Bill lets legislators set tuition

In an effort to keep tuition from rising, students from Washington State University persuaded lawmakers Tuesday to propose placing control of increases in the hands of legislators instead of regents.

"Accessibility is our main argument," said Clark Brunkow-Mather, spokesman for the WSU Student Association.

It is rare for regents and trustees to grant an open forum, Mather said, making it difficult for students to complain when tuition is increased.

On the other hand, Mather said legislators are readily available to hear students' concerns.

"I'm not sure that's true," said Larry Ganders, lobbyist for WSU. "What's broken here is not the mechanism for who sets the tuition, the problem here is state support for higher education."

Eastern Washington University wants regents to have control.

"We at Eastern have supported tuition-setting by the board as a flexibility tool," said George Durrie, lobbyist for EWU.

Even if they keep the power to increase tuition, he said, "in all likelihood, they wouldn't."

But Rep. Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville, a supporter of the bill, said tuition has risen faster than it should.

"I'm very concerned," he said. "The time span from when I was a student to now, the students' cost has risen higher than the rate of inflation."

Since 1988, tuition, including mandatory student fees, has more than doubled in this state, Mather said.

In the 1970s, students paid 25 percent of total instructional cost, according to the state's Higher Education Coordinating Board. Today students pay more than 43percent.

Sen. Larry Sheahan, R-Spokane, supports a Senate version of the bill introduced more than a week ago.

"Students and faculty can come to us and make their best case," Sheahan said.

The House bill introduced Tuesday comes barely a week after Gov. Gary Locke's tuition plan was proposed. It would give regents the power to increase tuition by 10 percent a year, with a 40 percent cap over a six-year period.

Sheahan was disappointed with the governor's plan.

"If the governor is interested in supporting education he shouldn't do it on the backs of students," Sheahan said.

Locke's office defended the plan and said he's trying to keep costs down.

For instance, colleges requested a first-year 4 percent salary increase for their employees. The governor countered with a 2.2 percent increase.

The tuition plan is designed as a tool for higher education institutions to get closer to their goals, such as the 4 percent salary increase, said Theo Yu, Locke's budget assistant.

But Schoesler said the governor's plan is like a tax hike for middle-class families.

Despite a rise in tuition, low-income students will receive aid, he said. Wealthy families will pay the increase without difficulty.

"But the middle class is left out," Schoesler said.

That's why he wants legislators to control tuition increases, he said. "We're here to make the hard decisions."

A hearing for the House bill is scheduled next Wednesday.

Copyright 2001 Cowles Publishing Company
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved.