By the numbers

News of the University of Wisconsin System cash balances has caused some confusion, with different sources using different numbers. A quick breakdown:

$1.05 billion: The UW System's total cash balance from all sources as of June 2012. The biggest chunk is tuition, at $414 million. Also includes federal aid, private gifts/grants/contracts, and user fees for dormitories, bookstores, parking lots and other auxiliary functions of the university.

$648 million: The leftover cash balance as of June 2012 when funding sources with a specific spending requirement, such as federal and private grants, are excluded. This is the "unrestricted" balance for which the System has spending authority. The biggest chunk again is tuition at $414 million.

$207 million: The leftover cash balance as of June 2012 when excluding funds that the System had identified a specific future use for. Two examples: the System had allocated about $12 million of its cash balance to fund start-up costs for its flexible degree option program and $20 million for matching grants to fund economic development efforts on campus.