UW-Stevens Point news release News Services, Stevens Point WI  54481-3897 Phone: 715-346-3046 Fax: 715-346-2042 E-mail: news@uwsp.edu  www.uwsp.edu/news Back to News releases | News release archive | UWSP Home Released: Feb. 19, 2003

Budget statement of Thomas F. George
�Wisconsin Idea�: Dead or Alive?
Chancellor, UW-Stevens Point

Last night Governor Doyle put forth his proposed budget for 2003-05. His proposal presents a net decrease of $658 million to General Purpose Revenue outlays; the rest of the state�s $3.2 billion structural deficit will be eliminated through rejection of agency requests for increases and shifting of departmental and agency costs. Of the net reduction of $658 million, the UW System sustains a $250 million cut over the 2003-05 biennium, or 38 percent of the net amount. That cut is on top of the $44 million base cut the UW System is sustaining this year.

The UW System constitutes nine percent of the state budget. Yet it sustained 23 percent of the cuts to the 2001-03 biennial budget and, under the governor�s proposal for 2003-05, will sustain 38 percent of the current budget reductions. UWSP�s portion of this proposed cut is estimated at four percent or $10 million. Recall that UWSP received a cut of $2 million during the current biennium to which has been added an additional $350,000 cut.

UWSP and the UW System remain committed to the Wisconsin Idea, which ensures the future of current Wisconsin residents as well as the future of generations to come. But the proposed budget cuts will severely weaken the UW System�s ability to help the state realize the Wisconsin Idea.

Governor Doyle has limited a tuition increase to $250 per student, per semester for comprehensive campuses such as UWSP. This increase would only offset up to 60 percent of the overall reduction to UWSP�s budget. With the tuition increase, a cut of $10 million to UWSP�s base budget will be devastating. Without the tuition increase, the $10 million cut would be catastrophic.

The citizens of Wisconsin need to know that Governor Doyle�s proposed budget will result in fewer students entering UW System campuses, faculty and staff downsizing. It will weaken and, in some instances, end efforts to help the private sector meet its work force needs, especially in technical and computer related jobs. This budget reduction and consequent downsizing will seriously affect local community economies.

While realizing the UW System must play a role in solving our budget deficit, the burden has fallen disproportionately once again on public higher education, its students, and parents. This will affect access to the university and will greatly delay students� progress toward graduation as fewer class sections are available.

The Wisconsin Idea is now on shaky ground. Our hope is that the campus, community, Central Wisconsin legislators and other elected officials, Republicans and Democrats alike, will urge the Legislature and its Joint Finance Committee to bring equity and fairness to the overall budget.

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