WSU Budget Requests

Graduate Program Funding Restoration (PL-GS)

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AGENCY RECOMMENDATION AND FISCAL SUMMARY

$1.6 million is requested by Washington State University to restore the funding for graduate programs that was cut in the 2007-09 biennial budget. This funding is needed to maintain program quality for all graduate students (resident and non-resident students). The funding is also needed to maintain the quality of instructional programs for all students, graduate and undergraduate.   

Although there were no hearings or public discussion throughout the 2007 legislative session, the final legislative budget cut $1.6 million from WSU graduate programs stating the “State subsidy for the education of graduate students who are not Washington residents is reduced by 10 percent.” A similar reduction was made to University of Washington graduate programs. The reductions were made without the benefit of legislative hearings or public debate.

NARRATIVE JUSTIFICATION AND IMPACT STATEMENT

Why is this request an urgent need?

Graduate students are an integral component of the research and instruction efforts within the major research universities in Washington.  The best graduate students expect and need competitive financial packages to support their studies.  These financial packages must include out-of-state tuition waivers to be competitive.  The revenue that graduate students bring into the university emanate directly from their in-state tuition that is paid, but indirectly from the substantive contributions they make to the research enterprise to support the application of new grants and publications.

Washington State University and the University of Washington are the research universities in Washington.  As the state renews its focus on economic development through higher education, it is an inopportune time to lose this critical funding and support of graduate education. 

The removal of the out-of-state tuition waivers is especially troublesome in that it does not reflect the strategic priorities of WSU, the reality of recruiting high quality and diverse graduate students, nor the competitive advantage that out-of-state and international students bring to the state of Washington. 

WSU requests that this funding be restored in consideration of these factors:

• Resident and non-resident students enroll in the same classes.  A reduction aimed at graduate programs would damage program quality for all students.
• The state benefits from attracting top graduate students to Washington’s research universities regardless of their origins. Many non-resident students teach courses at WSU and remain in the state where they graduate.

• A reduction in funding for graduate programs is counter to the principles of Washington Learns and to the legislative goal of increasing per student funding.

Graduate students at WSU are integrated into our university mission including their use as teaching assistants.  Maintaining strong graduate programs and attracting the best graduate students are essential requisites for offering high quality undergraduate programs. 

Without this funding WSU would have to absorb the funding in its general budget. All programs and disciplines suffer.

FISCAL DETAILS