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Campus Campaign: The impact of our gifts

University Bulletin going paperless

State/UW System budget questions and answers
Gov. Jim Doyle's proposal to cut $250 million from the UW System's 2003-05 biennium budget has put the System at the center of a statewide debate about how to best address Wisconsin's unprecedented $3.2 billion budget deficit.

UW-Eau Claire's share of the proposed cut is $12.5 million. If the System budget is cut by $250 million — and tuition increases as proposed by the Governor — the net affect at UW-Eau Claire would be a 5 percent budget reduction, or about $5 million over the two-year biennium budget.

The following information may be of interest as you follow or participate in campus and state budget discussions in the months ahead.

How has state support changed for the UW System?

• The Governor's proposed cut of $250 million represents 38 percent of the overall budget reductions — yet the UW System accounts for just 9 percent of state spending.
• In the 2001-03 budget repair bill, the UW System received nearly 24 percent of the cuts ($44 million).
• The state Legislature has approved another $8.3 million budget reduction by June 30, 2003.
• Since 1973-74, state funding for the UW System has shrunk from 51.8 percent of the overall budget to 31.1 percent.
• Approximately $1 billion of the UW System's total budget of $3.5 billion currently comes from state tax dollars. Twenty-six campuses and UW Extension share the state money. Student tuition and fees, grants and private donations fund the remaining budget.
• The Governor's proposed $250 million cut is the equivalent of eliminating all state support for UW-Green Bay, UW-Platteville, UW-River Falls and the 13 UW Colleges in year one of the biennium, and erasing all state support for UW-Milwaukee in year two.
• From 1992-2002, overall state spending increased 74 percent. Spending for K-12 schools increased 102 percent, aid to local governments 84 percent and corrections 207 percent. By comparison, state spending for the UW System increased 37 percent.

How does UW System tuition compare to other states?

• Resident undergraduate tuition at UW-Eau Claire and other four-year campuses is among the lowest in the Midwest when compared to peer institutions. UW-Madison is second lowest among the public Big Ten universities (Iowa is lower, but a 20 percent tuition increase has already been approved).
• Undergraduate tuition at UW-Eau Claire for the 2002-03 academic year is $3,100. Gov. Doyle is proposing a tuition increase of no more than $250 per semester for UW-Eau Claire. Even with the increase, undergraduate tuition and fees at a UW System comprehensive campus would rank 31st out of 35 comparable Midwest universities.
  
• Tuition increases are tied directly to state financial aid. Every 1 percent tuition increase generates $5 million in revenue for the UW System, but costs the state only $250,000 in financial aid. A 10 percent tuition increase, for example, would generate approximately $50 million and cost $2.5 million.
• The Governor has proposed an additional $23.6 million to increase financial aid, with those dollars coming from auxiliary funds at UW institutions.

Can we cut administrative costs to make up for new cuts?

• The UW System already has very low administrative costs — 5.8 percent of the overall budget compared with the national average of 10.3 percent.
• Across the UW System, there has been a 5 percent reduction in administrative positions in the last 10 years.

How do budget reductions affect accessibility and/or quality?

• Currently 33 percent of Wisconsin high school graduates attend a UW System school — the national average is 22 percent. We have the fourth most accessible university system in the United States.
• Enrolling the same number of students with fewer dollars will affect the quality of the student's education. For example, students won't be able to get the courses they need in a timely fashion, affecting their ability to graduate on time.
• Demand for UW System services is increasing at the same time state support is decreasing. Access will be limited to maintain quality.

How do college graduates help Wisconsin?

