UW's Husky Promise one worth keeping

AFFORDING college tuition is a perennial worry of many students and their parents even though our state's universities remain relative bargains. Annual tuition and fees at the University of Washington, for example, are $7,692.

It is also worth highlighting programs like the Husky Promise, UW's worthy guarantee of full tuition for lower-income students. Launched in 2007, the Husky Promise has grown to support more than 7,000 students, or a quarter of the university's undergraduates.

That's a lot of students who might not have gone to college otherwise.

Husky Promise students are covered by federal and state grants, such as the Pell Grant or State Need Grant. And here's where a promise kept makes all the difference to a college student: If federal and state grants fall short of full tuition, UW makes up the difference with institutional grants or scholarships.

Washington State University's Cougar Commitment program shows similar dedication to helping students afford college. A student from a family of modest means would take heart from WSU's statement on their Web site: In general, if you're from a family of four with an income of $46,500 or less, you could attend (WSU) tuition-free.

A generous and important promise from our state's two research universities. Worth highlighting is the philosophy underlying the programs: Money, or the absence of it, should not deter hardworking students from a college education.