The clock is ticking for the Washington state Legislature, which has until next week to finalize the state budget, including making a final decision about budget cuts and tuition rates at the UW.

Facing an unprecedented state tax revenue shortfall of more than $4 billion, cuts as high as 31 percent — $683 million for state colleges — could become a reality.

Early last week, Gov. Chris Gregoire presented a plan to aid universities facing cuts by lifting the state’s statutory 7-percent tuition increase cap.

If approved, universities could increase tuition by up to 14 percent, costing UW students an extra $875 next year and $1,000 the following year.

UW President Mark Emmert supports the proposal and said if the state passes the Senate’s budget proposal of a 23-percent higher education cut, the tuition increase would leave the university with a more manageable 11-percent reduction to tackle.

If the proposed cuts to higher education are approved without the tuition increase, “there would be larger classes, fewer courses offered and fewer support services available to students,” Emmert wrote in an e-mail to the university community.

Not everyone supports the tuition increase proposal.

ASUW President Anttimo Bennett said he opposes the idea because many students are already struggling to pay tuition bills.

Bennett held an open forum on the matter on Friday and has been working with ASUW leaders to write letter templates for students to send to state leaders.

At Friday’s forum, Bennett and ASUW Government Relations Director Richard Lum answered questions from attendees about the budget and other issues. Lum, who also opposes the increase, said, “Even a 7-percent increase would be extraordinary for a lot of working families.”

Lum is concerned that federal aid intended for students already struggling with tuition costs won’t be enough if rates increase this fall.

At the event, some asked why the university wasn’t looking at more creative ways to trim the budget, while others wondered how the increase would affect their financial aid plans.

Lauren Lynch, a transfer student from Illinois, was among the group of 40 attendees at the event. Lynch is paying for college out-of-pocket and moved to Seattle two years ago because the UW offered a low tuition price.

Lynch was surprised by the lack of attendance at Friday’s event.

“I thought it would be packed,” she said. “Maybe students don’t care as much because their parents are paying for it.”

Mary Ann Curtis works in student services for the Jackson School of International Studies and is a member of the Anti-Budget Cut Coalition, an on-campus grassroots group that is working to find other ways to decrease the impacts of potential cuts.

“We shouldn’t assume that students should make up the [financial] difference,” Curtis said.

Since the announcement was made last week, Curtis said she has yet to hear much student outcry on the matter.

Bennett has scheduled another open forum for 12:30 p.m. this Wednesday, April 15, in the common area on the second floor of the HUB.

Reach reporter Chantal Anderson at news@dailyuw.com.