From the Wisconsin State Journal: It’s never easy to justify a big jump in tuition.
But UW-Madison Chancellor Biddy Martin has made a compelling case for a significant increase over the next four years to keep Wisconsin’s flagship university strong.
The UW Board of Regents should support Martin’s plan, which student leaders endorsed last week. Read the full editorial.
From the Badger Herald: Immediately after University of Wisconsin Chancellor Biddy Martin unveiled her Madison Initiative for Undergraduates, it was apparent the plan, though fundamentally sound, needed a bit of refining. There were many aspects of the proposal that needed to be clarified to students and many more that needed justification. After a month, though the initiative hasn’t been completely fleshed out, we believe the argument has been sufficiently well-made and that the initiative is a necessary step for UW to not only maintain but also to improve its standing in academia. Read the full editorial.
From the Badger Herald: Have you seen your adviser lately? Who are these people anyway?
Each student on campus has an assigned adviser, typically depending on whom you saw at SOAR. Unfortunately, many students fail to fully appreciate and use this important resource. The value of advising cannot be underestimated. Read the full column.
From the Badger Herald: Chancellor Biddy Martin’s tuition surcharge plan is called the Madison Initiative for Undergraduates, but the big winners are graduate students.
By now, the details are well-known. Undergraduate tuition rises faster than normal for the next four years. Half of the new money goes to expand financial aid; the rest goes to opening more sections of bottleneck courses and better student services. Read the full column.
From the Badger Herald: Chancellor Biddy Martin recently released the details of a plan to enhance the quality of the undergraduate educational experience at the University of Wisconsin-Madison while preserving affordability for families with demonstrated financial need. The Madison Initiative for Undergraduates will be funded through an increase in tuition, a premium that will be offset with private grants for those who can least afford to pay the increase. The stakes have never been higher for our great university, and I wanted to share my thoughts on this initiative with current students who may feel confused or burdened by this. Read the full letter.
From the Badger Herald: Although largely scrutinized, Biddy Martin’s proposed Madison Initiative for Undergraduates will do more good than harm for the student body. It is easy to get riled up by numbers, but after hearing all of the fuss, I was surprised to find much of the commotion is over petty change. With tuition numbers in the thousands, it is hard for me to comprehend the impact $2,500 at most is likely to have on me in the long-run. Read the full column.
From the Badger Herald and Daily Cardinal, Dean Gary Sandefur writes: The state of Wisconsin has built a tremendous resource in the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Even when the economy slows — as it has in the past — our education and research continue moving us forward. We’ve pushed the boundaries of discovery and given the state a value worth more than just dollars and cents.
But, we’ve faced financial shortfalls for several years. Budget restrictions limit what we can do and prevent us from keeping pace with the costs of higher education. We need to find new ways to provide a world-class education and compete on a national and international playing field. Read the full column.
From the Badger Herald: When Chancellor Biddy Martin introduced her new Madison Initiative for Undergraduates, she did so in front of dozens of University of Wisconsin student leaders, including members of this editorial board. Instead of holding a press conference with solely university administrators, legislative leaders and other supporters, Martin opened the doors of her home to hold informal roundtable discussions on her innovative plan. Read the full editorial.
From the Daily Cardinal: Biddy Martin’s Madison Initiative, although unfortunate for some in-state students, benefits everyone in the long run. Read the full editorial.
From the Badger Herald: At a meeting with student leaders Tuesday, University of Wisconsin Chancellor Biddy Martin took the first 6 1/2 months of her term spent fact-finding and listening and turned it into a bold proposal to increase funding to attract tenured faculty, need-based financial aid and student services — calling it the Madison Initiative for Undergraduates.
We believe this decision is a necessary and dynamic step for UW and one that, even in the face of a harsh recession, will lead to a much-needed boost in the quality and accessibility of our university. These two goals are not mutually exclusive, and it is refreshing to see Martin put a plan into effect that recognizes our flagship institution must make retain its world-class status while also making the university affordable for working- and middle-class students. Read the full editorial.