The University of Wisconsin System needs more freedom from state rules – including the ability to set its own tuition rates – if it hopes to recover from diminishing state support, according to state and national experts Tuesday at UW- Madison.
In 1970, the System made up 17 percent of the state budget and ranked fifth in the nation for the level of taxpayer support, noted Todd Berry, president of the nonpartisan Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance.
Today, it’s only 7 percent of the state budget – as other needs like K-12 education and Medicaid take priority – and ranks 19th in the nation.