Sen. Kooyenga praises UW System, Tommy Thompson for no tuition hike

(The Center Square) – The man who warned the University of Wisconsin not to raise tuition too much says he’s happy with the school’s plan for the fall.

Sen. Dale Kooyenga, R-Brookfield, told UW leaders earlier this year not to spike tuition after lawmakers ended the school’s eight-year-old tuition freeze.

“If UW decides to jack up tuition in a tone-deaf manner, [we] will take action,” Kooyenga said back in May.

Last week, UW Regents approved a new university budget that does not increase tuition.

“I’m glad that the proposed UW budget continues to keep tuition flat even without a legislative mandate,” Kooyenga told The Center Square on Friday. “I’m hopeful this is a sign that in the years ahead, the UW System will keep the cost of tuition reasonable so that Wisconsin higher education remains a great value.”

Wisconsin lawmakers stopped the university from raising tuition starting in 2013. The Republican-controlled Assembly said they wanted to keep costs down and contain university hiring.

The university pushed-back against the tuition freeze for years, saying it limited the school’s ability to hire top-flight talent.

Things began to change when former Governor Tommy Thompson took over as UW President.

Kooyenga said no one can understate what Thompson did, and how his approach helped end the tuition freeze.

“President Thompson has brought to the UW System the same pragmatic, get-it-done approach he was known for when he was governor. It’s to his great credit that this relationship has improved because he knows that trust is earned,” Kooyenga explained. “Under Tommy’s leadership there is a greater level of trust, and the decision not to raise tuition even though they now can is an example of why. Part of his leadership has been surrounding himself with a great team and the team is doing a great job.”

The University of Wisconsin says the cost for one year for a Wisconsin undergraduate student at the main campus in Madison is just over $27,000, with nearly $11,000 of that for tuition and fees. That cost will go up about $160 dollars next year because of fee increases.

Kooyenga said he is happy to see the university trying to keep a degree affordable for Wisconsin students, but once again warned university leaders not to raise tuition too much.

“Before the tuition freeze, UW was hiking tuition at obscene rates,” Kooyenga said. “Any future increase beyond the rate of inflation will certainly raise red flags in the legislature.”

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