In the midst of a crushing economic downturn, our elected state leaders crafted a two-year budget that reflected tough choices, including $250 million in reduced state funding for the University of Wisconsin System.
Facing that daunting budget gap, we began the year at UW institutions by confronting tough choices of our own. The funding gap was covered through hundreds of cost-cutting decisions, all of which affect our core educational mission and our UW students. Higher tuition bills, never a desirable option, helped offset less than one-third of the state reductions. [A column by UW System President Kevin Reilley and UW System campus chancellors.]