May 4, 1995 - LEGISLATURE APPROVES VETERINARY EQUIPMENT,
LIBRARY NETWORK
A $1.62 million appropriation to complete equipment purchases
for the new Washington State University veterinary teaching hospital
and $717,000 for the university`s participation in a state-wide
library network were included in a compromise supplemental operating
budget for this current biennium which passed the State Legislature
this week.
The action, which makes adjustments to this current WSU operating
budget, is the first major legislation affecting higher education
approved by the special session of the Legislature. The original
House supplemental budget funded the veterinary hospital equipment
but not the library project. The original Senate proposal funded
the library project but not the veterinary equipment. This compromise,
with both WSU projects included, is expected to be signed into
law by Gov. Mike Lowry.
The supplemental budget provides funding for the balance of this
biennium, ending July 1, but negotiations on how to handle state
spending beyond that date remain difficult.
PROGRESS SLOW ON 1995-97 BUDGET NEGOTIATIONS FOR HIGHER EDUCATION:
Vast differences continue between the House and Senate versions
of the 1995-97 operating budget for higher education. Negotiations
have been proceeding slowly on two fronts: the main budget negotiations
on Engrossed Substitute House Bill 1410 and tuition discussions
on Senate Bill 5325.
TUITION OFFSETS: The State Senate still opposes taking
money paid by students for tuition and depositing it in the state
general fund to spend anywhere on government (a practice called
tuition offset.) The House still insists on a 5 percent per year
base tuition increase with proceeds to the general fund. House
Higher Education Chair Don Carlson, R-Vancouver, has suggested
that instead of off-setting the 5 percent per year tuition hike,
institutions would be allowed to retain half (or 2.5 percent)
per year. He also suggested a local-option tuition surcharge
of 10 percent per biennium rather than the House`s original proposal
of 15 percent. The Carlson plan has gained little support.
STUDENT ENROLLMENTS: House budget conferees have agreed
to improvements to funded new enrollment levels. The House has
accepted the Senate level of 50 new full time students (FTE) at
WSU Spokane. The House continues to support 428 at WSU Pullman,
166 at WSU Tri-Cities, and 256 at WSU Vancouver. But this proposed
"compromise" is relatively insignificant until conferees
can agree on how much funding would be provided for each student
FTE. The Senate and WSU have supported full funding. Here`s
how "full funding" of new enrollments supported by the
Senate compares with the House "marginal funding" approach
supported by House Majority Leader Dale Foreman, R-Wenatchee.
The figures were provided by House Appropriations Committee staff.
Campus House Marginal Funding/Student Senate
Full Funding/Student
Pullman $6,343 $7,780
Spokane $11,847 $14,816
Tri-Cities $5,858 $7,623
Vancouver $8,075 $10,221
The WSU Position: WSU continues to oppose tuition offsets.
Marginal enrollment funding contributes to higher education`s
declining share of the state budget. WSU also argues that marginal
funding particularly works against the branch campuses because
those campuses do not have the resources for library services,
computer support, advising and counseling, minority recruitment,
laboratory costs, and other "indirect costs" which are
not fully addressed in the House budget proposal. WSU continues
to support the Senate position for full funding.
