By Aldrich M. Tan • of The Northwestern

May 16, 2008

University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh Chancellor Richard Wells is cautiously optimistic that the state will remain committed to university funding as it works to fill a $527 million state budget shortfall.

Rep. Gordon Hintz, D-Oshkosh, said university funding was untouched in the legislature's version of the budget repair bill that was approved this week.

However, the bill instructs the governor and Department of Administration to either delay or cut an additional $67 million, Hintz said. That could impact the university funding.

"There is a situation that some of the spending increases passed in the October budget could be delayed but it is my hope that the university is spared," Hintz said.

The budget uncertainty comes at a time when the university is preparing to hire new faculty starting next year as part of a growth plan that will see UWO setting new enrollment records with approximately 13,000 students. Current enrollment is 12,700.

"We have done in good faith what is needed of us to grow the enrollment for students," Wells said.

According to admission projections, 1,850 first-time freshmen, a net increase of about 70, and 1,000 new transfer students, with a net increase of 100, will enroll at the university, said Petra Roter, vice chancellor for student affairs.

Wells said enrollment is growing because the UWO campus is becoming better known.

"This has always been an institution of high quality that has been good at educating the students," Wells said. "I think a lot more people know it now."

As of Tuesday, the university had received 5,852 first-time freshmen applications and 1,664 transfer student applications, Roter said.

About 82 percent of the students come from a ten county radius-surrounding Winnebago County, Roter said. The rest come from outer parts of Wisconsin and outside of the state.

Most students are coming as undecided majors, Roter said. She is also seeing an increase in nursing, business, journalism, biology, and chemistry majors.

With $3.7 million in funding allocated from the state budget, UWO is planning to hire 27 faculty positions in popular areas like nursing and 7 additional staff positions like in the counseling center.

Each department that received approval is placing ads, Wells said. The first few faculty members should be coming this fall and most will come in fall 2009.