HOUSE BUDGET WILL RESTRICT WSU ADMISSIONS
New enrollments provided in the proposed House supplemental
budget, approved by the Appropriations Committee last night, will
not avoid reductions in the 1997 entering students at WSU Pullman
from this yearís levels according to new estimates calculated
by Washington State University.
This cutback in admissions could be avoided with
adoption of the Senate proposed supplemental budget proposal (Substitute
Senate Bill 6251), which was approved by the Ways and Means Committee
Thursday, and provides 850 new enrollments for Pullman. The Senate
budget passed with bipartisan support in a vote of 30-16 today.
Enrollment at WSU has been growing even faster than
estimated a year ago. Estimates based on the most recent data
show that if WSU Pullman admits the same number of new freshman
in Fall 1996 as it did in Fall 1995, enrollment will be over 17,400
students. This is 1,000 more than are currently budgeted for
1996-97. This projection is based on the assumption that WSU
budgeted enrollment will grow by 214 student FTEs next year, as
provided by the 1995 Legislature.
Recent entering classes are much larger than the
class which entered four years ago. The class graduating this
spring is too small to provide space for the number of younger
students who now seek admittance.
WSU has shown a willingness to over enroll on a short-term
basis, but has already budgeted to over enroll by no more than
400 students next year. Greater over enrollment could diminish
program quality by stretching resources too thin.
Any new enrollment funding provided by the 1996 Legislature
will provide for additional students.
The proposed House budget sought to address this
access problem by providing 105 student FTEs for WSU Pullman.
However, based on this newest estimate, WSU will still have to
reduce its admission of new students compared to last year.
Transfer of Energy Office Functions To WSU Still
on Track
The proposed supplemental budgets, and associated
legislation, appears to endorse the transfer of 40 employees from
the Washington State Energy Office to WSU cooperative extension.
Besides the budget proposals, the related bills are Senate Bill
6451 and House Bill 2009. HB 2009 has passed the House 80-17
and is now being considered by the Senate.
Budget Information available on Internet
The Senate budget information is available on the
Internet at http://www.leg.wa.gov/www/senate/swm/welcome.htm
The WSU Budget & Planning web page will soon
have bill status and budget comparison information available.
This update is shared by broadcast fax and electronic
mail to friends of Washington State University as state government
developments occur. Contact Karen Fischer, WSU State-wide
Affairs, 509/335-6665. Larry Ganders is at 360/438-7552; Fax:
360/438-8104. Internet address is ganders@wsunix.wsu.edu. Visit
our web page at www.wsu.edu/IR/wsulegis/olympia.html.
