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The new Growth, Quality and Access plan seeks to grow total enrollment by at least 500 additional students in the next three to five years, hire at least 75 more faculty and 20 more staff members in the next five years and provide increased financial aid for students from low- and middle-income families.
To fund much of the plan, all new incoming UW-L students would pay a $500-per-year differential tuition charge, beginning in fall 2008. That charge will be increased by another $500 for the 2009-2010 academic year to complete the phase-in of a $1,000 total differential tuition charge. Current students would be exempt.
All revenue generated by the new tuition charge would be dedicated to the new hiring, along with purchasing supplies and equipment.
But unlike the previous plan, this one would not use tuition money to fund financial aid.
The new plan proposes to apply $664,800 in new general program revenue from the 2007-2009 state budget for financial aid.
Using the entire $664,800
in state funds for financial aid will take legislative approval, Gow said, as a portion of
the money was earmarked for hiring faculty and staff.
Gow has been discussing the plan with legislators, and said some sound willing to help with the necessary legislation.
Gow is working to bring the new plan to UW System Board of Regents’ December meeting. They need to move quickly, he said, to set up for the coming year.
However, Gow said the plan will not go to the regents without approval from the UW-L Student Senate, which is set to vote Wednesday.
“That is how serious we are about shared governance,” said Gow.
KJ Lang can be reached at (608) 791-8226 or klang@lacrossetribune.com.
