“No one relishes voting for anything that puts more pressure on middle class students and middle class families, especially at a time when we’re trying to produce more college graduates in the state,” says Regent Charles Pruitt. “But the case was made very strongly by President Reilly and his staff that this tuition increase of 5.5 percent only makes up one-third of the cuts they received. And if you add in employee contributions of $50 million, that still only covers half of the cut in state GPR support. I think we need to at least acknowledge that unless we’re ready to live with decreasing quality in the system, the only responsible option, to me, is the 5.5 percent increase.”

Chancellors from across the UW System also warned regents about being penny wise but pound foolish -- noting that less funding means fewer faculty and staff, which can add bottlenecks to key classes and extend the time, and money, it takes to earn a degree. Student Regent Tracy Hribar echoed these sentiments when she noted that after she decided to major in economics, she learned from an adviser that one of the classes she needs to graduate is only offered once every four semesters.