Business Group Challenges UW System To Raise The Bar

Wisconsin's public colleges and universities aren't making the grade as tuition rises at three times the rate of inflation and student loan debt soars, according to a sobering state-by-state "Leaders & Laggards" report card issued Tuesday in Washington. Whether schools are adequately preparing students for the job market - and are being held accountable for student success by elected officials and the public - are key questions raised by the third edition of the "Leaders & Laggards" series report card by the Institute for a Competitive Workforce, an affiliate of the politically conservative U.S. Chamber of Commerce. The Journal Sentinel used the national report card to develop a grade-point average for higher education performance in each state. Giving four points for an A, three points for a B, etc., Wisconsin fin ished in a tie for 30th among the 50 states. Compared with other states with Big Ten Conference schools, Wisconsin tied for second-lowest grade-point average (1.64) in the newspaper's analysis. Only Nebraska was lower at 1.55.