Name: UW System will cut $10 million in two years, create new diversity scholarship
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UW System will cut $10 million in two years, create new diversity scholarship

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Milwaukee Journal SentinelThe&nbsp;University of Wisconsin System&nbsp;will reduce central office&nbsp;spending by $10 million over the next two years in an effort to&nbsp;streamline&nbsp;administration and refocus&nbsp;resources on students, its leader announced Tuesday.UW System Interim President Tommy Thompson said the savings&nbsp;— which&nbsp;include&nbsp;$1.3 million in furloughs&nbsp;— will not affect UW campuses, where other cost reductions and cuts are underway.The system's cut&nbsp;includes reducing salaries by a total of $6 million over two years,&nbsp;a 10% reduction. Out-of-state travel&nbsp;will be limited through June 30, 2021, to save about $2.4 million. The system also will eliminate several paid memberships and subscriptions and use virtual meetings to save money.&nbsp;Thompson told reporters Tuesday he&nbsp;does not know how many employees will be laid off. He said he expects further reductions due to an&nbsp;impending announced by Gov. Tony Evers."Another reason we've decided right now to show as an example that the central administration is taking a $10 million reduction and getting everybody prepared that there will be further cuts in the university budget," Thompson said.About half the savings will go to fund the new Wisconsin Regents Opportunity Scholarship, a fund for underrepresented and underserved students that will be supported by&nbsp;a $1 million appropriation annually. The first scholarships will be given out in fall 2021. The fund will also support programs that provide counseling, internships and mentorships for students.Thompson said UW-Platteville Chancellor Dennis Shields suggested the creation of the&nbsp;program.“Providing more opportunities for underrepresented and underserved students is a priority goal of the Board of Regents,” UW Regent President Andrew&nbsp;Petersen said in a statement. “This new scholarship is one way to demonstrate that commitment.”Over more than a decade, the UW System has made slow but steady progress in enrolling more students of color. In 2005, 9% of the system's students were people of color; by 2019, it was up to 17%.Much of that growth has been driven by a rise in the number of Latino students, who made up 6.2% of the student population in 2019, compared with 2.2% in 2005.The system's efforts to recruit and retain Black students, however, has lagged. Only&nbsp;2.8% of UW System students are Black&nbsp;— the same proportion as in 2005. In 2019, UW-Madison had only 910 Black students in a total student body just shy of 45,000, according to UW System data.Blacks make up 6.7% of Wisconsin's total population, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.Students of color across the UW System also face opportunity gaps once enrolled. About&nbsp;19% of Black students, 19% of Southeast Asian students, 25% of Native students and 28% of Latino students who enrolled in&nbsp;fall 2015 graduated within four years, compared with 44% of white students.Less than 30% of students from low-income households graduated within&nbsp;four years, compared with 46% of non-low-income students.Thompson also appointed a temporary special assistant to oversee a $1 million initiative aimed at recruiting more diverse students. The system is looking to hire a permanent equity, diversity and inclusion officer.Contact Devi Shastri at 414-224-2193 or . Follow her on Twitter at .

Milwaukee Journal SentinelThe&nbsp;University of Wisconsin System&nbsp;will reduce central office&nbsp;spending by $10 million over the next two years in an effort to&nbsp;streamline&nbsp;administration and refocus&nbsp;resources on students, its leader announced Tuesday.UW System Interim President Tommy Thompson said the savings&nbsp;— which&nbsp;include&nbsp;$1.3 million in furloughs&nbsp;— will not affect UW campuses, where other cost reductions and cuts are underway.The system's cut&nbsp;includes reducing salaries by a total of $6 million over two years,&nbsp;a 10% reduction....

UW System will cut $10 million in two years, create new diversity scholarship

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