Vol 20. No. 3
Summer 2004

SYSTEMWIDE

A Final Farewell:
Lyall commences to a new stage
—Katharine Lyall goes out in style

Gov. Jim Doyle addresses UW System graduates

Words of Wisdom

A roundup of the best quotes from commencement speakers around the UW System

Regents plan to restore UW partnership with the state

UW System readies for 2005-07 state budget debate
—Rising utility costs continue to impact UW budget

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UW System sets priorities for 2005-07 budget

By Laura Hunt

The University of Wisconsin System is already beginning to outline priorities for the 2005-07 state budget, a biennium in which funding for the university could establish the future direction of public higher education in Wisconsin.

The Board of Regents in June reviewed a preliminary draft of the UW System's 2005-07 biennial budget, crafted to align with Gov. Jim Doyle's state budget priorities, specifically education, health care, children, economic development and increased federal funding.

State support for the UW System has decreased to only one-quarter of the university’s resources, according to UW System President Katharine C. Lyall. All other categories of the budget are designated by the source for a particular use. Federal funding, for example, typically supports research initiatives.

The UW System can only use state support dollars and tuition revenue to pay for student instruction, Freda Harris, UW System associate vice president for budget and planning, told the board in June.

Several regents also expressed alarm at the dwindling amount of financial aid available to the state's neediest students. In the present budget, financial aid was funded with a one-time transfer of money from the UW System's auxiliary services, the money students pay for nonacademic services. For 2005-07, restoring financial aid for students in the lowest-income quintile would amount to $4.9 million.

Regent Peggy Rosenzweig

"It might be helpful to remind the Legislature of their commitment to balance tuition increases with increases in financial aid," said Regent Peggy Rosenzweig of Wauwatosa.

Students Brett Belden and Tony Rodriguez of UWM's Student Association spoke at the June regents meeting to urge the Board to reject tuition increases in the 2005-07 budget. Because of record enrollments, they said, more budget cuts will only further erode the quality of their educations.

"Help the state reprioritize and use the leverage this board possesses to oppose the governor's budget instructions," Rodriguez said.

Also in June, the regents heard about Doyle's 2005-07 state budget directions, which ask agencies to conduct an exercise examining what a 10 percent administrative cost cut across the UW System would look like.

More information about the university 2005-07 budget priorities will be available at the start of the academic year.

— Laura Hunt is a staff writer at UW-Milwaukee.

Read the news summary from the June Board of Regents meeting