An Eastern Wisconsin legislator is looking to put a cap on charges from the University of Wisconsin System.
Senator Andre Jacque has teamed up with Representative David Murphy for the bill, which would limit undergraduate tuition and fee increases for Wisconsin residents.
The duo noted that the UW System is set to implement a tuition increase for most students for the third year in a row.
They stated in the announcement of the bill, “Now more than ever, the Legislature must implement a common-sense law placing controls on these types of skyrocketing tuition increases.”
After the previous single-year tuition freezes in 1967 and 1999, tuition increased by 56% and 60% respectively, over the subsequent four-year period, far exceeding the rate of inflation.
Under the bill, the Board of Regents may only increase tuition and fees for resident undergraduate students up to the rate of the Consumer Price Index (CPI-U).
Sen. Jacque and Rep. Murphy say this would “set a ceiling on annual tuition and fee increases, permitting the board to set tuition and fees at any rate below this level.”
