Danielle Ryan

Chancellor Brian Levin-Stankevich announced Monday that differential tuition will likely increase by $1,500 per student over the next four years, under the Blugold Commitment.

If approved by the Student Senate in December and the Board of Regents in February, the proposal would take effect incrementally, with an increase of $375 starting in the fall of 2010 to reach $1,500 in 2013.

Fifty percent of that money would hire 50 more faculty and staff members, 40 percent would provide financial aid, and 10 percent would support academic immersion programs.

Levin-Stankevich said presenting to the Board of Regents in February wouldn’t allow enough time to hire more than a couple of new faculty for next year. It would, however, allow the increased costs to be factored into financial aid. The increase of differential tuition could quickly produce results, he said.

“Initially, I think you would see the elimination of some bottlenecks, and with course availability, issues being remedied,” he said. “You’d see a more rapid and permanent change in the general education requirements as we free up faculty to work on those sorts of curricular things.”

Both immediately and later, the Blugold Commitment aims to reform advising, First Year Experience courses and general education requirements while providing more research opportunities and “cross-cultural” experiences, Levin-Stankevich said.

The proposal is not without controversy, though, and some senators plan to launch a “vote no” campaign, including senior Sen. Armon Tabrizi.

Tabrizi said he approves of the commitment’s goals but thinks the increase is too high and shouldn’t fall under differential tuition.

“The administration is trying to use differential tuition to provide education,” Tabrizi said. “It is meant to enhance education, not provide it.”

A student survey will be launched early December before the Student Senate votes at its last meeting of the semester on Dec. 7, Student Body President Michael Umhoefer said.

Junior Sen. Matt Sias said Student Senate plans to release a poll to the student body about the Blugold Commitment, and some senators are pushing for a campuswide referendum instead of a senate vote.

Student Senate held the first of two listening sessions focusing on the Blugold Commitment Tuesday night to a sparse showing by students.

In total, three students attended throughout the hour-long session, with five student senators available to answer questions.

“It’s important that students come to us because we can’t reach every classroom,” sophomore Student Services Director Sen. Sarah Tweedale said about student input on the Blugold Commitment.

All the senators present agreed that student approval is crucial to the Blugold Commitment, both in passing through Student Senate as well as the UW System Board of Regents.

The proposal would allow the university to grow already-funded programs and allow for new programs to receive support, Umhoefer said. And while the increases don’t provide all of the revenue right away, the impacts will still be felt, he said.

The commitment’s Web site indicated the 19-to-1 student-faculty ratio would improve from the current 21-to-1 ratio.

“Lots of students at Eau Claire have the opportunity to go to larger schools,” Umhoefer said. “But they come to Eau Claire because of the size of the campus and the connection to the faculty.”

Levin-Stankevich said the university needs a tuition increase.

“With the erosion of state funding, (ensuring the value of the Eau Claire degree) isn’t going to happen unless we help ourselves,” he said. “And this is one way we can help ourselves.”

Umhoefer said students initially balk at tuition increases, but the Blugold Commitment has been planned to avoid financial overburden.

“We want to make sure it’s affordable for middle- and low-income students,” he said.

Alumni and donors will be asked to help raise funds, and the UW-Eau Claire Foundation is making a commitment for further financial support for students as well, Levin-Stankevich said.

While the increase would be helpful, Tabrizi said the $1,500 increase would still be too much, bringing costs too close to schools like UW-Madison.

Tabrizi also said the yearly increases don’t take into consideration increases in other costs of attending school, such as state tuition and room and board.

Junior Sen. Brittany Smith, who worked closely with administration on the proposal, said that initially senators were split on the costs of the Blugold Commitment. She said some senators were outright opposed to a tuition increase, while others supported the $2,300 increase, with many falling in between.

Freshman Jason Leicht, a student in attendance, said he does not want to bear the cost of the Blugold Commitment.

“Personally, I don’t like the theory that I’m paying for someone else’s tuition,” Leicht said, adding that it is tough for most students to pay for their own tuition.

Leicht said he is glad that the plan could increase faculty and advising staff, but he believes the cost is simply too high for students.

Other issues brought up at the listening session were the Davies Center redesign and segregated fee allocations to student organizations.

There will be another listening session tonight from 7 to 8 p.m. in Hilltop Lounge. Students are welcome for part or all of the hour.