UW-Oshkosh is dealing with an $18 million deficit, UW-Parkside is dealing with a $5 million deficit, and the state just started a two-year budget cycle with a projected surplus of roughly $7 billion in its general fund. Can we start funding these schools again?

From the article:

The University of Wisconsin-Parkside is considering furloughing all staff in addition to a number of other belt-tightening strategies over the next school year to address a $5.3 million structural tuition deficit.

The plans were outlined in UW Board of Regents materials ahead of a Tuesday morning meeting at UW-Madison. The board will vote on the budget for the 2023-24 school year, which shows 10 of the 13 campuses with deficits.

UW System recently contracted with Deloitte Consulting to assess the finances of UW campuses. Universities running structural deficits will develop a financial recovery plan by June 30.

The budget documents offered a stark picture of the fiscal realities most campuses are facing amid declining enrollment, stagnant state funding and increasing costs.

UW-Parkside, for example, projected its revenues will decrease by 0.2% but its expenses will go up 9.5%, or roughly $8.2 million, due to travel, supplies and salary increases. Enrollment headcount is expected to be around 4,000 students, about the same as a year ago but about 500 fewer than before the pandemic.