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Universities warn budget cuts are straining student support services; Shelton Promise shows strong early retention
Summary
Council of Presidents and public universities told the Senate committee that retention gains are at risk because of recent institutional budget reductions; Evergreen’s Shelton Promise enrolled 53 students with 52 of 53 retained early, while Central Washington University described a Students First Center and retention targets.
Representatives of Washington’s public higher-education institutions told the Senate Higher Education and Workforce Development Committee that recent budget reductions are constraining student-support capacity and put retention gains at risk.
Dr. Melissa Beard, representing the Council of Presidents, reviewed statewide retention data: overall postsecondary retention at about 77.5% and public four-year retention near 82%. She said first-year fall-to-spring continuation is about 92% with a drop to 84% returning the following fall, and noted substantial variation by demographic group (ranges cited from the high 90s down to the mid-60s). Beard emphasized that FERPA transfers student educational rights to the student at age 18 and that institutions must rely on student consent for parental…
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