The state’s Joint Finance Committee met for a third day of listening sessions on Gov. Scott Walker’s biennial budget Thursday, focusing on the University of Wisconsin System’s funding and other education initiatives.
UW System President Kevin Reilly testified on behalf of the state’s higher education system, and largely applauded the funding and flexibility Walker’s budget gives to the UW System. However, he did mention the funding increase comes after Walker’s previous budget required the UW System to cope with major funding cuts.
During his opening remarks, Reilly urged the JFC, which has the power to make changes to portions of the budget, to keep the $181 million increase in funding the budget would currently give to the system in place as the budget moves toward approval.
Reilly said that if the full budget funding were kept, it would give the UW System more flexibility and allow it to have the lowest tuition increase in ten years.
“You are giving us the tools we need to better serve the state,” Reilly said.
He added the lower increase would be “welcome news” to the students and families associated with the system.
However, several members of the committee questioned how well the system is using the “tools” Reilly referred to, citing Reilly’s opposition to a tuition cap that would be removed under the new budget. Some UW students who attended the hearing showed their support for maintaining a tuition cap by wearing red “Cap Tuition At UW” shirts.
Reilly said the cap, which currently keeps the tuition from rising more than 5.5 percent from year to year, would place an unnecessary restriction on the system. He said the system already plans to work to limit any new tuition increases.
“Theoretically, I don’t like the idea of a cap, but practically, I’d love to agree with students on what a reasonable tuition increase would be,” Reilly said.
Additionally, Reilly fielded questions from committee members from both parties on how funding is allocated and how well the system deals with limiting student debt.
At one point, state Rep. Dale Kooyenga, R-Brookfield, asked Reilly if it would be possible to limit professor’s salaries, which Kooyenga said already far exceed the average income for families in the state, in order to limit rising tuition.
Reilly responded saying the high salaries go toward attracting talented professors to teach at the system’s universities. He said if the salaries went down, UW would become a “third rate university” where nobody would want to send their children.
Other committee members, including state Rep. John Nygren, R-Marinette, proposed working with incoming freshman to explain the futures that accompany certain choices of major. State Rep. Cory Mason, D-Racine, who joked that his philosophy major did little in helping him find employment, also proposed working to ensure students are graduating with degrees that will help them pay off their debt.
The JFC will be able to make changes to Walker’s budget based on the information collected during the listening sessions. The budget will also have to pass both houses of the state legislature before it can be implemented.
