By
Katie McVicker
December 10, 2009
Gov. Christine Gregoire released the first draft of the 2010 supplemental budget yesterday, reducing higher education’s state funding by $89 million. From that, the UW took roughly a $20.9 million hit, but one of the biggest surprises were the cuts to state need-based aid.
Alongside the 6.4-percent cut to the university’s state funding were the cuts to the State Need Grant program, which will be cut by about $146.4 million, causing 12,300 students to lose their grants.
Kay Lewis, the UW director of financial aid, said that while she doesn’t know how aid will be distributed in light of these cuts, a significant proportion of students who once received aid will no longer be eligible.
“If that budget goes through, then that would be very devastating for low-income students,” she said.
The State Need Grant program currently supports students with family incomes up to $55,000, however, it will now be used to serve lower-income students, and the grants will be smaller.
President Mark Emmert said in a press statement that by losing half of the state need-based grants, thousands of qualified students would be shut out of college.
“Without the state need-grant program, Husky Promise scholarships would be severely curtailed, and the 7,000 students who are able to attend the UW because of these scholarships would be unable to continue. Higher education would become a luxury only the well-to-do could afford.”
On the governor’s Web site, she stated: “Today’s document does not reflect our values as a state. It does not reflect the Washington I know and love or the Washington I want for our future and the future of our children and grandchildren. I am convinced it is not the plan for the future that Washingtonians would choose, either.”
The governor’s second budget proposal, to be released in January, will include a new revenue package that she says will “eliminate tax exemptions, close loopholes and raise revenues.” With this budget, the governor hopes to essentially buy back some of the programs that have been cut.
“I think our state legislatures need to be brave in thinking about creating revenue,” ASUW President Tim Mensing said. “If we really care about the citizens and every one we represent and work for, we’re going to think of ways of making this crisis not such a crisis.”
Mensing said this reduction hurts the university’s mission by making it inaccessible. Though he said ASUW officers understand that everyone has to receive cuts, he thinks the best way to provide a boost to the economy would be to better fund higher education in order to produce a talented work force.
Other universities also took substantial hits. Washington State University lost about $28 million, and Western Washington University lost $11.4 million.
“No one — the governor, the Legislature or the university — can control the economy,” Emmert said. “But we also cannot afford to decimate critical programs and opportunities for our state’s students. Even during a long, hard winter you can’t eat your seed corn. It is time for the Legislature and the governor to look for additional revenue sources to help moderate these unacceptable impacts on our state’s citizens.”
Reach reporter Katie McVicker at news@dailyuw.com.
13 Comments
#1 Francis G.
on December 10, 2009 at 1:25 a.m.I'm the oldest of six kids, and the first person in my family to go to college. Looks like I'll be the last as well.
But I did get an econ degree while I could, and I'll tell you what:
This has nothing to do with economic performance. During recessions, governments ought to spend more. That's basic macroeconomics, by John Maynard Keynes. And spending on public education has great returns to economic performance and quality of life down the line.
Washington is one of seven states that lack an income tax. The other six have large oil or tourism industries they can tax. But the wealthy political donors in this state (who donated to Gregoire too) would never allow a fair tax system.
Gregoire appointed 7 of the 10 Regents, including the Chair and the Vice-Chair. They've been all too willing to approve her proposals for budget cuts and tuition increases.
And the Regents hired Emmert, who's been all too willing to implement the cuts and tuition increases.
Keynes went out of style during the eighties, nineties, and 00s, but the financial crisis of '08 has caused economists to turn back to Keynesian theory. Gregoire, the legislators, the Regents, and our administrators are stuck in a pre-crisis mindset.
It's time we get organized. I recommend meeting other students tonight, at 6 pm, in Suzzallo Cafe to discuss what we can do.
#2 Vicky C.
on December 10, 2009 at 2:33 a.m.Neo-Keynesian Students United for Stagflation?
...are you sure you didn't get your econ degree from WSU?
