If you wonder how Wisconsin’s funding of its university system has kept pace, the Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance has some interesting information.

The taxpayers alliance studied state expenditures from 1983 to 2007.
It found that state aid and tax credits for the UW System increased 99 percent during that 25-year period.

That sounds like a huge increase — but the comparison with other areas of funding may surprise you.

First, it’s important to remember that inflation increased 115 percent during those 25 years.

State aid and tax credits for K-12 schools rose 320 percent during that period. State expenditures increased 222 percent.

All of a sudden, that 99 percent increase over 25 years doesn’t look too big.

Todd Berry, president of the taxpayer alliance, puts those figures into perspective: “While politicians of both parties have increased total spending and funding for other programs, they have made higher education a lesser priority.”

In an era when higher education is a key to staying competitive with other states, Wisconsin is making it less of a priority.

That means Wisconsin is not investing as wisely as it should in its future.

That comparison looks even worse during the past five years when compared with the rest of the nation.

The increase in state spending on the UW System has increased an average of just 1.2 percent per year during the past five years.

How does that relate to other states?

Berry says we rank 49th out of 50 during the past five years.

That really isn’t something to be proud of — and it says a lot about the lack of value placed on the UW System and higher education in general.

It’s time that the Legislature, Board of Regents and UW System leaders develop a plan for increasing our investment in higher education.

With all that said, the UW System needs to be a good, trustworthy steward of the money it receives.

A consultant recently recommended the UW System make some changes in the scrutiny it gives to candidates who apply for chancellors of UW campuses.

That supports a previous

La Crosse Tribune editorial in the wake of the botched hiring of a chancellor at UW-Parkside who happened to be under investigation for problems at the campus he was leaving.

Consultant Stephen Portch was paid $12,500 to review the search-and-screen process.

Among his recommendations, Portch believes the Board of Regents and local search committees need to work more closely together to select the right candidate and avoid unpleasant surprises, and we certainly agree.

The candidate also recommends adding a high-level position in the office of UW President Kevin Reilly to help facilitate searches.

According to a story in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Reilly seems reticent because of the cost — and he should be.

But, that doesn’t mean the UW System — with all of its resources — can’t provide more expertise institutional

oversight of the local search process without adding a position.

Our university system is one of the finest in the country. In order to stay at the top, the state needs to provide a stronger commitment of investment.

And, the UW System needs to show that the investment is paying off handsomely for our state’s future.

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