The Prevalence and Impact of Differential Tuition in Public Research Institutions

Abstract

As Wisconsin?s economy continues to face difficult challenges and the legislature is forced to consider how to fund the state?s public institutions in the coming years, tuition at the University of Wisconsin-Madison will remain a hot topic. Glen Nelson, associate vice president for financial administration at the University of Wisconsin System and a veteran administrator in higher education, has seen how educational institutions have chosen to tackle the question of student fees and tuition. One example used by nearly half of the country?s public research institutions is differential tuition?a system in which fees and tuition are assessed on a case-by-case basis for different undergraduate programs.

Nelson will highlight the findings of a 2008 survey of differential tuition structures and will discuss the prevalence of differential tuition by undergraduate program, as well as the magnitude of those differentials. Attendees will also have a chance to learn about the impacts of differential tuition and the issues that institutional business officers face while choosing whether to implement the alternative structure.