The University of Wisconsin-Madison might be flying solo from the University of Wisconsin System. That is, if the proposal finds its way into the state’s budget legislation later this year.

The UW System was created in 1971 under a governing body called the Board of Regents. The Madison campus was one of the original schools and is currently one of two doctoral campuses in the system, along with the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

Based on data available from the system’s annual fact book, UW-Madison is currently appropriated more than $130 million in state funding to be used for academic support, financial aid, instructor salaries, and research, among other outlets.

UW-Madison Chancellor Biddy Martin has been promoting the “New Badger Partnership,” a program that would give more flexibility from the UW System, for the past 18 months.

This “flexibility,” as defined on the New Badger Partnership’s website, would involve additional financial aid for students, improved academic advising, instructional technology platforms, and career services, and faster access to core classes.

With the budget repair bill proposal meaning cuts to the university’s academic programs, Martin has made her support for the partnership more vocal in recent months.

“UW-Madison cannot continue to be the economic driver and the gem that it is to the state of Wisconsin if it doesn’t have new tools with which to deal with significant budget cuts,” she said in a statement.

The university has been working with Gov. Scott Walker to increase its flexibility, and last month supplied a memo in response to inquiries from the governor’s team.

Details in that memo made headlines across the state.

“There was a headline that said the memo states we would raise tuition 26 percent,” Martin said. “The memo states clearly that it would take a 26 percent tuition increase over the biennium (two years) to offset 75 percent of a $50 million cut, and it says we would find that unacceptable.”

Martin also called for increased flexibility for all schools in the UW System. But the possibility of UW-Madison separating from the system could have significant effects on students, especially if tuition at the school increases or movement among the universities is hindered.

If enacted, the partnership would require UW-Madison students to pay an increased tuition in order to cover as much as $50 million in financial aid and salaries previously funded by state dollars.

Student transfers and collaborations in coursework may not be as feasible in a disjointed system, said Michael Spector, vice president of the Board of Regents at UW-Madison and a visiting professor at the Marquette Law School.

Some members of the Board of Regents have voiced their opposition to the proposed UW-Madison split from the system, although Martin insisted the other UW institutions and the state government would benefit from the separation.

Spector said he and other board leaders wrote the state government explaining their opposition to the proposed split.

“It has been this way for 40 years,” he said. “Madison has thrived and helped support the other schools in the system. Having Madison in the system enhances the UW brand.”

John Drew, a member of the Board of Regents, indicated his displeasure with the proposal.

“I am opposed to any proposal that would separate Madison from the rest of the UW campuses and create a two-tier system,” Drew said. “I am certainly willing to consider specific proposals for greater flexibility for the entire UW System that would serve our mission of providing high quality and affordable education to Wisconsin students.”