• Wisconsin ranks 31st in the nation in the percentage of adults (23.8) with a four-year college degree. By comparison, Minnesota ranks 7th (31.2)*. Minnesota's per capita income is significantly higher than Wisconsin's, as is Minnesota's Gross State Product.
• Wisconsin residents with a four-year degree earn significantly more per year ($50,325) than someone with a high school degree ($26,176)**.
• A college graduate earns an average of $1 million more than a high school graduate during the course of a lifetime.
• Eighty-two percent of Wisconsin residents who graduate from a UW System campus choose to live and work in Wisconsin. Twenty percent of out-of-state students stay and work in Wisconsin after graduation. However, Wisconsin ranks last in the nation in attracting college-educated graduates to its workforce.
• Many UW System graduates — whether they live in Wisconsin or elsewhere after graduation — donate significant dollars to their alma maters.
• UW-Eau Claire and campuses throughout the state are regional centers, delivering high-quality education, along with world-class cultural activities, arts, athletics, community and economic development efforts, and community service. Every campus greatly enhances the quality of life in its region.

How do campuses contribute to the state's economy?

• Ninety-nine cents of every dollar the UW System receives from the state goes to the campuses and local communities where they are located — creating a $9.5 billion economic impact annually.
• The economic impact in the three west central Wisconsin Senate Districts (10th, 23rd, 31st) is $1.25 billion annually.
• UW degrees are awarded to 28,000 people each year.
• UW supplies high quality, educated graduates to fill the state's demand for skilled labor.
• Economists view the UW System as the economic engine that will help drive Wisconsin forward as we continue to move into the knowledge-based global economy.

*2000 Census. **NorthStar Economics 2001.

Campus Campaign: The impact of our gifts


There are many ways in which gifts to the Fulfilling the Promise of Excellence fund-raising campaign help to support UW-Eau Claire's people and programs. In this and upcoming issues of the University Bulletin we'll share with you examples of how designated campaign gifts are making an impact at UW-Eau Claire.

• The computer science department has funds to recognize the outstanding work of its faculty, attract and retain students and purchase equipment.
• The School of Nursing is renovating its simulation labs and purchasing new equipment, providing nursing students with real-life learning situations and enhancing their abilities as they prepare to enter professional practice.
• Several of the excellence awards presented to faculty and staff in August are being endowed, guaranteeing a permanent revenue source for this program to recognize faculty and staff. This endowment will free up unrestricted dollars formerly utilized to fund these awards.
• The department of social work and the School of Education will have endowed chairs through gift commitments to be fulfilled in the future. These endowed chair funds will be used to recruit and retain faculty.
• Accounting students have access to a new accounting study center — complete with the latest accounting software — where they can work on computers and receive peer tutoring. At night and on weekends the space becomes the Foundation's communications center, out of which thousands of alumni and friends are contacted by phone for their annual gifts. More alumni are giving and increasing their annual support, thanks to challenge gifts received for the Telefund.

University Bulletin ... going paperless

Go Blugolds, Go Packers, Go Paperless!?

No it's not a new sports team in the Chippewa Valley, but a phrase that is being heard more and more around university campuses, particularly when referring to faculty/staff newsletters.

Going paperless with the University Bulletin is one way that UW-Eau Claire can cut costs and increase efficiencies of our printed materials, which, of course, is of vital importance as we address the current and impending budget reductions. With that in mind, the University Bulletin, which currently is produced in both print and online versions, will be published only in an electronic online format and distributed via e-mail beginning with the March 24 issue.

As you know, we have redesigned the online version of the University Bulletin to be more attractive and user friendly — and we appreciate your comments or suggestions as we continue to make improvement to the Web site and the distribution process.

Go Paper! — also can be heard from the stands, as we realize that some staff do not have frequent computer access. If this is the case, request that your department print out a copy to distribute or post.

We hope that you understand the reason for the change and still appreciate the news and information that is included in the University Bulletin. If you have any comments or questions, call the News Bureau at 836-4741.

University Bulletin
Published weekly during the fall and spring sessions by the UW-Eau Claire News Bureau. News items and notices should be sent to the News Bureau, Schofield 201, by 10 a.m. Monday for publication in the following week's issue. E-mail submissions are encouraged. Faculty/staff news items are published on a space-available basis.