Last Wednesday night, the Senate finally released its budget proposal. Now all three major parties — the Governor, the House, and the Senate — have offered their visions for how to deal with the $5.1 billion budget shortfall the state is facing this session.
SENATE PROPOSES 34% CUT TO UW OPERATING BUDGET
Cuts to UW’s operating budget results in higher tuition; decreased ability to solicit federal research dollars; fewer assistantship opportunities, larger class sizes, and increased assistantship workloads; expanding already-overwhelming debt burdens; and the prospect that world-class programs may be consolidated or even eliminated.
The Senate assumes a 16% increase in annual undergraduate tuition to make up for budget cuts. The House assumed 13% across all categories. However, the House assumes across-the-board tuition increases, including graduate and non-resident tuition, which UW would not be able to implement. So, in practice, the House overestimates tuition revenue, and we're more likely to see what would amount to a 16% tuition increase for undergrads in the House proposal.
FINANCIAL AID: SENATE SAVES STATE WORK STUDY, BUT STILL CUTS IT IN HALF
Unlike the House, which proposed outright elimination of all funding, the Senate preserves the State Work Study (SWS) program, but assumes greater employer contribution and excludes non-residents. SWS funding is reduced by $23.72 million, about half of the budget (currently funded at $45 million for the biennium). GPSS dislikes all three proposals, but prefer the Governor's $21.3 million cut, which is $2.42 million, or about 11%, less than the Senate's.
So, we are relieved that the Senate is not proposing the END OF FINANCIAL AID FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS, but the program will very likely be taking a huge hit, one way or another.
FINANCIAL AID: CHILDCARE PROGRAM SUSPENDED
Finally, we are disappointed that our proposal to use unclaimed lottery winnings to help fund the CCMG program was not included in the budget. Because this program will be suspended, hundreds of parents at four-year institutions and CTCs will take longer to graduate and join the workforce. We urge the Legislature in budget negotiations going forward to mitigate what is the third greatest barrier to degree completion, childcare.
TESTIMONY AT SENATE WAYS & MEANS
GPSS and several other students testified at Wednesday's Ways & Means hearing. Here is GPSS Policy Analyst Lauren Hipp, representing GPSS:
ASUW students:
Margaret Shepherd, UW Director of State Relations: “You get something from the University of Washington whether you go there or not.”
David Parsons, UAW Local 4121 President: "Impacting competitiveness to attract the best and the brightest for TAs and RAs"
Mike Bogatay, Washington Student Association Executive Director:
The Daily: ‘Senate takes slightly deeper cuts’ with released budget
SENATE PROPOSES 34% CUT TO UW OPERATING BUDGET
Cuts to UW’s operating budget results in higher tuition; decreased ability to solicit federal research dollars; fewer assistantship opportunities, larger class sizes, and increased assistantship workloads; expanding already-overwhelming debt burdens; and the prospect that world-class programs may be consolidated or even eliminated.
The Senate budget is nearly on par with House on bottom line numbers ... they're "equally bad," as UW Director of State Relations Margaret Shepherd puts it. However, the Senate assumes furloughs that pushes cuts higher than the House cut.
The Senate assumes a 16% increase in annual undergraduate tuition to make up for budget cuts. The House assumed 13% across all categories. However, the House assumes across-the-board tuition increases, including graduate and non-resident tuition, which UW would not be able to implement. So, in practice, the House overestimates tuition revenue, and we're more likely to see what would amount to a 16% tuition increase for undergrads in the House proposal.Comparisons of the institutional cut, including compensation reductions and furloughs (which the institution must absorb), can be seen in the chart at right.
Note that the House budget doesn't mandate furloughs, which pretty much accounts for the difference between the House and Senate. The net cut (taking into account tuition increases) to UW is 5% for both budgets.
FINANCIAL AID: SENATE SAVES STATE WORK STUDY, BUT STILL CUTS IT IN HALF
Unlike the House, which proposed outright elimination of all funding, the Senate preserves the State Work Study (SWS) program, but assumes greater employer contribution and excludes non-residents. SWS funding is reduced by $23.72 million, about half of the budget (currently funded at $45 million for the biennium). GPSS dislikes all three proposals, but prefer the Governor's $21.3 million cut, which is $2.42 million, or about 11%, less than the Senate's.
FINANCIAL AID: CHILDCARE PROGRAM SUSPENDED
Finally, we are disappointed that our proposal to use unclaimed lottery winnings to help fund the CCMG program was not included in the budget. Because this program will be suspended, hundreds of parents at four-year institutions and CTCs will take longer to graduate and join the workforce. We urge the Legislature in budget negotiations going forward to mitigate what is the third greatest barrier to degree completion, childcare.
TESTIMONY AT SENATE WAYS & MEANS
GPSS and several other students testified at Wednesday's Ways & Means hearing. Here is GPSS Policy Analyst Lauren Hipp, representing GPSS:
ASUW students:
Margaret Shepherd, UW Director of State Relations: “You get something from the University of Washington whether you go there or not.”
David Parsons, UAW Local 4121 President: "Impacting competitiveness to attract the best and the brightest for TAs and RAs"
Mike Bogatay, Washington Student Association Executive Director:
The Daily: ‘Senate takes slightly deeper cuts’ with released budget
