State budget pleases higher education

Higher education was a winner in the Legislature this year, with the University of Washington calling its budgets for the next two years the best in decades.

The UW, the state's largest public university, received an operating budget of nearly $807 million -- that's a 15 percent increase over its previous two-year budget and the largest increase in almost 20 years, according to the university.

It received a capital budget of $143.6 million, the most it has received in 10 years.

President Mark Emmert said in a statement that the budgets closed the funding gap between the UW and similar institutions by one-third.

"It is what we requested and what needed to happen to ensure high-quality educational opportunities for our citizens, and we will make very good use of these resources to deliver it to them," he said. "We hope this is the first step in a multiyear plan to close the gap entirely with the global challenge states."

The university also will be able to generate more money from tuition, within limits. The Legislature capped annual tuition increases for undergraduate residents to 7 percent. Undergraduate tuition cost $5,985 for a Washington resident this year.

The UW had intended to seek control of tuition rates if the state did not provide adequate funding.

Bryce McKibben, a UW student lobbyist in Olympia, said a number of bills that help students were passed, such as those related to financial aid. The Legislature increased the number of people who can receive financial aid by expanding the income levels that are covered by state need grants and making part-time student eligible.

"I just can't imagine a better year for education," he said.

The UW budgets included funds for the development of a branch campus in the Snohomish, Skagit and Island counties area. Local politicians and business leaders had lobbied the state and the university to open a campus near Everett.

University officials have said they were open to the idea, but cautioned that they didn't want to a new campus to compete with existing universities for state money. The UW already has branch campuses in Bothell and in Tacoma.

A report on where the new campus may be and how it would be established is due to the state by November.

Capital funds also will finance the renovation of old campus buildings such as the Playhouse Theater and pay for projects at the two branch campuses.

Seattle Community Colleges also fared well in the Legislature. Chancellor Charles Mitchell called its capital budget one of its best ever, and it includes funding for a remodeling at the Seattle Central campus.

Its operating budget also was up and included money for faculty pay raises, he said.

Other higher education bills and funding passed during the legislative session:

Faculty members at the state's community colleges may earn more. The Legislature provided $7.5 million for faculty pay increases that faculty members have earned by performing extra work or gaining more experience. It also gave $11.25 million to improve salaries of part-time faculty members, who lag behind their full-time peers.

Community college tuition will increase up to 2 percent.

Textbooks may cost less. A bill backed by students requires publishers to disclose how much their books cost so faculty members can research less-expensive alternatives.

Children of military veterans who have become totally disabled or died may receive tuition waivers for college.