Should College of Engineering students pay higher tuition than other undergraduates? If Engineering Dean Paul Peercy has his way, that would be the case.
After losing faculty members, the College of Engineering left many positions vacant due to lack of funding.
According to Peercy, by increasing tuition by $1,400 per year, the college would raise $3 million. Half of this money would go to hiring new faculty and the other half to updating curriculum and student services.
We supported instating differential tuition for the School of Business because we felt those who reap the benefits of the resources should be the ones who shoulder the burden of the costs. The same holds true for engineering students.
Students graduating with an engineering degree leave with professional status, which holds the same weight as a degree in law, medicine or pharmacy. Since UW-Madison charges higher tuition for these degrees, the university should also charge higher tuition for an engineering degree.
As the only Big Ten university without such a program for its engineering students, UW-Madison is behind the times. If we wish to keep up with advancing technologies and provide the first-rate education for which we are known, the Board of Regents should approve this plan.
