April 17, 1995 - SENATE BUDGET IS BETTER FOR WSU STUDENTS
AND EMPLOYEES
House and Senate leaders are meeting in "conference committee"
to resolve substantial differences in the way they address state
universities. Whether Legislators decide to follow the Senate
approach or the House approach will make a tremendous difference
in how public higher education is funded for the 1995-97 biennium
and years to come.
SENATE BUDGET DICTATES 10 PERCENT TUITION INCREASE FOR STUDENTS
IN `95-`97
HOUSE BUDGET MAY LEAD TO A 25 PERCENT TUITION INCREASE
- The only major tax increase in the House budget is its
tuition increase for students, a proposal House leaders say
will move public school tuition to rates paid by private universities.
Higher education supporters call it a tax on students because
it mandates a 5 percent per year tuition increase for the
biennium with proceeds deposited in the state general fund, where
it may be spent on any state program, including non-higher education
programs. Higher education institutions are told to generate
funding by imposing an optional and additional 15 percent increase
on students for a total of 25 percent. If institutions like
WSU fail to impose the high tuition increase, they may find they
will have to reduce the quality of their programs.
- The Senate budget sets tuition increases at acceptable levels,
up 4.3 percent for the first year, and 5.3 percent for the second
year. These tuition funds are retained by WSU with corresponding
increases in WSU`s state general fund.
- Tuition for WSU students increased 30 percent this biennium.
Tuition for undergraduate students is lower at 14 of WSU`s
23 peer public institutions (Purdue, Wisconsin, Tennessee and
Florida are among those with lower tuition). WSU has the
third highest graduate tuition among its peers. The House`s plan
for additional 25 percent tuition increase next biennium, without
any substantial financial aid assistance, would adversely impact
students and families and undermine the purpose of public education.
WSU supports the Senate budget approach to tuition.
SENATE BUDGET PROVIDES MORE THAN $20 MILLION OVER HOUSE FOR
WSU EDUCATION
Senate Proposed General Fund Budget for WSU: $316.4 million
House Proposed General Fund Budget for WSU: $294.9 million
- Overall, WSU supports the Senate budget appropriation level.
The House budget expressly eliminates two offices of the WSU Small
Business Development Center and three extension agents. The state
Senate did not make these cuts but does not fund $1 million for
agricultural pesticide research and $525,000 for grape wine research.
THE HOUSE ALLOWS ENROLLMENT OF MORE STUDENTS BUT PROVIDES LESS
FUNDING
The House provides for 850 new student FTE positions for $8.9
million for WSU.
The Senate provides for 747 new student FTE positions for $9.4
million for WSU.
- Enrollment funding for every WSU campus except WSU Vancouver
is higher in the Senate budget.
SENATE PROVIDES 5 PERCENT SALARY INCREASES TO ALL WSU EMPLOYEES
HOUSE CUTS BENEFITS, PROVIDES $100 PER MONTH SALARY INCREASE
- More than 90% of all WSU faculty and exempt staff have not
received salary increases, for any purpose including promotions,
for 2-3 years.
- WSU average faculty salaries trail two-thirds of its 22 peer
institutions.
- With cuts to benefits, average House compensation increases
amount to less than $28 per month per average employee.
