Monthly Archives: February 2015

Nearly a Month In…

Posted on by
Reply

Washington is nearly a month in to the 2015 legislative session. Activity abounds.

In the House, the 2015 supplemental budget passed off the floor late last week and the Appropriations Committee has held a public hearing on the Governor’s proposed biennial budget.  In addition, the Capital Budget Committee took testimony on the Governor’s proposed biennial capital budget.

The House Higher Education Committee opened the legislative session with several work sessions focused on timely topics including access and affordability and areas of study that lead to good jobs – highlighting computer science, rural health care, and maritime industries. Beginning last week, the Committee began hold public hearings on legislation introduced this session. The focus of bills introduced this session have ranged from efficiencies and transparency within higher education to strategic planning to access and affordability policies.

The Committee will continue to hold public hearings and begin executive sessions through this week and likely most of next week as the first legislative deadline nears at the end of February.

The Senate has followed a similar path.  The Senate Ways & Means Committee opened the session with a public hearing on the Governor’s biennial operating budget followed by two work sessions focused on higher education funding and capital construction.  This week the Committee will hold a public hearing on the Governor’s proposed biennial capital budget.

The Senate Higher Education Committee also has taken time to focus on topics of the day in higher education, such as medical education, campus sexual assault prevention, and higher education funding.  Beginning last week the committee focused on advancing legislation introduced this session, giving attention to a series of bills focused on financial aid and transparency. The committee will continue this work this week with hearings on sexual assault prevention legislation, tuition policy, and veterans.

Finally, the Committee has held a series of conversations with trustees and regents appointed by the Governor to serve on higher education related public boards.

Obama Releases FY16 Budget – Focus on Education

Posted on by
Reply

This week President Obama released his FY16 budget.  The budget includes several key investments to support the education continuum by investing in the expansion of high-quality early learning programs, increasing equity and opportunity for all students; supporting teachers and school leaders; and improving access, affordability and student outcomes in college.

The proposed budget includes several investments in higher education:

  • America’s College Promise Initiative, which would partner with state’s to offer free tuition for the first two years of community college ($1.36 billion).
  • Full support for the Pell Grant program, including tying the maximum award to inflation beyond 2017 ($29.7 billion)
  • Simplification of the FAFSA
  • Expansion of job opportunities through the American Technical Training Fund, a joint effort with the Department of Labor ($200 million)
  • Simplification of Income-Driven student loan repayment plans
  • An increase in support for federal TRIO programs by $20 million ($860 million)
  • An increase in support for the First in the World program by $140 million ($200 million)

In addition to higher education, the budget makes several investments in early learning and K-12 education.  Among the highlights is funding to support the Preschool for All program to provide universal high-quality preschool programs for all four year-old from low- and moderate-income families and the Teaching for Tomorrow program to support changes in how states and districts recruit and prepare new teachers and strengthen professional support for teachers throughout their career.

The President’s proposed budget now goes to The Hill for consideration.

Senate Higher Education Committee Engages with Evergreen Trustee

Posted on by
Reply

This afternoon the Washington Senate Higher Education Committee held a public hearing and engaged in a conversation with three trustees from Washington’s public higher education institutions – Bellevue College, Everett Community College, and The Evergreen State College.

The Senate Committee asked several questions of the trustees ranging from what is the one thing you hope to do in your current role to what is your perspective on tuition policy.

Nick Wootan, the current student trustee, shared his thoughts with regard to tuition, the need for investment in higher education, and the role of student voice in higher education.