While preparing budget plans for the upcoming year, one thing became clear for Wisconsin’s 16 public technical colleges: a financial challenge is incoming, the Cap Times reported.
Wisconsin Technical College System President Layla Merrifield told the publication how state funding is no longer predictable and falling short of costs. Property taxes aren’t keeping up due to legislative changes, and there is inflation to navigate.
Merrifield said the colleges are stable but options for saving money are drying up.
“Things are going to get pretty tough and pretty ugly in the next maybe two years if we don’t see something change,” she told the outlet.
To help alleviate costs, the system raised tuition by 3% for the upcoming school year, which is about $70 per semester for resident, full-time students.
It is the system’s largest cost in a decade.
