The Tuition Remission Task Force
In 2005, the UW-Madison Chancellor convened a task force to address the
growing rate at which the Capital Exercise Fund was being depleted to
make up for the structural deficit in the UW-Madison Budget. Since the
structural deficit results from the way in which tuition remissions to
graduate students were accounted for in the budget, this Tuition
Remission Task Force was instructed to find a solution based on
changing the tuition remission surcharge, which was at that time equal
to 25% of a Graduate Assistant's stipend, to cover the full shortfall.
This approach was problematic, however, because it did not address the
underlying reason for the shortfall: the questionable accounting
methods, based on outdated State Statutes, which produced the
structural deficit in the first place. The structural deficit was
growing primarily because tuition levels were rising, not because
departments were irresponsibly hiring large numbers of graduate
students. Between 1995 and 2004, for example tuition soared by 220%
while the number of Graduate Assistants grew by only 25%.
Additionally, the way in which the Tuition Remission Task Force was
assembled was a source of discontent for many on campus. Faculty felt
that the selection process was not transparent or representative, and
that the ratio of administrators to faculty on the task force was
unreasonably high. Students objected that they had been left off the
task force entirely, violating the principle of shared governance
mandated by State Statute 36.09 (5). Also, a wide range of stakeholders
disapproved of the lack of publicity and opportunities for input in the
early part of the Tuition Remission Task Force's existence.
The Tuition Remission Task Force released its final report in early 2006. Its recommendations included:
1) A fixed per capita fee replace the 25% surcharge on all Research and
Project Assistants and that funding sources previously exempted from
the 25% charge be assessed the full flat fee;
2) Tuition remission charges on fellowships and training grants be reviewed;
3) The university examine and address the root causes of the structural deficit in order to eliminate it;
4) The university seek to educate the Governor and State Legislature on the importance of graduate students to Wisconsin;
Of these recommendations, only the third and fourth address the root
causes of the problem: the questionable accounting system, mandated by
State Statute, which creates the structural deficit in the first place,
and the difficulty State decision-makers have understanding the need to
fund the UW-Madison graduate program. However, to the dissatisfaction
of many members of the Tuition Remission Task Force, the UW-Madison
Administration decided to focus only on the first two recommendations.
It implemented the first, a flat $8000/year fixed fee on all Research
and Project Assistant positions, in January 2007.
|