College students seldom rally around rising tuition, but the University of Wisconsin at Madison appears to be blunting criticism of its latest increase with a distinctive approach — letting the students help decide what to do with the money.
In May, the universityâ??s regents approved the Madison Initiative for Undergraduates, allowing for gradually increasing surcharges of $1,000 for residents and $3,000 for nonresidents to be fully implemented by the 2012-13 academic year. The funds generated by the surcharge, which will not be paid by students from families making less than $80,000 a year, are designed to bolster need-based aid, hire new faculty, expand course offerings and improve student services.