The effort to bring a four-year university to underserved citizens of Snohomish, Island and Skagit counties is all about keeping our state competitive for good-paying jobs today and in the future. The public investment in meeting student demand will pay off in higher revenues generated by a growing economy. It will also stem the current need to recruit skilled technical and engineering workers from outside Washington.
That investment will do little good, though, if families can’t afford to send their kids to college. The state must make higher education more accessible not only by creating more seats, but making them more affordable.
That means reversing a trend that has seen college tuition at Washington’s public universities and community and technical colleges rise above the rate of inflation for years. Gradually, middle-class families have had to shoulder an increasing percentage of college costs.
A year’s tuition at the University of Washington for a resident undergraduate was $2,253 in 1992-93; this year it’s $5,985. Throw in room and board, books and other expenses, and it costs a freshman $17,500 just to get through their first year. That puts the total cost of a four-year UW degree at $70,000.
Tuition at community colleges has gone up similarly, from $999 per year in 1992-93 to $2,586 this year.
Financial aid helps open the door, especially for low-income families. News last week that UW regents have decided to guarantee free tuition to about 5,000 low-income undergraduates a year was encouraging. Scholarships and grants are there for those who qualify, as are subsidized loans. Washington’s Guaranteed Education Tuition program (get.wa.gov) provides an excellent way for families to start saving early.
Still, the financial burden on middle-class families with two or more kids can be daunting, and it’s getting worse every year. Without change, more and more qualified students won’t have access to the higher earnings and better life a college education offers.
The state Higher Education Coordinating Board last week approved two draft budget recommendations for 2007-09, a lean version and one that would make tuition more affordable. Education leaders in the Legislature and the governor need to make the latter plan one of their budget priorities.
The high school class of 2008 is expected to be the largest in state history, and higher learning standards mean more of them will expect and be ready to go to college. Cost shouldn’t be a bar on the door.
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