Wisconsin residents planning to attend the University of Minnesota may soon pay higher tuition.
U of M Provost's Office Senior Analyst Peter Zetterberg said one of three actions could be taken to close the tuition reciprocity gap that currently has Wisconsin residents who attend the U of M paying approximately $1,200 less per year than Minnesota residents.
According to Zetterberg, the first would be for the two states to renegotiate the reciprocity agreement, which the U of M requested in mid-December.
""To date, they've simply said that they don't want any change,"" Zetterberg said of Wisconsin state legislators. ""They think it's just fine that Wisconsin residents pay less than Minnesota residents do.""
Second, the U of M has said it may withdraw from the reciprocity agreement and instead devise its own Wisconsin-Minnesota tuition benefits, Zetterberg said.
""Wisconsin already pays $5 million a year because they charge more in tuition than we do,"" said state Rep. Spencer Black, D-Madison. ""So, it seems to be that the current arrangement is fair, and I think they'd face a lot of opposition if they chose to pull out of the agreement.""
Plus, according to Black, Minnesota would ""face a lot of political pressure from parents and students who attend Wisconsin schools"" if the state chooses to withdraw from the current reciprocity agreement.
Black continued to explain that the $5 million the State of Wisconsin gives to the State of Minnesota is given to the state, not directly to the university—thus causing tension between the U of M and the Minnesota state government.
Black emphasized the agreement is between the two states, not the two universities.
""It's something the governor is more likely to negotiate,"" Black said of the potential renegotiation. ""He'd have to bring a bill before the legislature""—a step Minnesota has already taken.
If passed, bill H.F. 398, currently slated for discussion on the Minnesota State Legislature House Committee on Higher Education and Work Force Development's agenda Wednesday, would require Wisconsin reciprocity students to pay Minnesota resident rates.
""Regardless of which approach is taken, the outcome would be that Wisconsin reciprocity students would eventually end up paying Minnesota resident rates,"" Zetterberg said. ""This would not affect current students, it would affect only new freshmen.""
U of M freshman Sean Creegan, who is a Wisconsin resident and who transferred from UW-Madison this semester, said he thinks the reciprocity agreement should be adjusted accordingly, for fairness to Minnesota-resident students.
""It's a bigger deal for Minnesota students, because they're the ones paying more,"" Creegan said. ""But the economic situation has changed ... It's no longer a negotiation or a steal—it's outdated and needs to be revisited.""
