May 23, 1995 - 4 PERCENT TUITION HIKE, $408.3 MILLION WSU OPERATING
BUDGET
The 1995 Legislature couldn`t quite wind down its business by
midnight Tuesday but lawmakers are preparing for a 2-3 day second
special session of the Legislature today. There was late-session
agreement on the higher education budget, most notably a decision
to set tuition at a 4 percent per year increase.
The final conference committee report on the operating budget
will set the total WSU appropriation, including state general
fund and tuition monies, at $408.26 million. This includes a 4.7
percent increase in general state funds over the current WSU budget.
It compares to the Governor`s proposed budget of $396.18 million,
the House proposed budget of $398.9 million, and the Senate proposal
of $419.44 million.
The total budget for the State of Washington appears to be set
at $17.598 billion, well under the Initiative 601 spending limit
of $17.921 billion.
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE FINAL PROPOSED OPERATING BUDGET FOR WSU
- The WSU system was fully funded for 450 new student enrollments
per year which will bring WSU`s funded enrollment to 18,285 students
next biennium. The proposed budget provides for the addition 214
new students each year at the Pullman campus (for a total of 16,419),
25 more students each year at WSU Spokane (for a total of 308),
83 more students each year at WSU Tri-Cities (for a total of 707)
and 128 new students each year at WSU Vancouver (for a total of
851.)
- The 4 percent per year tuition increase will bring in $5.886
million, to be retained by WSU.
- There were general fund enhancements of $1.606 million, most
earmarked for minor crop pesticide research and wine grape research.
- Existing WSU programs are cut 2.4 percent or $6.971 million
by the proposed budget, a cut anticipated in the legislative budget
passed by lawmakers in 1994.
- The State will fund a single 4 percent average salary increase
for both faculty and staff effective July 1, 1995. Language permits
WSU to determine individual faculty salary increases on the basis
of merit. Classified staff salary increases will be 4 percent
across-the-board.
- Funding for the State Need Grant Program administered by the
State Higher Education Coordinating Board was increased as proposed
by the State Senate ($11.665 million for all of higher education).
There were also increases in "institutional financial aid"
($7 million for all institutions). WSU`s portions will be dispersed
by WSU to its students.
- Three extension positions associated with water quality in
the Puget Sound region were funded at $314,000.
KIMBROUGH HALL AND REMODELING FUNDED AT $65.17 MILLION IN WSU
CAPITAL BUDGET
Senate budget negotiators agreed to add $1.204 million as proposed
by the House for design of an expansion and renovation of Kimbrough
Hall. In addition to providing better space for Washington State
University`s Music Department, the proposed addition will benefit
virtually all students at the institution with new writing laboratories
and general classroom space. The final budget also added $2 million
from the original House proposed level for critical "minor
works" projects designed to preserve existing buildings in
the WSU system. The total capital budget for the Washington State
University, general fund monies, was set at $65.17 million.
