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WA House Releases Proposed Supplemental Budget

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Higher education is preserved for the most part in the Washington House’s proposed FY11 supplemental budget – HB 1086.

Total spending reductions for higher education funding are $4.5 million, including a $4 million reduction to research for the University of Washington and Washington State University and $541,000 in reductions to the Higher Education Coordinating Board (HECB) – $378,000 and the Spokane Intercollegiate Research & Technology Institute (SIRTI) – $163,000.

The proposed supplemental reduces funding to the following HECB programs and services: (1) College Readiness Program, (2) Health Sciences and Services Authority (HSSA), (3) student financial aid adminsitration, and (4) the Technology Transformation Task Force.

In addition, the proposed supplemental budget makes reductions in several other parts of the state budget including K-12 and health and human services, including a $42 million reduction to K-4 class size enhancement and reductions to the Basic Health Program

The proposed House supplemental budget differs from the Governor in several ways. The House’s proposal maintains current levy equalization for K-12 districts and current funding for Apple Health for Kids and the Disability Lifeline. In addition, reductions were made to the following programs, but not to the level proposed by the Governor – state food assistance, child abuse prevention, prescription drug assistance for seniors, community health clinics, family planning services, and mental health assistance. 

Legislators are trying to close a $588 million shortfall in the fiscal year that ends this June. The House’s proposed supplemental reduces the budget shortfall by $340 million, leaving approximately $260 million in the red for the year.

The House Ways & Means Committee will hold an Executive Session on HB 1086 this afternoon.

Evergreen Opens for House Higher Education

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This afternoon The Evergreen State College opened the House Higher Education Committee hearing.

Ken Tabbutt, Interim Provost, provided the Committee with a brief overview of Evergreen followed by details regarding the impact of the Governor’s proposed 2011-13 operating budget.  Tabbutt highlighted both the fiscal and the policy impacts of the proposed budget. 

  • State funding is reduced for Evergreen by 26.3% for the 2011-13 biennium.
  • Proposed tuition revenue generated leaves Evergreen’s General Operating Fund budget in deficit. The Governor’s budget does not take into account costs associated with over-enrollments and assumes greater  tuition revenue raising capacity
  • Under this proposal tuition revenue represents 63% of Evergreen’s budget compared to 57% last biennium.
  • Assumes Evergreen permanently sustains current over-enrolled levels (2010-2011 4,600 FTE, approx: 400 over-enrolled)
  • Provides funding for the State Need Grant
  •  Eliminates the current per-student funding based budgeting and replaces with degree production based model.
  • Provides $250,000 per year for TRIO program expansion
  • Evergreen is eligible to participate in a new baccalaureate incentive system ($5 million for all public, baccalaureate institutions)
  • Retains proviso limiting where reductions can be made from the prior biennium
  • Removes higher education institutions as recipients of Education Legacy Trust Funds.

In addition, Tabbutt shared with committee members the reductions and efficiencies the College has taken to meet reductions in state funding since 2008 and what is at risk if this trend continues.

Following Evergreen’s presentation the Higher Education Coordinating Board, the Workforce Board, and the State Community & Technical Colleges Board provided an overview of the impacts of the Governor’s proposed budgets on their work.

2011 Legislative Session: Week 2

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The second week of the 2011 legislative session will continue to focus on work sessions highlighting hot issues, providing background for legislators, and reporting out the recommendations and work conducted by organizations and agencies during the Interim.

In addition, committees in both chambers will hold public hearings on legislation introduced this session.

Several work sessions and some public hearings are scheduled on critical issues that impact higher education. To learn more follow the links below.

This week the focus of the appropriations committees (i.e. Senate Ways & Means ,  House Ways & Means, House Education Appropriations) will be a review of the Governor’s proposed operating and capital budgets for 2011-13, the impacts of the proposed budget on higher education, and potential action on the supplemental budget.

In addition, the higher education related committees (i.e. House Higher Education and  Senate Higher Education & Workforce Development) are scheduled to receive updates and learn the latest regarding the work of faculty, impacts of the budget, tuition, accountability measures, and the research taking place at Washington’s institutions of higher education.

Action on Supplemental Budget to Begin Next Week

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Next week the House Ways & Means Committee is scheduled to take action on the supplemental budget for the current fiscal year.

In December the Legislature convened a special session to remedy a portion of the budget gap in the current biennium.  The actions taken by policymakers reduced the estimated $1.2 billion shortfall by approximately $700 million. This left a remaining budget gap of approximately $502 million.

The actions next week will focus on closing the remaining budget gap in the current fiscal year.  This is part of an effort by both House and Senate leadership to expedite an early action supplemental budget reduction bill.

