No way around adding a new 4-year college

The state Higher Education coordinating Board and Board of Community and Technical Colleges did some good work this past weekend in Yakima.

The HEC board worked through a series of recommendations on tuition increases that, if approved, would hit up UW and WSU students for 5-6 percent more money, Western, Central and Eastern for 4-5 percent and community college students for 3-4 percent.

The community and technical colleges board, with a constituency more used to making the most of limited dollars, proposed freezing tuition for its students.

All of the proposals are less than in previous years and sensitive to the need to keep higher education relatively affordable. It should be noted that none of the increases cover anticipated cost increases of delivering that education.

Which brings the point that the boards did not address: a 4-year university in Snohomish County. While the item was on the agenda, there was little discussion beyond forwarding it to the November meetings.

Faced with a future dependent on education, improved access to university-level classes is needed. The UW-Bothell campus has its niche, but that isn’t serving the growing demand to the north.

In October, the HEC board recommended a linked or branch-campus model aimed at science and technology. The affiliated approach is a good idea, leveraging infrastructure already in place. However, while science, math and technology may be an appropriate focus, an organizational approach that embraces all educational pursuits would be more flexible in the face of an uncertain future. A broader approach would also allow for more potential connections with existing community colleges and create a stronger web of educational opportunities.