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Higher education leaders warn budget cuts, fund-split changes could force layoffs and tuition hikes
Summary
Presidents and representatives from Washington's public universities and higher education associations urged the Senate to restore fund-split and Washington College Grant funding and to fully fund cost-of-living adjustments, warning the Senate proposal would deepen funding disparities and force program cuts and tuition increases.
University presidents, faculty and student representatives testified March 25 that the Senate's operating budget proposal would reduce state support for higher education and shift more costs to tuition and students.
Representatives from the University of Washington, Washington State University, Central, Eastern and Western Washington universities and system faculty warned that changes to the fund split and reduced general fund support for collective bargaining and COLAs would widen disparities and leave institutions facing steep budget adjustments. "When you factor in across-the-board cuts and a reduced fund split, general fund new dollars account for only $4 million of the $78 million it will cost us to give raises and fund contracts," Joe Dacca of the University of Washington testified.
Student and graduate advocacy groups urged preservation of Washington College Grant levels and opposed tuition increases that would shift costs to low- and middle-income students: "The proposed cuts to the grant, especially for students at 65% of median family income, will limit our access to higher education and force students into more debt or out of school entirely," said Isabella Bonilla of the Washington Student Association.
The nut graf: higher education witnesses asked the Senate to restore prior fund-split arrangements and to avoid tuition hikes by protecting college grant funding; they said the proposal weakens recent progress on COLA funding and could trigger layoffs, program closures and reduced student access.
Several presidents asked negotiators to restore the fund-split treatment from the last biennium so that general fund dollars cover a larger share of COLAs and contract costs. Faculty and staff organizations warned of real impacts on recruitment and retention if raises and health care changes are not fully funded. Graduate student leaders urged continued funding for graduate loan and aid programs that target workforce shortages in behavioral health and other fields.
Ending: Testimony closed with university leaders offering to work with the Legislature on offsets but reiterating that the current Senate proposal would deepen deficits at campuses and reduce access for students without additional adjustments or restored revenue.
