Student Senate on Monday passed a bill to modify how Blugold Commitment Differential Tuition grants are distributed.

The bill was a response to UW-Barron County joining UW-Eau Claire in accordance with the UW Restructuring

There will be no changes for UW-Eau Claire students, Academic Affairs Commission Director David Miller said. The bill ensures that UW-Eau Claire students are the primary recipients of BCDT grants, but UW-Barron County students who are enrolled at least half-time at the Eau Claire campus would be eligible for a grant.

The BCDT fund — which amounts to about $10 million — began in 2010 and is funded by UW-Eau Claire students. Nearly 40 percent of that is given to students in the form of financial aid.

BCDT is an investment for high-impact practices on the Eau Claire campus. UW-Barron County students don’t pay into the fund and doing so would increase tuition.

Anna Ziebell, the Senate Chair for the Equity in Student Matters Commission spoke in support of the bill.

“I feel as though this bill plays an important role in our joining with UW-Barron County and helps clarify any questions that students may have about this specific grant,” Ziebell said.

Other news:

• The Finance Commission introduced a bill to amend its Bylaws. The bill will be voted on next week.
• Travis DuChene, Mary Stoutenburg and Ben Ramirez-Gomez were sworn in as on-campus senators.

Houterman can be reached at [email protected]