Bill could affect cost of a UW education
Bill that could give tuition setting control to UW Board of Regents raises concern.
Marisa Petrich
Issue date: 2/2/10 Section: News
The current economy has plenty of students wondering how they'll pay next year's tuition, but a recent Washington State Senate bill has posed a new question: How much is education worth- and how much should students pay?
Senate Bill 6562 would give the governing boards of four year institutions tuition setting authority for resident undergraduates. In the past the boards had partial authority, with the state legislature setting a percentage of the previous year's tuition that increases could not exceed.
If passed, SB 6562 would give the UW Board of Regents almost total control over tuition, subject to a few conditions. The average annual rate of increase could not exceed 10 percent over 15 years or 14 percent in any one year. Additionally, tuition could not exceed the 75th percentile of resident undergraduate tuition in global challenge states (a group of eight states similar to Washington).
In recent years tuition increases had been capped at 7 percent a year. Last year the cap was raised to 14 percent.
However, the bill has raised concern among student groups in spite of these safeguards.
"It takes tuition setting authority out of the hands of the people [and puts it into the hands of the corporations]," ASUWT Senator and Legislative Affairs Committee co-chair John Wheeler III said.
The regents are appointed by the governor, not elected, and usually come from successful positions in the private sector. Some student leaders are concerned that their focus is on the university's bottom line, and not affordability.
"Their mentality is what is best for the university is best for the students, and that's not always the case," student Legislative Affairs Liaison Tommy Bauer said, and pointed out that a Maserati might be the best car you can buy, but that doesn't mean a lot if nobody can afford one.
The major concern is that, without the state capping tuition increases, the cost of education will skyrocket and financial aid will not rise at the same rate-though the bill does stipulate that schools must continue to contribute at least 3.5 percent of their operating budgets to an institutional financial aid fund.
Senate Bill 6562 would give the governing boards of four year institutions tuition setting authority for resident undergraduates. In the past the boards had partial authority, with the state legislature setting a percentage of the previous year's tuition that increases could not exceed.
If passed, SB 6562 would give the UW Board of Regents almost total control over tuition, subject to a few conditions. The average annual rate of increase could not exceed 10 percent over 15 years or 14 percent in any one year. Additionally, tuition could not exceed the 75th percentile of resident undergraduate tuition in global challenge states (a group of eight states similar to Washington).
In recent years tuition increases had been capped at 7 percent a year. Last year the cap was raised to 14 percent.
However, the bill has raised concern among student groups in spite of these safeguards.
"It takes tuition setting authority out of the hands of the people [and puts it into the hands of the corporations]," ASUWT Senator and Legislative Affairs Committee co-chair John Wheeler III said.
The regents are appointed by the governor, not elected, and usually come from successful positions in the private sector. Some student leaders are concerned that their focus is on the university's bottom line, and not affordability.
"Their mentality is what is best for the university is best for the students, and that's not always the case," student Legislative Affairs Liaison Tommy Bauer said, and pointed out that a Maserati might be the best car you can buy, but that doesn't mean a lot if nobody can afford one.
The major concern is that, without the state capping tuition increases, the cost of education will skyrocket and financial aid will not rise at the same rate-though the bill does stipulate that schools must continue to contribute at least 3.5 percent of their operating budgets to an institutional financial aid fund.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
pikatje1
posted 2/10/10 @ 7:29 AM PST
I think that some students will be discouraged to study, because of the lack of money. This bill actually is a big blow for students who earn their money very hard. (Continued…)
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