UW System plans'two years in the making'to attract students from the lowest two economic qualities are coming to fruition, according to UW System Communications Director Doug Bradley.
Gov. Doyle's Wisconsin Covenant, announced during the 2006 State of the State Address, represents a joint effort of the state and UW System to provide students from poorer economic backgrounds with college educations.
Although the covenant is not yet an official document, Doyle's announcement of the plan has received support from Wisconsin teachers and parents, according to Doyle Press Secretary Melanie Fonder.
The covenant's purpose, according to Doyle, is to offer all Wisconsin eighth graders the opportunity to attend UW System colleges or universities. After pledging and fulfilling certain stipulations, students will receive a state financial aid package to bridge the gap between available family contribution and federal financial aid.
'The idea is simple, but the impact is far reaching,' Doyle said in the address. 'It is an historic commitment to make college more affordable for hardworking Wisconsin families.'
Completion of high school and college-preparatory courses and maintenance of good behavior and a B average, along with application for state and federal financial aid constitute the pledge eighth graders will sign 'hopefully, beginning in fall 2006,' according to Fonder.
She said school counselors would monitor the pledged students.
However, remaining gray areas in the plan must be fine-tuned by the Board of Regents and the state, according to Bradley.
Also, many Republicans, including gubernatorial candidates Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker from Wauwatosa and U.S. Rep. Mark Green of Green Bay openly opposed the covenant, saying the state cannot afford to provide for students who already will have received aid in the college-application process.
'We know it's going to require a partnership and support,' Bradley said. 'We're going to have more conversations about this ?? and hopefully the universities are going to be able to put a little more meat on the bones of some of the ideas that are out there.'
Promptly instituting the covenant's pledges is the state's number-one priority, though, according to Fonder.
'The earlier you start talking about this and setting up a plan and showing kids how they can maybe achieve something that they didn't think about before, the better,' Fonder said.
Bradley said he agreed.
'I think the point is, let's get young kids'by the time they get to middle school'thinking as seriously about college as possible,' Bradley said. 'It's about access and affordability, but it's also about hope and promise.'
