Lawmakers must not let college funding slip
Last year, Washington made a down payment on a brighter future for students across the state. The Legislature made an historic reinvestment in public higher education, which led to a tuition reduction for Washington students for the first time ever.
The investments made in last year’s biennial budget provided much-needed relief to students and families struggling to pay for post-secondary education — the kind necessary to succeed in a competitive 21st century economy. Equally important, the budget also helped maintain the quality of our higher education system by back-filling the dollars lost by cutting tuition.
Lawmakers should be commended for showing leadership on this issue. At a time when many challenges and priorities tug and pull at our state budget, higher education can — indeed, often has — gotten lost in the appropriations shuffle. And when it does, it is the aspiring engineers, teachers, and nurses who suffer.
It is investments such as those made last year that will help ensure higher education remains accessible and affordable for students of all backgrounds. It is a step closer to the greatly important 50/50 benchmark, in which the state’s commitment equals that of the tuition paid by students and families.
The question now is, was last year a turning point, or an outlier?
As the Legislature seeks to wrap up this special session, the House and Senate again seek to reconcile their budget proposals. The state faces many challenges, including court ordered obligations to K-12 education and mental health — two issues deserving of significant attention. But it is critical that the promise made to students and universities last year be upheld.
Investing in the human capital of our state is a prudent economic decision and smart social policy. If we don’t invest now, our citizens and our businesses will pay the price in the not-too-distant future.
Last year, the Legislature proved it is capable of visionary leadership that benefits the whole state. This year, legislators have the opportunity to show their commitment is real.
We urge members in both the House and Senate to fulfill their obligation to the state’s students and families and make good on last year’s promise to reduce tuition and maintain the quality of our higher education system by fully funding those tuition reductions.
Kiana Scott is a doctoral candidate at the University of Washington, and board chair of Graduate Washington, a political advocacy organization dedicated to strong public funding for Washington's public higher education system.
This story was originally published March 17, 2016 at 5:01 PM with the headline "Lawmakers must not let college funding slip."