#3 Kalman Brauner
on December 10, 2009 at 8:07 a.m.In today's Seattle Times, the governor says "Let me make this clear. I do not support this budget. As required by law, it is balanced. For me, it is unjust." The Times goes on to say that Gregiore is supporting a tax increase.
#4 Rebecca_F
on December 10, 2009 at 9:27 a.m.Here's a link to Gregoire's statement (from her website):
http://www.governor.wa.gov/news/20091...
#3 I haven't seen the Times article, but your information sounds correct. The Governor's budget has to be balanced. Apparently, that means she can't officially propose a tax increase. So she made a budget based on current revenue levels/projections. If your objection is that we should raise taxes, you can't blame her for not including that in her proposal, because she has to work within the law which requires her to propose a budget based on the money available. However, her budget still reflects an assessment of what must or should be cut if no new revenue could be found. What gets cut first? She cannot - for better or worse - get around her responsibility for that.
#5 Randall F.
on December 10, 2009 at 12:03 p.m.There are so many other areas of government that are pointless money eaters, and yet the legislature continues to steal money from the universities. Looks like, contrary to our governor's idiotic claim, this really does reflect the values of this state. Pathetic.
#6 Please check your facts
on December 10, 2009 at 1:08 p.m.#1 (Francis), please take the time to learn about governance and higher ed in this state. The amount of money the UW receives from the state is only determined and approved by the state legislature and governor. UW Regents do not have any kind of "veto" or power over funds it receives from the state. They just have to make do with what they get handed to them.
If you want to protest the lack of sources of revenue and regressive tax system, take it to Olympia. You are wasting your time and student energy on the UW administration. Get it together and do your homework before you go soaking up what little student activism exists on this campus.
#7 Francis
on December 10, 2009 at 2:26 p.m.Facts checked. In Olympia, both liberal and conservative legislators are using the obscenely high salaries of our administrators to justify cutting our budgets. Yet none of the top administrators have taken pay cuts. We ought to be advocating for a salary cap...$200,000 sounds about right.
Also, the Board of Regents is packed with some of the wealthiest citizens of our state, who happen to be friendly with the Governor. If they began to advocate a fair tax system, it would happen.
#8 Rob
on December 10, 2009 at 6:34 p.m.How about all the dinks who voted for Gregoire get their financial aid taken away to help the problem?
What the heck was the state doing during good economic times with our money? Blowing it like a drunken bachelor party weekend in Vegas. Can we get someone to work for gov't who is provident?
#9 Francis G.
on December 10, 2009 at 10:11 p.m.I'm with you 100% Rob.
#10 Randall F.
on December 11, 2009 at 1:57 p.m.Also, why is there always talk of needing to create new revenue? Could somebody with half a brain just look into cutting out some ridiculous expenditures, rather than taking more money?
#11 Jake F
on December 11, 2009 at 2:06 p.m.Randall,
Since it seems to be so obvious to you, what would you propose cutting state spending on? Perhaps you are not aware that per-capita state tax revenue has actually decreased every year for the last two decades?
#12 Ben
on December 11, 2009 at 2:23 p.m.Preserving the State Need Grant is an extraordinarily important goal that all students should rally behind.
The Regents do not have the power to change Washington's tax structure or veto budget cuts - you give them too much credit, Francis. These are options for Olympia to act on. So, if you intend to constructively bring about positive change in terms of keeping higher education accessible (or changing the distribution of resources in the state), direct your dissatisfaction at Olympia.
#13 Rebecca_F
on December 24, 2009 at 1:04 p.m.If your concern is how the money received by the University is distributed, you should probably address your concerns to the administration/regents. If your concern has to do with the amount of money given to the University, the place to address your concerns is the legislature and the governor.
If you believe that funding should be cut, that should also be addressed primarily toward the legislature. I suppose you could also direct comments to the University regarding what kind of money you think they should request.
But ultimately, any input regarding what funding should or should not be given to the University or state financial aid programs, need to make their way to Olympia.
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