Washington's higher ed prepares for cuts up to $600M

Universities and community colleges across the state are being asked to prepare for a possible budget cut of some $600 million over the next two years — requiring them to consider slashing courses, laying off staff, reducing student numbers and raising tuition.

Such a cut — 20 percent of the state's total higher-education budget — would have massive and far-reaching impacts that some say would reverberate for decades. And the cuts couldn't come at a worse time for many institutions, which are seeing record applications and enrollments because of the worsening economy.

Community colleges would need to shed at least 6,000 students and end a long tradition of opening the doors to everyone, leaders say. And the University of Washington would need to abandon its plans to double the number of students at its branch campuses in Tacoma and Bothell.

The state's Office of Financial Management (OFM) has asked campuses to develop plans that assume a 20 percent cut, said spokesman Glenn Kuper. The request comes ahead of a state revenue forecast, due today, that is expected to show significantly worse numbers than previous forecasts.

"We are trying to get as much information as possible as to where institutions would find reductions," Kuper said. A cut of that magnitude ending up in the governor's draft budget next month is "definitely a possibility," he said, even realistic, given the state's financial situation.

"These are unchartered waters for us," said Randy Hodgins, the UW's director of state relations. "This is beyond belt-tightening, there's no doubt about that."

The problem for colleges is that higher-education funding represents the single biggest pot of unprotected money in the state's budget — and therefore a big target in lean times. Other state services, such as K-12 education and prisons, are protected by state or federal mandates.

Colleges and universities "are the largest of the discretionary part of government," said Victor Moore, the governor's budget director. "When you have to look at the size of the budget challenge we have, you have to look at them and make tough choices."

Hodgins said a 20 percent cut in state funding to the UW would mean a loss of $167 million over the next two years. That would mean larger class sizes, fewer programs and perhaps fewer students. "We can kiss enrollment expansion goodbye," he said, referring to plans the UW unveiled over the summer to ramp up enrollment at its Tacoma and Bothell campuses.

Persuading lawmakers to support a renovation of Husky Stadium was "obviously going to be difficult" given the situation, Hodgins said. He added that the $150 million in public funds the UW is seeking for that project would provide thousands of jobs and could be the type of large infrastructure project that helps revitalize the state economy.

Just Tuesday, the UW announced it had 1,100 more students than predicted — and authorized by the state budget — after more sophomores, juniors and seniors stayed in school. The UW says that increase is likely a result of the economic downturn.

UW President Mark Emmert said Tuesday that applications for next year's freshman class are already up 20 percent over last year's record numbers, and could hit 25,000.

"The biggest problem with the higher-education budget is that this is when it's most needed," Emmert said. "The best way to drive forward the economy is through education and innovation."

Emmert said it's too early to talk about specific cuts.

"We need to sit down and look at our institutional priorities, and start to do a model with different budget scenarios," he said. "We need to look at maintaining those things that are most important, and reducing those that are least important."

Charlie Earl, the executive director of the state Board for Community and Technical Colleges, said OFM asked it to run a scenario that cuts some $300 million from the $1.5 billion biennial budget for the state's 34 community and technical colleges.

He said that, at a minimum, colleges would need to cut about 6,000 full-time students enrolled beyond the 139,000 funded by the state, and end the policy of opening the doors to all eligible students.

Earl said there would also be job cuts and course cuts, although every effort would be made to keep open all 34 colleges to allow access to all students, no matter where they live.

Larry Ganders, assistant to the president at Washington State University, said it has already started to reduce the total number of courses by one-fifth in anticipation of a lean budget and to focus on priority courses. However, he said the state's numbers represent only one scenario at this point, and he needs to see more details.

At Western Washington University, Sherry Burkey, the acting vice president for external affairs, said the president is talking to key leaders on the campus to figure out potential cuts.

"What's really sad about this is that we've really had some investment in higher-ed in the last two bienniums," she said. "It will probably be decades before we can get those resources back."

Legislative leaders in the state House and Senate said they hope to figure out a way to avoid the types of cuts being discussed by the governor's office.

"I wish that we could look at other options that are more scalpel-like," said House Majority Leader Lynn Kessler, D-Hoquiam.

Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown, D-Spokane, noted that "when there is an economic downturn, people want to go back to school."

"We have to look at the economy and what people need," she said. "I think they're going to need higher education as an option when the work force is tenuous and changing like it is. I hope we can come up with some other ways to avoid that serious of a cut."

Nick Perry: 206-515-5639 or nperry@seattletimes.com