A survey recently conducted by Wood Communications Group, of Madison, showed Wisconsin residents are concerned about the UW System.
It was comprised of 600 adults, who were randomly chosen from around the state and telephoned for the survey. The survey itself took about four days to complete and was funded completely by Wood Communications Group, spokesman Howard Cosgrove said.
“We did it ourselves because the president of the company wanted to bring the UW System and connect it better with businesses in Wisconsin,” he said. “The UW System is a driver in the economics of Wisconsin, and we were concerned that we needed to bring better dialogue between the System and businesses.”
It could clear up a lot of the miscommunication and misunderstandings in the System, Cosgrove said.
“The most significant finding there was that three-quarters of Wisconsin students and families feel that college opportunities are eluding them,” Representative Rob Kreibich, R-Eau Claire, said.
He said families are being priced out of college.
Kreibich said his proposed 3 percent tuition cap will help limit tuition increases.
Rep. Frank Boyle, D-Superior, said he felt the survey didn’t do much.
“It’s easy to be critical of the UW System,” he said.
Boyle, who is also a member of the Colleges and University Committee, said more than $250 million was cut from the System’s budget two years ago, which was about 32 percent of the university budget.
“It hasn’t been replaced,” he said. “It has hurt enrollment because there is an increase in the criteria for eligibility.”
Boyle said tuition has tripled in the past five years, and the GPA level in all UW universities has also increased.
“We are becoming intellectual and elitist institutions that are no longer accessible to working-class kids,” he said. “In 19 years, with the current rate of increase, it will cost $100,000 a year (for college).”
Kreibich said that families have been telling him that, not only is it more difficult to get into a UW university, but, if you are accepted, it is so expensive.
“This poll tells me that we have to continue working to make UW education accessible to lower and middle income families,” Kreibich said.
