Tuition Reciprocity is a Poor Deal for Wisconsin
Lasee’s Notes
We have an agreement with Minnesota that allows our kids to attend college across the border and pay less for tuition and vice versa for their kids. It’s called tuition reciprocity. The thought is Minnesota colleges offer courses and specialize in majors that we don’t. And mixing in some “Mud Ducks” with the “Cheese Heads” offers a more interesting and diverse college experience. Sounds like a good idea, right? Well it is wrong for Wisconsin. And here’s why.
The Federal Reserve Bank in Minnesota reported on retention and out-migration (brain drain) of college grads in their region – including Wisconsin and Minnesota. According to their research, UW System graduates were as likely to stay in Wisconsin as Minnesota grads were to stay in Minnesota after college. Even there.
However, retention fluctuates greatly when you consider where grads come from. Four of five Wisconsin natives stayed in state after graduation. But, nearly 90% of Minnesota’s reciprocity kids left Wisconsin after graduation. I am guessing that Wisconsin reciprocity kids are more likely to stay in Minnesota after graduating or go to another state. Wisconsin is getting the short end of the stick.
To make matters worse, on average nearly 3,000 more Minnesota kids come here than we send there every year.
In a full university system, and the university system tells us they are full, 3000 Minnesota kids are taking slots from Wisconsin kids or out of state tuition payers (who pay higher tuition). This makes it more difficult for 3000 Wisconsin kids to get into the UW System and it forces them to look elsewhere. Often out of state and away from home.
Not only are Wisconsin taxpayers spending a lot of money to help educate Minnesota kids (who are more likely to leave), Wisconsin kids are getting bumped out, having to choose other options or are waiting longer to go to the UW.
Minnesota used to have more majors. Now they don’t. UW Madison currently offers nearly 200 majors and certificates from African Languages to Zoology (Click here to access the full list). This doesn’t include courses offered at one of the 26 campuses. Clearly there is no longer a lack of choice in the UW System.
Currently more than 9,000 Wisconsin kids go to Minnesota and 12,000 of theirs come here. The short term solution to fix this is to have a parity system. So Wisconsin takes as many as we send. Then we need to focus on the long term best for Wisconsin, our students and our taxpayers.
Our UW system is costly and ranks highly among public and private universities. Why would we want to put kids from another state ahead of our own? Kids raised in Wisconsin whose parents pay taxes here should have priority.
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Lasee’s Notes is a weekly column by Representative Frank Lasee, 2nd Assembly District, covering events in the Legislature and statewide.
We have an agreement with Minnesota that allows our kids to attend college across the border and pay less for tuition and vice versa for their kids. It’s called tuition reciprocity. The thought is Minnesota colleges offer courses and specialize in majors that we don’t. And mixing in some “Mud Ducks” with the “Cheese Heads” offers a more interesting and diverse college experience. Sounds like a good idea, right? Well it is wrong for Wisconsin. And here’s why.
The Federal Reserve Bank in Minnesota reported on retention and out-migration (brain drain) of college grads in their region – including Wisconsin and Minnesota. According to their research, UW System graduates were as likely to stay in Wisconsin as Minnesota grads were to stay in Minnesota after college. Even there.
However, retention fluctuates greatly when you consider where grads come from. Four of five Wisconsin natives stayed in state after graduation. But, nearly 90% of Minnesota’s reciprocity kids left Wisconsin after graduation. I am guessing that Wisconsin reciprocity kids are more likely to stay in Minnesota after graduating or go to another state. Wisconsin is getting the short end of the stick.
To make matters worse, on average nearly 3,000 more Minnesota kids come here than we send there every year.
In a full university system, and the university system tells us they are full, 3000 Minnesota kids are taking slots from Wisconsin kids or out of state tuition payers (who pay higher tuition). This makes it more difficult for 3000 Wisconsin kids to get into the UW System and it forces them to look elsewhere. Often out of state and away from home.
Not only are Wisconsin taxpayers spending a lot of money to help educate Minnesota kids (who are more likely to leave), Wisconsin kids are getting bumped out, having to choose other options or are waiting longer to go to the UW.
Minnesota used to have more majors. Now they don’t. UW Madison currently offers nearly 200 majors and certificates from African Languages to Zoology (Click here to access the full list). This doesn’t include courses offered at one of the 26 campuses. Clearly there is no longer a lack of choice in the UW System.
Currently more than 9,000 Wisconsin kids go to Minnesota and 12,000 of theirs come here. The short term solution to fix this is to have a parity system. So Wisconsin takes as many as we send. Then we need to focus on the long term best for Wisconsin, our students and our taxpayers.
Our UW system is costly and ranks highly among public and private universities. Why would we want to put kids from another state ahead of our own? Kids raised in Wisconsin whose parents pay taxes here should have priority.
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Lasee’s Notes is a weekly column by Representative Frank Lasee, 2nd Assembly District, covering events in the Legislature and statewide.
posted by John Q Cheesehead | 10:12 AM
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