Editorial: State must keep higher education attainable
Eastern Washington University is looking at raising tuition by 11 percent for the 2011-’12 school year, and that’s the good news. Elsewhere, Washington State University regents just approved a 16 percent tuition increase and a similar hike is expected for the University of Washington, because of the Legislature’s $500 million in cuts to the state’s universities and colleges over the next two years.
It seems to be the never-ending story for higher education. After financing K-12 education and health and social services, legislators have little left over for higher education. Over the 2009-’11 biennium, four of the six state universities and colleges collected more money from tuition than they did from state government. That’s the first time that’s occurred, but it won’t be the last.