The Wisconsin experiment of the 1970's was expensive and the price was paid in high personal income and property taxes. Those have been reduced now to a more moderate level. More attention is now being given to spending for K-12 property tax relief, Medicaid and prisons. Accordingly, there is less state revenue available for educating students whose prediction for success in college is marginal. Indeed, the UW system enrollment management plan will increase enrollment by 4,000 FTE by Fall 2000 in response to the expected increase in the number of Wisconsin high school graduates.
Students can gain a higher education in a variety of ways at a pace that suits the individual.
Wisconsin is committed to encouraging good education for students of all ages and to offering higher education opportunities to all who can truly benefit from them. There will be no further erosion of public support for higher education in Wisconsin because the economy is good, the state taxation levels are now more reasonable, and the commitment to higher education opportunity in the future is rock solid in all circles of the state government and the citizenry.