MILWAUKEE _ \u00a0University of Wisconsin System President Jay Rothman today announced the creation of the Wisconsin Tuition Promise, a new initiative starting in fall 2023 to ensure underserved Wisconsin students can attend any UW System university without paying tuition or fees.<\/p>\n
The goal of the program is to increase the number of state residents who graduate with a bachelor\u2019s degree \u2013 especially first-generation students and those from low-to-moderate income families throughout Wisconsin \u2013 thereby improving individual lives and communities and helping meet the state\u2019s workforce needs.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe benefits of a college education are unassailable,\u201d Rothman said. \u201cA college degree needs to be within reach for every Wisconsin citizen as a path to a better life, and the Wisconsin Tuition Promise will provide these opportunities. It is also how we can close the skills gap that now limits Wisconsin\u2019s potential to thrive in a global economy.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rothman said an estimated 8,000 students will be supported through the program once it is fully implemented over four years. Eligible students will be awarded an average of $4,500 over four years. The UW System intends to fund the first year of the program in academic year 2023-24 at $13.8 million and seek state investment for subsequent years.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Wisconsin Tuition Promise comes at a pivotal time for our students and families who are faced with increasingly challenging economic circumstances. At UW-Milwaukee, we have the highest numbers of Pell Grant recipients, military and veteran students, and students with unmet financial needs,\u201d said UW-Milwaukee Chancellor Mark Mone. \u201cOur promise will enable access to the quality of life that so many in our population deserve.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re excited to be able to\u00a0offer\u00a0this\u00a0opportunity\u00a0to students in our region that aligns with our mission to provide equitable access to a college education,\u201d said UW-Parkside Chancellor Debbie Ford. \u201cThe Wisconsin\u00a0Tuition Promise\u00a0will help remove\u00a0a financial barrier that has kept many students, particularly historically underrepresented and underserved students, from attending UW-Parkside. UW-Parkside students display drive and determination when given the opportunity. There are thousands of ‘if not for Parkside’ success stories. For those stories to take shape, however, students need affordable access to the benefits of education.”<\/p>\n
\u201cAt UW-Whitewater, the Wisconsin Tuition Promise builds upon our legacy as a university where students from all backgrounds can access a high-quality education at an affordable price,\u201d said interim UW-Whitewater Chancellor John Chenoweth. \u201cBy guaranteeing that tuition and fees are covered for even more students, this program is a game changer. At the Whitewater and Rock County campuses, we are passionate about student success. From achievements in the classroom to the playing field, and through coveted internships and research opportunities, Warhawks are thriving \u2014 and the Wisconsin Tuition Promise will mean more students can experience a UW-Whitewater education.\u201d<\/p>\n
Modeled on Bucky\u2019s Tuition Promise at UW-Madison, the Wisconsin Tuition Promise would provide up to four years of tuition and fee funding for students coming from families earning less than $62,000 annually and enrolling at any of the other 12 public universities within the UW System. The program would be structured to provide \u201clast dollar\u201d financial support after federal and state grant aid is accounted for; as a result, Tuition Promise awards will vary.<\/p>\n
Eligible students will be Wisconsin residents, first-time enrollees or transfers, and attending full-time. They will need to make sufficient academic progress each year and attest that they were employed at some point during the previous year.<\/p>\n
Rothman said the affordability review he sought shows a UW System education is the most affordable in the Midwest and is very affordable nationally compared to peers. However, fewer low-to-moderate-income and first-generation students are attending UW System universities, suggesting that despite a tuition freeze in place since 2013, a state college education is increasingly out of reach for some, he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cEducation unlocks success in Wisconsin,\u201d Rothman said. \u201cBy ensuring that every Wisconsin student is given the full opportunity to get a higher education, we will improve those lives directly while building the economic engine and community prosperity that benefit all Wisconsinites.”<\/p>\n