House Bill 2344 was introduced after Gov. Chris Gregoire issued a proposal that would authorize four-year universities to raise tuition by up to 14 percent for the next two years. Some close to the legislative discussions question the intent of the proposed bill.

“If [the state] didn’t need to raise tuition more than 14 percent, why ask for the approval to eliminate the cap?” said Richard Lum, director of the Office of Government Relations for ASUW.

Resident undergraduate tuition has been protected by legislation that restricted increases to 7 percent since the 2003-2004 academic year. However, 2344 would eliminate the cap permanently.

The difference between proposed cuts to state funding and the authorized increases in tuition has been significant in every budget proposed so far, with 10 percent being the biggest increase allowed by the House of Representatives.

“There was a big gap between what won’t be funded anymore by the decrease in state funding and what can’t be covered by the proposed tuition increase,” Lum said.

Yesterday, the state Senate passed a budget through the Ways and Means Committee that would allow for a 14 percent increase for each of the next two years; the House is expected to pass its budget through the Appropriations Committee sometime today. The 14 percent increase proposed by the Senate would compound during the second year to an increase of nearly 28 percent in tuition for the 2011-2012 academic year.

However, if House Bill 2344 were to pass, the university would have unchecked tuition-setting authority.

“Now we are looking at no cap on tuition increase and an approximate increase of 30 percent for resident undergraduates,” Lum said. “Non-residents, graduate and professional students still have no idea what the tuition increase will be.”

GPSS Vice President Dave Iseminger, who has spent the past several months lobbying for students in Olympia, said that lawmakers are receptive to what the public has to say and that students can still have an effect on the budget’s outcome.

“Legislators are very responsive to constituents that call, write or drive down to Olympia,” Iseminger said. “You’ll hear [legislators] say ‘that one person who drove 50 miles just to talk to me for 10 minutes really changed me.’”

Many legislators find there is no way to avoid making cuts to higher education.

“Higher education has taken a hit in this legislative session,” Lum said. “A lot of legislators are facing the decision of whether to cut more money from UW, or cut money from women or children’s programs, or veteran’s programs.”

While representatives debate the bills on the floor, those most affected by the bills can only wait.

“While we are sitting and waiting, families are thinking, ‘Am I going to be able to find financial aid, or will this come out of pocket?’” Iseminger said. “The longer this debate goes on, the less time students and families have to prepare.”

Reach reporter Michael Truong at news@dailyuw.com.