Cross talks college affordability as biennial budget looms - Madeline Heim, Daily Cardinal

The cost of college remains on the minds of students, parents, campus administration and legislators alike as the UW System considers what it could face in Wisconsin’s next biennial budget, which Gov. Scott Walker will announce early spring semester. Wisconsin students graduating last spring left school with an average of $30,650 in cumulative debt, according to the UW System. And as the cost of being a student has risen—with factors like housing, food, textbooks and expensive school supplies all playing a part—system leaders have increasingly asked for state support to keep college affordable and accessible. UW System President Ray Cross argued that the freeze, combined with declining state support for higher education, equals less opportunities for students looking to finish school without breaking the bank. http://www.dailycardinal.com/article/2016/09/cross-talks-college-affordability-as-biennial-budget-looms