Published: Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Is timing right for UW branch? You bet it is
State Rep. Dan Kristiansen posed this rhetorical question on his Web site this week: "Is the timing right for a new four-year regional university?"
He says no. We disagree, emphatically.
It's not that the Snohomish Republican has raised an entirely bogus point. Part of his concern, he says, is the impact enrollment at a new University of Washington branch campus in Snohomish County might have on existing four-year institutions and community colleges.
That's a legitimate concern, but in this case it's misplaced. There's been wide agreement since the Legislature approved the first steps to create the new branch that it will require additional higher-education funding.
The state simply has to step up to the reality that its growing population, along with a dire shortage of skilled workers -- especially those with degrees in engineering, science and technology -- and Washington's underfunding of its four-year institutions relative to the rest of the nation adds up to a need to make a greater investment in higher education. And it can't come out of the vital and successful role played by the state's community and technical colleges, which are adequately funded and must remain so.
The fact that some campuses, such as UW Bothell, haven't yet reached their growth limits begs a critical question: Why haven't they? Could their location have something to do with it?
Of course. UW Bothell doesn't serve Snohomish County well, largely because traffic congestion makes commute times too unpredictable. A campus in the heart of Snohomish County's population base, and closer to underserved populations in Skagit and Island counties, will obviously be more attractive than Bothell's to thousands of potential students. It will also be in closer proximity to major industries, which according to UW North's academic plan will play an important role in providing practical learning experiences -- exciting new opportunities that will serve students from this region and around the state, better preparing them to enter the workplace ready to excel.
According to the state Higher Education Coordinating Board, growth projections show that to maintain the current higher-education participation rate, an additional 16,000 full-time enrollment slots will be needed four years from now. A significant unmet need for students in Snohomish, Island and Skagit counties has been clearly identified.
The need for a new campus is real, and the time for it is now.
He says no. We disagree, emphatically.
It's not that the Snohomish Republican has raised an entirely bogus point. Part of his concern, he says, is the impact enrollment at a new University of Washington branch campus in Snohomish County might have on existing four-year institutions and community colleges.
That's a legitimate concern, but in this case it's misplaced. There's been wide agreement since the Legislature approved the first steps to create the new branch that it will require additional higher-education funding.
The state simply has to step up to the reality that its growing population, along with a dire shortage of skilled workers -- especially those with degrees in engineering, science and technology -- and Washington's underfunding of its four-year institutions relative to the rest of the nation adds up to a need to make a greater investment in higher education. And it can't come out of the vital and successful role played by the state's community and technical colleges, which are adequately funded and must remain so.
The fact that some campuses, such as UW Bothell, haven't yet reached their growth limits begs a critical question: Why haven't they? Could their location have something to do with it?
Of course. UW Bothell doesn't serve Snohomish County well, largely because traffic congestion makes commute times too unpredictable. A campus in the heart of Snohomish County's population base, and closer to underserved populations in Skagit and Island counties, will obviously be more attractive than Bothell's to thousands of potential students. It will also be in closer proximity to major industries, which according to UW North's academic plan will play an important role in providing practical learning experiences -- exciting new opportunities that will serve students from this region and around the state, better preparing them to enter the workplace ready to excel.
According to the state Higher Education Coordinating Board, growth projections show that to maintain the current higher-education participation rate, an additional 16,000 full-time enrollment slots will be needed four years from now. A significant unmet need for students in Snohomish, Island and Skagit counties has been clearly identified.
The need for a new campus is real, and the time for it is now.
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