UW-Madison Chancellor Biddy Martin said Monday the university would host a series of forums Jan. 15 through 17 for faculty members to discuss solutions to the state budget shortfall.
In reaction to the $5.4 billion budget shortfall the state of Wisconsin is facing, Martin said the university will cut faculty pay raises from 5.2 to 2.5 percent.
Additionally, UW System President Kevin Reilly proposed implementing a three-year degree program at UW System schools. The three-year degree track would encourage students to utilize summer programs, online classes and greater course loads. According to Reilly and UW System spokesperson David Giroux, such a program would save money for both the university and its student body.
However, a three-year degree program would also largely alter the UW-Madison college experience and could cause problems for students seeking admittance to graduate schools.
Incoming freshmen would need to know exactly what classes to take for their major prior to their first day of classes ever at UW, as a three-year plan would leave little flexibility or time for changing majors.
If a student were to enter the university with no pre-earned credits from advanced-level high school courses, even by taking six 18-credit semesters at least 12 additional credits would have to be earned through summer courses or an equivalent. Although this may save the student time in the long run, it significantly decreases the amount of time available for extracurricular activities, internships or jobs. Most students hoping to attend a graduate program know that acceptance is based on previous experience, not just GPAs and test scores.
Although a decreased faculty pay raise is anything but ideal for this university, which already faces faculty retention problems, encouraging the three-year degree plan sacrifices the student experience to cut costs, defeating the goal of the Wisconsin Idea. A well-rounded graduate should carry more from the college experience than challenges and tests from the classroom - and encouraging this route could compromise the collegiate experience for students.
Granted, some students unnecessarily prolong their stay here, but advisors should instead guide students toward the most efficient route for their major, and many students need a couple semesters of experimentation and trial and error before actually deciding the major that is best for them.
At summer orientation programs, advisors should stress the importance of DARS and instruct students on how to easily utilize and understand a DARS report. DARS is an essential tool that students can access from anywhere, at any time, and it is particularly useful during registration periods.
All first-year students should be required to attend advising sessions with an advisor within their prospective major. For students who remain undecided, mandatory sessions with the Cross College Advising Service should be implemented so new students don't fall behind in fulfilling their general education requirements and can still finish all their major requirements in four years.
Ultimately, graduating in three years is an option already available to students. The university's advisors would be compromising their principles if they encouraged students to rush through college without building a solid résumé and taking time to find a major that best fits their desired future.
