UW Regents President Bradley Says Investment in the UW System Is Key to Wisconsin’s Economic Success

University of Wisconsin Board of Regents President Mark Bradley Thursday expressed concern that Wisconsin will lose its competitive advantage in the knowledge economy if the state does not continue to invest in the UW System.

Bradley made his remarks to almost 600 faculty, staff, and administrators gathered for the University of Wisconsin Colleges fall convocation on the UW-Fond du Lac campus.

Bradley said that since he was appointed to the UW Board of Regents four years ago he has repeatedly asked: “What is happening to higher education in America?”

In answer to this question, Bradley cited several points from a bipartisan report from the National Conference of State Legislators’ Blue Ribbon Commission on Higher Education, including:
• The higher education system focuses primarily on the traditional students, whereas only about 40 percent of students fit the traditional model.
• The system isn’t meeting the needs of our fastest growing populations, Latinos, African Americans and immigrants.
• The government’s primary responsibility in higher education is to guarantee postsecondary education and/or training to students.

“Yet, when we cut financial support to higher education, we deny access to our most needy students. We are in danger of creating a permanent underclass,” Bradley said.

Bradley said that the state Assembly’s version of the state biennial budget amounts to a $120 million cut to the UW System, and would not allow UW System President Kevin Reilly to implement the $21.5 million Growth Agenda, which would address many of commission’s—and his own—concerns.

Bradley explained that the Growth Agenda would enroll more Wisconsin residents in college, graduate more bachelor’s-degree holders, and use university research to grow the state’s knowledge economy. Currently only 25.5 percent of Wisconsin adults have a four-year college degree, compared to the national average of 27.5 percent. According to Bradley, that 2 percent difference is equal to almost 45,000 working adults, each of whom could be earning an additional $19,000 annually if they had a bachelor’s degree.

“Of course, the Growth Agenda is not about growing the university; it’s about growing Wisconsin’s economy,” Bradley added.

Bradley called the UW System operating budget passed by the Board of Regents on Aug. 7 “historic.” The budget held the tuition increase at UW four-year campuses to 5.5 percent¸ the lowest percentage increase in seven years, while freezing tuition at the two-year campuses. However, Bradley expressed concern that even modest increases in tuition could present some UW System students from continuing their education.

UW-Fond du Lac students will pay the same tuition as they paid last fall: $2,133.96 per semester, or $4,267.92 per year. UW-Fond du Lac is accepting applications for the fall semester, beginning Sept. 4, until 4:30 p.m. Friday. For more information, contact the Student Services Office at (920) 929-3606.

Bradley said that his fellow regents, UW System President Reilly, UW Colleges and UW-Extension Chancellor David Wilson and other UW chancellors have been active in letting elected officials, the media and the public know how the proposed Assembly budget could adversely affect the state. “It is simply this: To win in the knowledge economy, Wisconsin will need more educated workers.”



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