March 30, 1995 - WSU SUPPORTS THE SENATE`S `PRO-EDUCATION`
BUDGET PROPOSAL
Senate Ways and Means Chair Nita Rinehart will be asking her committee
to consider today a 1995-97 operating budget that seeks to make
education, from K-12 to higher education, the number one priority
of the State of Washington. The proposed Senate budget provides
$316.4 million for the Washington State University system in state
general fund -- $21.4 million more than the version of the same
budget bill (HB 1410) passed by the State House of Representatives.
Every WSU campus except WSU Vancouver fares better in the Senate
proposal. Washington State University has applauded the Senate
budget as one that is "good for students, fair to higher
education faculty and staff, balanced in treatment of individual
institutions, and a proposal that will pay significant dividends
for the State of Washington."
Slows Decades of Declining Higher Education Support
Higher education`s share of state general fund has been declining
for decades. While proposals from the Governor, the House and
the Senate would all continue this decline, the rate of decline
is much less in the Senate version.
Provides Access for a Minimum of 747 More Students At WSU Campuses
- WSU Pullman - the Senate budget funds 428 new FTEs
at $7,490 each. That is an improvement over the House budget
which provides 400 FTEs at $6,509 each.
- WSU Tri-Cities - the Senate proposal funds 106 FTEs,
which is less than the 166 FTEs provided by the House. However,
the Senate funding level is higher and provides more enrollment
money to WSU Tri-Cities. The total Tri-Cities budget is estimated
at $7.2 million in the Senate compared with $6.4 in the House
and $6.1 million proposed by the Governor.
- WSU Vancouver - the Senate budget funds 163
new FTEs at $8,473 each. WSU Vancouver is the only campus that
benefits more from the House Budget which provided 256 FTEs at
$8,038 each. The total state budget proposal for the Vancouver
campus is estimated at $11.5 million in the House version compared
to $11.6 million in the Senate proposal and $10.6 million proposed
by the Governor.
- WSU Spokane - the Senate budget funds 50 new students
compared to a disappointing 28 in the House budget and 10 by the
Governor. The total Senate budget is estimated at $8.1
million compared to the House`s $7.2 million level and the Governor`s
proposal of $6.9 million.
$16.1 Million in Additional Access Funding and Support for
Instruction
The Senate budget provides $16.1 million which can be used for
additional enrollment, improvements for time-to-degree, equipment
for training in current technologies, distance learning, distinguished
professorships, etc. This compares with $1.3 million provided
by the House for instructional enhancements.
Other Features of the Senate Budget
A Realistic Tuition Level. Increases all tuition by 4.3
percent the first year and 5.3 percent the second year to be retained
by WSU. The House proposal is also in the acceptable range at
5 percent per year but the funding is not retained by the institution.
Provides a 5 percent average salary increase for all employees
on July 1, 1995. The House version provides $100 per employee
on Jan. 1, 1996.
No Change To Employee Benefit Programs. The House proposal
requires employees to pay at least $32 per month toward the state
health insurance premium. Employees working more than half-time
but less than full-time would have their health benefits reduced
proportionately.
Three Puget Sound Water Quality positions at WSU cut by
the House were restored. Funding for wine grape research and
minor crop pesticide research provided by the House has not yet
been approved by the Senate.
