UW System Misled Public on Need for Massive Tuition Increase
Senator Nass: Non-resident UW-Madison students already pay 186% of education costs.
Senator Steve Nass (R-Whitewater) criticized UW System Regent Vice President Regina Millner for a deceptive statement intended to justify and spin UW-Madison’s request for a 22% increase in non-resident tuition over the next two academic years. During the Board of Regents meeting on April 10th, Regent Millner stated that the tuition increase on non-resident students was needed to keep Wisconsin students from subsidizing the out-of-staters.
The UW System issued a press release following the meeting with the misleading statement and it was quoted by the media throughout the weekend.
“It’s a fact that non-resident students attending UW-Madison already pay 186% of the cost to educate. Wisconsin students have never subsidized out-of-staters. Regent Millner’s statement was deceptive and intended to inflame the public into supporting Chancellor Blank’s price gouging plan,” Nass said.
Senator Nass noted that not one Regent or UW System administrator corrected Vice President Millner’s statement at the meeting on April 10th. Nor, has the UW System corrected its press release (as of this morning) even though my office informed them of the deception.
“It would appear that the UW System is returning to the bad old days of spin and deception in communications with the public. This is another example of the UW System not being ready for greater autonomy from the state,” Nass said.
The approved plan means non-resident UW-Madison students will face a massive 11.8% tuition increase in fall 2015 and another 10.5% in fall 2016. In dollars, the non-resident tuition would go to $28,523 next fall and $31,523 in fall 2016 (these figures don’t include room/board and other fees).