State Budget Boosts Investment In CWU Students, Campus, Staff and Faculty

April 27, 2005

Contact: Robert Lowery (509-963-1487/fax 509-963-2301/e-mail: loweryr@cwu.edu)

ELLENSBURG, Wash - The Legislature's biennial spending plans increase state investment in CWU students, faculty, and physical facilities, and boost the university's tuition waiver authority for the first time since 1993.

The $26-billion operating budget for 2005-2007 funds 650 new enrollments at CWU campuses: 625 undergraduate and 25 graduate students. The budget also elevates the level of support for these full-time equivalent (FTE) students from $5,342 to $6,303, reversing a long decline in state per-FTE funding.

"Particularly in light of the dire projections at the beginning of the legislative session, higher education was well treated in the operating budget," said Dr. Jerilyn S. McIntyre, Central Washington University president.

For the first time since 1993, the Legislature has increased CWU's authority to waive tuition for students to a level equal to other regional universities, from 8 to 11 percent. For the last 12 years, CWU has qualified for significantly less state support for waivers than Western Washington University and Eastern Washington University.

"This was a big win for CWU," said Ann Anderson, director of governmental relations. "Last year this proposed policy change didn't even make it out of committee. This year the budget includes the change and sets the stage for a permanent revision in our waiver authority."

The operating budget authorizes comprehensive universities, like CWU, to increase resident undergraduate tuition by 6 percent. However, 25 percent of the tuition increase will return to the state general fund to help pay for student financial aid.

The Legislature also made it easier for families to qualify for the State Need Grant by increasing eligibility from 55 percent to 65 percent of the state's median family income, $43,000 a year for a family of four.

Legislators held firm on their intent to fund cost-of-living increases for all state employees by 3.2 percent in the first year of the biennium and 1.6 percent in the second year.

The capital budget earmarks $21.5 million for capital improvements at CWU, including for minor works preservation and programs, utilities, upgrades to Nicholson Pavilion and preventive maintenance and repair.

The state's biennial construction budget provides $2 million to plan the renovation of Dean Hall, the university's top major capital project item this biennium. The capital budget, however, does not include funding for the construction phase of the renovation.

Anderson pointed out that CWU was pleased to receive funding for design, but failure to fund construction was a disappointment, "Dean Hall will continue to be a major priority for Central, but its completion will take a little longer than we'd hoped," she said

The budget bills are now in the hands of Gov. Christine Gregoire, who has 20 days after the conclusion of the legislative session (not including Sundays) to act on the bills. Gregoire may sign a bill, veto all of a bill or full sections of a bill, or leave a bill untouched, in which case it becomes law without her signature.

"We are grateful to all of those on our campus who worked with legislators and their staff to help them understand the needs of our campus and of higher education in general," said McIntyre.