In comments earlier today, Senate Majority Leader Brown stated that though the goal is to attempt to close the revenue gap in this fiscal year, both chambers are also focused on ensuring that actions taken in the supplemental budget dovetail with the biennial budget the Legislature must have in place by June 30, 2011.

The hope is to finalize the supplemental buget by early February.

WA Senate Chair of Higher Education Cmte Discusses the Issues Facing Legislators this Session

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Today Senator Rodney Tom, the Chair of the Senate Higher Education & Workforce Committee provided constituents with an update regarding the 2011 session and the issues facing policymakers as they move forward.

Sen. Tom provides a glimpse into some of the issues that he will focus on as Chair of Higher Education in the Senate including governance and funding.

House Education Appropriations Continues Budget Discussion

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This afternoon the House Education Appropriations Committee completed a work session on education funding and held a public hearing.

The Governor’s Office completed its presentation of the proposed supplemental budget for the current biennium and the 2011-13 biennial budget.

Following the presentation organizations, institutions, teachers/faculty, students, parents, and other concerned citizens testified before the Committee with recommendations and requests to minimize the impacts proposed under the Governor’s budget.

Higher education’s public baccalaureate sector was represented by students, faculty, and institutions. Each institutions testified to the major impacts of the Governor’s proposed 211-13 proposed biennial budget.

House Higher Education Focuses on Budget

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This morning the House Higher Education Committee held a work session on higher education funding and budget priorities.

The Committee heard several overviews regarding the recent history of higher education funding in Washington and the impact of the Governor’s proposed 2011-13 biennial budget. Presentations were provided by Legislative staff, the Governor’s Office, and the Council of Presidents.

Following this overview, each four-year, public institution of higher education provided a brief presentation regarding the impacts of the Governor’s proposed budget and the impact of state funding reductions over the last few years.  Due to time constraints, Evergreen will provide their presentation on Monday, January 17.

The Committee wrapped-up their discussion with a student panel of representatives from the Washington Student Association to share their perspectives.

Note: All committee presentations can be found on the House Higher Education Committee’s website by clicking on Committee Meeting Documents, selecting the date and work session, and then selecting the presentation

Federal Bill Introduced to Reduce Spending on Programs and Services

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This week, U.S. Representative Kevin Brady (R-TX) introduced the Cut Unsustainable and Top-heavy Spending (CUTS) Act to reduce federal spending by $153 billion over the next five years. The bill includes several provisions that would affect student aid, including:

  • Elimination of the administrative cost allowance (ACA) paid to schools for student aid administration to save $200 million over the next five years
  • Elimination of the Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnership (LEAP) Program to save $1 million over five years
  • Elimination of the Robert C. Byrd Honors Scholarship Program to save $42 million over the next five years
  • Elimination of the Department of Education’s Legal Assistance Loan Repayment Program to save $5 million over the next five years.  

The Act is among several that have already been introduced in the U.S. House. Further action on this bill has yet to be scheduled.

Higher Education Policy Committees

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Led by Chair Larry Seaquist, the House Higher Education Committee started the morning with presentations about the students Washington’s public and private 2-year and 4-year sectors serve.

The Higher Education Coordinating Board provided an overview for the commitee. This was followed by panels that focused specifically on four-year public baccalaureate institutions, private baccalaureate institutions, community and technical colleges, and career colleges.

Mike Reilly, Executive Director for the Council of Presidents, shared with the committee an an overview of the student profile at Washington’s four-year, public institutions.

Following Reilly was a panel of five baccalaureate students, including Erin Dorrough  from The Evergreen State College. Each student shared with the Committee a little about themelves, their studies and what brought them to a Washington campus.

In the afternoon, the Senate Higher Education & Workforce Development Committee, led by Senator Rodney Tom, heard several presentations, including recommendations from the Technology Transformation Task Force and an overview by the Higher Education Coordinating Board on transfer and articulation in Washington.

Governor Gives State of the State Address

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This afternoon Governor Gregoire addressed both chambers of the Washington Legislature, several public officials, and the citizens of Washington in her State of the State Address.

Governor Gregoire emphasized three points in her address.

  • The need to create a stable and secure financial future for the state
  • The realization that state government cannot do it all
  • The need to transform state government into a leaner and more efficient and effective system.

She reiterated her proposals to create a Department of Education and change the state ferry system into a regional operation. She also pointed to health care and pensions as critical areas of spending that need to be reigned in.

Finally, she urged the Legislature to take early action (ideally by February) on a supplemental bill to eliminate the remaining budget gap in the current fiscal year.

The Republican response to the State of the State was provided by first-time Representative Ann Rivers (R-LaCenter). 

In her comments, Representative Rivers stated that the Republicans are focused on two issues this session

  • Strengthening the economy by creating jobs
  • Balancing the state budget without raising taxes

In addition, she stated that education, health care, and transportation were important issues.