Universities across the badger state are struggling to keep up with their competitors, but President Jay Rothman is aiming to change that.
Wisconsin Universities are on a mission, get the state up to the middle of the country.
"Every state around us is in the top ten, Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois, and Michigan are all in the top 10. Wisconsin is in the bottom ten in terms of state support for it's public university system, that's something this budget is intended to change," said Jay Rothman, President of the Universities of Wisconsin.
The main plan is an attempt to move away from tuition dependency, thus opening avenues for more students and families in Wisconsin.
"We are affordable on a relative basis we are not affordable to every student and what we're doing is part of our budget request is we have included in that budget request is a request for dollars to fund a Wisconsin tuition promise, to continue that program, focused on students coming from families making 71,000 dollars or less a year," said Rothman.
That budget request is coming in the ask of an increase of $457 million annually, funds that officials at UWSP say would do some good.
"We are trying to position our institutions to serve more students in the communities in which we reside so this budget request will position us to do just that and so much more," said Thomas Gibson, Chancellor of UWSP.
But it's not just about tuition, it's about being able to provide the right resources and benefits to increase retention of both students and staff.
"The budget provides areas around creating better opportunities for our students and ensuring student success whether that be career advising, whether that be academic advising, mental health services, funding for internships and undergraduate resources, all which help with retention," said Rothman.
"Certainly we recognize that the ability to retain talent we need to provide competitive salaries and in absence of that investment I worry that we will lose talent to neighboring states and beyond," said Gibson.
The board of regents approved the request last week, it now goes to Governor Tony Evers.
