a proportional increase in state-funded financial assistance dollars went unfulfilled. As this trend continues, students are more likely to come from higher-income earning families, creating an institution more exclusive than the historically inclusive UW-Madison. It remains our conviction that access to quality education-which our world-class faculty provide-should be based not on economics, but the academic accomplishment and potential of each prospective student.
Millions upon millions of dollars have been spent over the past seven years on the diversity enrichment program Plan 2008. Although some strides have been made, the overarching goal of constructing a more diverse UW-Madison since 1998 has fallen short. Today, only 2.3 percent of students are African-American and Asian-Americans account for only 4.5 percent-the largest minority group on campus. For as long as non-whites comprise one-tenth of the student population, this university should not be regarded as a diverse, multicultural institution. There are significant advancements to be made before Plan 2008 expires. Perhaps Plan 2008 funds should be given directly to minority students, rather than coordinators and interns.
Finally, the employment scandals surrounding felonious professors and former Vice Chancellor Paul Barrows has spawned many new questions about the accountability of our university and its ability to make decisions and implement policies based on the best interest of students.
Even more intriguing is that Barrows' status has provided-and will continue to do so for some time-an array of excuses for the problems this editorial board has addressed. Barrows' resignation from the vice chancellorship last year allowed UW-Madison to sweep Plan 2008 under the rug by reorganizing diversity-related programs within the administration. The public criticism of the university stemming from the back-up position controversy, as well as the Steingass investigative report and UW System President Kevin Reilly's half-hearted scolding of those involved, are more cause for Republican legislators to continue to underfund the UW System.
While our analysis may darken the moods of some, the student morale in Madison is always on the up and up. Academic prowess grows with each new freshman class, our student researchers are recognized as some of the best in the world, we are active in the local community and our ranking as America's top party school goes to show that we know how to have fun from time to time.
What brings us the most hope is the notion that someday our generation will be in the position necessary to bring reform.
