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UW-Milwaukee Chancellor Mark Mone told Media Milwaukee in an exclusive interview that the UW System budget cuts will have “real impacts” on the “capability and quality” of education, imperiling universities’ ability to meet job shortages in high-demand fields such as nursing, teaching, and engineering. He said the situation is so severe that it could cause companies to leave Wisconsin.
“UW institutions have long provided remarkable transformative experiences for students’ lives at highly affordable rates,” Mone said. “Our capacity to continue this and to grow talent and meet the needs of employers across all fields are inhibited. Three examples that affect us all are nurses, teachers, and engineers. There are significant shortages in each of these fields, and we cannot meet today’s demands in these fields. “
He described the consequences as multi-fold, saying: “Fewer people will have access to healthcare, our children will receive less quality education (larger class sizes), and companies will be less able to grow and will more likely leave the state due to engineering talent shortages,” said Mone. “The public should understand that there are real impacts of these cuts today on the capability and quality of the education experiences at all UW institutions. There also will be long-term consequences of these cuts, beyond the immediate effects. “
Mone, along with other UW chancellors, recently submitted a budget reduction impact document to the Board of Regents. Media Milwaukee obtained that document, as well as those of other universities, and asked Mone a series of questions. Those budget documents show that many universities say they are facing staff reductions, declining budgets for instruction, fewer course offerings, outdated buildings, and increased class sizes.
The UWM Budget Reduction Impact document discloses that spending on instruction was reduced by an estimated $2,391,890. This was the second largest reduction, narrowly trailing behind Student Services, which was decreased by $2,475,200. Other significant reductions included: Institutional support, Research, Public Service, and Academic Support. Overall, UWM’s budget cuts totaled an estimated $15,921,200 for 2015-16. Staffing was reduced by 176 positions, including those held vacant. Administrative cost reductions and central position control were among steps taken to deal with the deficit.
UW-Parkside is planning to partner with other UW System institutions to achieve administrative efficiency.
The student experience was affected. The current operating margins are too constrained for development of increased innovation. Without sustainable and predictable investment, UW-Parkside cannot support the talent demands of a growing region.
UW-Whitewater
By Alvaro Nino de Guzman
The budget reduction for 2015-16 was $5.8 million dollars, including unfunded fringe benefits. State support for instruction has declined more than 50 percent, from $21.1 million dollars in 2009-10 to $9.6 million in 2015-16. UW-Whitewater brings money, employment and volunteerism into Walworth, Jefferson and Rock counties, its budget document says.
There are 42 fewer courses and 118 fewer courses section offered in fall 2015. Forty positions were cut in the 2015-2016 school year. UW-Whitewater has the lowest state instructional support per full time equivalent student of all comprehensive institutions.
UW-Madison
By Olivia Schmidt
Through the latest budget cuts, the University of Wisconsin-Madison felt the effects greatly throughout its departments. According to UW-Madison’s released statements, they have been affected in terms of tuition changes, positions being cut and class sizes.
UW-Madison’s GPR decreased by 10.6 percent after the latest budget cut. The university began the fiscal year with a $86 million budget deficit. They stated that 60 percent of the deficit will be closed by the end of the biennium through budget cuts and redirected spending. Another way they are planning to close the gap is through a tuition increase for nonresidents.
One of the many departments that felt the impact greatly was Letters and Science. All fund hiring in Letters and Science was frozen last year following 48 faculty and 44 staff positions to be cut. Within Letters and Science, they also will reduce classes offered, increase class sizes or substitute staff for faculty instructors.
Letters and Science wasn’t the only department feeling the effects. The given statement also talked about the College of Engineering. The College of Engineering has halted a planned expansion of advisors meaning that the college has 17 advisors to serve 6,600 students which is five advisors below the minimum needed to serve students effectively. As a university as a whole, UW-Madison expects to lose 418 faculty and staff positions through layoffs or attrition in the 2015-17 biennium.
The statement continued to discuss the inability to expand enrollments in high demand for students such as nursing, business and engineering due to budget cuts.
When contacting the chancellor at UW-Madison, the public records custodian made no other statements.
UW-Stevens Point
By Olivia Schmidt
The University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point faced a 17 percent budget cut, or $6.5 million reductions at the university. Much like UW-Madison, Stevens Point is facing losses in the areas of fewer courses and fewer services. As the document described, there are fewer course offerings in the areas of seven fewer life science courses, nine fewer sections in computer sciences and 17 fewer sections of accounting and business courses.
As for services, the UW-Stevens Point is experiencing the elimination of three positions in Academic Advising and Career Services. This then has a direct effect on students having the ability to be advised in the areas of careers and academics.
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