Last year, when university presidents lobbied for, the legislature passed, and the governor signed a 30% increase in college tuition over two years, promises were made that this would help keep higher education more affordable, not less. How? By increasing the total amount of financial aid dollars available, and by raising the income levels under which families qualify for financial aid, those who could afford to pay more would pay more, while those who couldn’t would pay less.
That is the high-tuition/high-financial aid model as practiced successfully by many private and some public universities, and it’s a model that can work… as long as public officials keep their promises.
One year later, with the governor and legislature looking to fill an additional $2.6 billion hole in the last year of our current two-year state budget, there’s talk that the state could eliminate financial aid altogether, saving $272 million in the process. But even a partial reduction in financial aid would be both a breach of public trust, and a disastrous public policy.
I understand the temptation to paint a worse case scenario as the governor and other Democratic leaders prepare to rally the troops in favor of a revenue package, but college financial aid must be explicitly taken off the table now, before any further damage is done. Cutting financial aid would surely interrupt the education of thousands of Washington students, but the mere talk of it is disruptive in itself, as many needy students will put off their college plans rather than face such financial uncertainty. Such talk also poisons the well, undermining faith in our elected officials to do right by our state’s young people, and ultimately making it even more difficult to enact further higher education funding reforms.
Promises were made, and they must be kept; our higher education system is simply too important to the welfare and prosperity of our state to do otherwise.
Wont happen.
If you think education’s expensive, try ignorance.
Private colleges generally charge higher tuition, but they have fleets of paid staff and volunteers whose purpose is to locate and raise funds to subsidize students not fortunate enough to be children of Frank Blethen or Bill and Melinda Gates.
State institutions, which until recently got large subsidies to keep tuition affordable, aren’t in the habit of dealing with such things, nor are their students.
It might be argued that by pricing themselves out of reach of qualified students who weren’t (ahem!) born into families of means, land-grant state universities are failing to meet the requirements of their original charters.
George W. Bush is proof that limiting higher education to the wealthy will not necessarily give them an advantage in skill and knowledge.
It’s the inherited wealth and social stature that the advantages really accrue to.
re 3: Exactly. Another instance of our tax money supporting the well to do.
Socialism for the rich — or ‘feudalism’ — to call a spade a spade.
Had Gregoire made the appropriate cuts 4 years ago, we wouldn’t be facing this crisis.
Instead of layoffs, we got new employees.
It’s a matter of priorities.
Have you ever looked at what Gregoire pays her staff?
TOTAL COMPENSATION==Wages + Benefits + Paid Time-off
It’s ridiculous the number of $100,000+ salaries (not to mention the 31% Benefits and 18% for all the padi time-off).
$100,000 salary = TOTAL COMPENSATION of $150,000.
It’s the dirty truth the Unions never want to discuss.
It’s time to start with Gregoire’s own staff Budget.
Get rid of the Superintendent of Public Instruction.
These things should have been cut years ago.
Complete Fiscal Mismanagement.
Washington is getting what it deserves from over-spending in good times.
4. Empty Drugstore Cowboy Hat Reagan and Bush spews:
Last time I looked, UW is still going to be asking for funding of their new stadium during the next session. Glad they have their priorities straight.
@6 “Get rid of the Superintendent of Public Instruction.”
So MrC wants the Gov to get rid of another elected official. Glad he understands so much about how our system of government works.
Has anyone checked Gregoire’s birth certificate lately?
A few years ago, Intel opened a center in DuPont. Since that time, Intel cut back on what Intel does at that center. They cited “lack of educated pool of employees” as the primary reason for the pull back.
Washington state has never been really behind the public 4 years. This state is peculiar in that it seems to really believe that either you don’t need a college education or that you can do just fine with a two year degree in the trades.
That said, even with the tuition increases, these institutions have managed to keep the cost down compared to the cost to students in other states. And while the state only supports a set number of students at each college or university, many have taken more students. The real cost per student is shouldered by the institutions at a higher rate that the state offers in support.
So as it presently stands, higher education is a good deal for the citizens of Washington state. Eliminating the State Need Grant is typical, short-sighted thinking that this state is known for.
@4 The best way to succeed in America is to be born to parents who already have a trainload of money.
As regards promises, Gregoire promised not to raise taxes at election time. That promise was made and should be kept.
Great points, Goldy. This current dilemma is precisely why I led the fight on the House floor to defeat the 30% tuition hikes. Legislators are good at raising tuition, but have a poor record of investing in student aid and state funding for higher education.
It is worth noting that the presidents at UW and WSU have already asked the Legislature for more tuition-setting authority this session, which means they want to raise tuition even more. So, this issue is far from over, and we need real voices advocating for our students.
@13 That promise is being kept. The state collects less taxes today than before the recession. That’s a tax cut. Rescinding a portion of the revenue decline is not a tax increase. If the state continues to collect less revenue than before, it’s still a tax cut.
Goldy I think they should spend the money on directly creating jobs. Having doctors being greeters at Wal Mart can’t be the end game…
We all know that higher education is a right just like healthcare. Why stop there, I want a big boat and a plane and a beach house and those damn evil rich people just better pony up.
There is an approximate $7 billion of the budget vulnerable to cuts (the rest is dedicated). We currently have a $2.6 billion deficit.
Higher education is not keeping people alive like health care is. Higher education is not keeping people alive like GAU is. I’m not sure how anyone can think that some kid who wants to go to college is any more important than some kid who needs medical care. Because we have to cut; we can’t keep everything.