Milwaukee City Wire

University of Wisconsin President Jay Rothman is heralding the creation of a new initiative aimed at increasing the number of underserved local students attending one of the UW System universities.

Set to go into effect this fall, the Wisconsin Tuition Promise opens the door for local student to take classes without having to pay tuition or fees and touts an overall goal of growing the number of state residents who graduate with a bachelor’s degree, in particular first-generation students and those from low- to moderate-income families throughout Wisconsin.

“The benefits of a college education are unassailable,” Rothman said in a news release this week. “A college degree needs to be within reach for every Wisconsin citizen as a path to a better life, and the Wisconsin Tuition Promise will provide these opportunities. It is also how we can close the skills gap that now limits Wisconsin’s potential to thrive in a global economy.”

With the program designed to benefit students whose families make less than $62,000 a year, the amount of assistance given to each student will be based on need. The program is also structured to serve as last-dollar funding, meaning it will provide coverage for students’ tuition bills after all scholarships, federal funding and any other aid they qualify for.

Among those eligible for the program are state residents, first-time enrollees or transfers, and full-time students at any of UW’s twelve regional schools. Students will be automatically considered for funding when they file for federal financial aid, with more than 8,000 students ultimately expected to be impacted during the program’s first four years.