The University of Wisconsin System will encourage students to graduate faster as a way to save money as some campuses seek tuition increases to improve their quality, its president said Friday.
President Kevin Reilly told the Board of Regents that 29 percent of students graduate within four years, and increasing that rate would allow students to enter the work force faster and free up spots for others.
A student can save $15,000 or more in tuition and room and board by graduating in four years instead of five, Reilly said, and that can be accomplished by taking 15 or more credits per semester. UW-Stout is planning to offer three-year degrees for some programs, and other campuses will likely follow suit, he said.
Reilly said the system would unveil a statewide marketing and communications campaign in coming months to present these options to students and parents. He said the campaign would also stress data that shows students who work too much during college are less likely to graduate and more likely to take longer.
The effort to market cost-saving tips comes as the system is discussing whether to allow more campuses to seek stiff tuition increases to improve academic programs and student services.