Universities of Wisconsin to Evaluate Low-Enrollment Programs
Vos says UW request for two-year budget hike of $855 million is a non-starter.
A University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh sign is seen outside Dempsey Hall on Friday, June 14, 2024. Joe Schulz/WPR
Administrators with the Universities of Wisconsin are going to change the way they evaluate low-enrollment programs on campuses and take a more active role in how enrollment is managed.
The changes are based on recommendations from a $2.8 million system-wide third party financial review by Deloitte to assess finances on individual campuses.
The third part of the review was released Monday. Earlier this year, individual campus reviews were released.
“These reviews have helped us refine steps to eliminate structural deficits at a number of our universities and embark on a path of long-term financial stability,” said UW President Jay Rothman.
When the reviews began, 10 universities faced structural deficits. That number is now down to six. Rothman said some of the campuses had smaller budget holes to fill. And there were layoffs, voluntary retirements and other cost-cutting measures on other campuses, Rothman said.
“I think some universities continue to look at program array and where they can reduce programs,” Rothman said. “But by and large, each of them is taking a slightly different path to financial sustainability, but each of them is making great progress toward that goal.”
The final Deloitte report makes the case for more robust program array management.
Out of 646 undergraduate degree programs analyzed, 148 had no substantial program changes reported since fall 2018. But those 148 programs had declined in enrollment by five times or more than the average overall enrollment across the UW system.
Program offerings across the system — with the exception of UW-Madison — have grown the number of undergraduate majors by 6.8 percent, despite the number of bachelor’s degree conferrals declining by 9.2 percent.
For two consecutive years, enrollment across the UW system has increased slightly. This year, overall enrollment is up by just over 1,000 students.
Rothman said a work group with representation from the universities will develop recommendations and metrics for low-enrollment program evaluation.
“The intent is to provide the Board of Regents with a process for review of low-enrolled programs that increases oversight and aligns with the rigor of the new program approval process,” Rothman said.
He did not give examples of low-enrollment programs at the universities.
“We want to do this in consultation with our universities, in consultation with our faculty, so that we do what’s right for ultimately, the Universities of Wisconsin and thereby the state of Wisconsin generally,” Rothman said.
These changes come as the UW system is preparing for a budget battle.
In August, Rothman announced the Universities of Wisconsin would ask the state Legislature for an $855 million budget increase in the next two-year budget. He said the funding bump is necessary so Wisconsin can shed its ranking of 43rd of 50 in public funding for universities.
By comparison, Illinois ranks first, Michigan ranks third, Iowa ranks ninth and Minnesota ranks 10th.
Last week, Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, said the UW’s $855 million budget request was likely a non-starter.
Vos also dismissed the idea of $4 billion in new public school spending proposed by Department of Public Instruction Secretary Jill Underly.
On Monday, Rothman said it’s not unreasonable to ask the state Legislature to get to the median in terms of funding.
“The UWs are a great asset for our state, and I think it is incumbent upon the state to invest in those universities to ensure long term financial viability for Wisconsin,” Rothman said. “We need to make the most of our universities and the contributions they can make to our state and to our society.”
Universities of Wisconsin to evaluate low-enrollment campus programs was originally published by Wisconsin Public Radio.
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