When thousands of ninth-graders signed the Wisconsin Covenant this fall, promising them a place in a UW-System school once they graduate high school, it seemed too good to be true - and it was.
As of now, the program is not funded and, according to some Republican lawmakers, it may stay this way. This, however, has not stopped Gov. Jim Doyle from promising college acceptance and need-based financial aid to almost 10,000 students.
Though Doyle figured out a relatively straight forward solution to the complex problem of accessible higher education, he jumped the gun when he allowed prospective students to sign up for the program this fall.
The Wisconsin Covenant promises students acceptance to a UW-System school as long as they meet a set of criteria throughout their high school career. For example, applicants need to maintain a B average and take college prep classes in order to recieve their guaranteed college education and financial aid. The Covenant also promises financial aid in need-based situations.
The weight of these promises make it that much more important that they be kept.
According to an article in the Wisconsin State Journal, Doyle said that even if the Legislature does not vote to fund the Wisconsin Covenant this year, there will still be four years to do so before these students get to college; this year's applicants would enter college in 2012.
Though four years seems like more than enough time to fund the program, the delays in this year's state budget make one hesitant to rely on the Legislature's ability to meet a deadline. Plus, programs similar to this, such as one in Indiana, cost around $45 million, a hefty price for taxpayers.
The Wisconsin Covenant's guarantee of higher education to those willing to work for it makes it a program worthy of funding. But until there is a covenant between Doyle and the Legislature to pay for this program, students should not be guaranteed anything.
