As the Regents figure out a way to bring more revenue to UW-Madison, there is a sucking sound in the political science department. Top professors are leaving the department for other institutions because their pay is greater elsewhere, sometimes more than double what they receive at UW-Madison.
The political science department isn’t alone. In fact, last year’s survey from the Association of American University Professors shows UW-Madison is at the bottom of the list for average professor salary among its peer institutions.
The Regents’ goal is to bring in more revenue to give professors higher salaries and increase financial aid, among others things. In order to achieve increased revenue, the Regents are debating the option of increasing tuition, which provides a direct source of revenue.
Although any increase in tuition would seem to be against the student interest, it is important to note UW-Madison’s position among its peers for tuition. UW-Madison is No. 9 of the 10 public Big Ten schools for in-state tuition, while only the University of Michigan is ranked above UW-Madison in the U.S. News and World Report best-university rankings. The Regents have the right to address this discrepancy, since UW-Madison’s reputation as a top public university should legitimize a corresponding tuition.
The problem with increasing tuition is the strain it would put on students from low-income backgrounds. For this reason, a beefed-up financial aid package should also be introduced to ensure affordability.
The Regents are considering imposing differential tuition to offset this challenge. In short, the differential tuition policy would charge wealthier students more to subsidize the cost of poorer students’ tuition.
However, this proposal creates an awkward middle-class predicament while redistributing wealth in a disingenuous manner. The increase should instead be across the board.
Although this extra tuition money would go toward financial aid for others—among other things—it is UW-Madison’s duty to provide financial aid for those who need it.
If a marginal increase in tuition can bring more revenue to the school without putting any more strain on those who need financial aid or take out loans, then the Regents should proceed with a plan to increase tuition for everyone.
If UW-Madison wants to be a top university, it can rationalize an increase from its spot as the second least expensive school among the public Big Ten universities. The Regents should forget the idea of charging wealthier students more. Attending UW-Madison has a cost, and the university and government are responsible for helping those who cannot afford it.
