Non-resident Tuition Bills Clear Key Committees,
Floor Votes Pending
Legislation raising research university tuition for
out-of-state undergraduate students from $8,491 to up to $9,491
per year is passing legislative committees by wide margins. Senate
Bill 6303 passed the House Higher Education Committee on Jan.
22 and is pending in the Senate Ways and Means Committee. House
Bill 2478 has unanimously cleared the House Higher Education Committee
and has won the approval of 30 members of the House Appropriations
Committee despite student objections. It is on the floor calendar
for possible action this week in front of the full state House
of Representatives. Because of language added in the Higher Education
Committee, the bill allows for a variable tuition rate set by
the university, allowing either UW or WSU to raise tuition from
$8,491 up to $9,491, (the rate could be between $8,491
and $9,491). The Senate bill would set tuition at a fixed rate,
$9,491. The legislation has won the personal support of the president
of the University of Washington. WSU supports the bill as the
best alternative for a tuition increase. But WSU opposes a plan
by the UW to increase non-resident tuition an additional 10 percent
during the 1997 legislative session. No resident tuition increases
are under serious consideration.
Fiscal Committees Approve Expanded WSU Cooperative
Extension Industrial Programs
Legislation that would transfer remaining non-state
funded programs from the state Energy Office to Washington State
University has cleared major hurdles in both the state House of
Representatives and state Senate. The Senate Ways and Means Committee
approved Senate Bill 6451 Tuesday. Similar legislation, House
Bill 2606, has cleared the House Appropriations Committee. Both
bills, which provide for the transfer of 40 employees to WSU,
are now headed to Rules committees in their respective houses
where they will await action in front of the full House or the
full Senate. WSU has testified in support of each bill. The legislation
adds expertise to cooperative extension in the areas of energy
consumer education and outreach, software development, "telecommuting",
renewable energy, energy library resources, and industrial efficiency.
With the Legislature deciding to close the state
Energy Office as part of budget cuts last year, the Institute
for Public Policy recommended that some non-state funded positions
be transferred to WSU, citing its ability to address issues statewide
in each county. WSU agreed to the transfer in these program areas
because it is seen as a "good fit" for the university.
Each program has an educational mission, a role of service to
business and local government, ties to applied research, and matches
WSU personnel in other areas.
WSU has testified that the programs will be "market-driven,"
that is, these are programs that will be supported by federal
funding or benefit the business community enough that businesses
will help financially support their continuance. That will be
critical for program continuance, as WSU has said it will not
seek state funding to replace any declining sources of revenues.
Seven employees are expected to transfer in the area of "energy
extension," a program that originally resided at WSU prior
to creation of the energy office. Experts in "telecommuting"
are expected to contribute expertise in WSU's distance
learning initiatives such as the extended degree program and the
proposed Washington Higher Education Network (WHEN.) The renewable
energy program should tie in well with WSU efforts in the area
of photocell, geothermal, wind power, and commercialization of
paper industry byproducts. The industrial efficiency program offers
expertise in refrigeration operating improvements and should build
WSU expertise in controlled atmosphere fruit storage. The software
development program has developed products for comparing lighting
ballast, simulation of heating and cooling systems, and selection
of energy-efficient industrial motors.
Legislation Adding Students to University Boards
of Regents Stranded In Committee
A 1995 bill adding students to university boards
of regents (S.B. 5405) has apparently died in committee after
the Washington Student Lobby voluntarily asked that the bill be
removed from the Senate Higher Education Committee hearing list
last week. Chairman Al Bauer, D-Vancouver, granted their request
minutes before the scheduled hearing. Students indicated they
had agreed to discuss the bill with students and universities
in the interim rather than pursue legislation this year. WSU expressed
appreciation for the students' decision since it has far-reaching
ramifications for the university's system of shared governance.
Supplemental Budget Proposals Still Under Wraps
Both the House and Senate budget writers have yet to unveil any
proposals for their budget bills. The legislation will deal with
many of the most key issues facing higher education including
funding for additional enrollments, the Washington Higher Education
Network, possible staff or faculty salary increases, and funding
for agricultural research. Senate Bill 6705, the "WHEN"
legislation passed the Senate Ways and Means Committee Tuesday
but was stripped of any appropriations language, leaving that
decision for the supplemental budget.
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 home page at www.wsu.edu/IR/wsulegis/olympia.html.
