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Cougar Depot sale to fund new visitor’s center
Regents approve tuition increase, new academic offerings
Friday, May 4, 2012
By Darin Watkins, WSU News
PULLMAN, Wash. – Tuition rates at Washington State University will increase approximately $1,500 per year for resident undergraduate and graduate students, along with comparable increases for other tuition categories, beginning in the fall of 2012.
At Friday's meeting in Pullman, the WSU Board of Regents approved a proposal to implement the 16 percent tuition increase built in the 2011-13 state biennial budget adopted by the state legislature. The legislative budget assumed tuition increases would be implemented by all state-funded institutions in each year of the biennium.
"Tuition increases at this level are unsustainable, and if continued will compromise access and affordability for students,” said WSU President Elson S. Floyd. "We must continue to maintain the quality of a WSU education without pricing students out of the market.”
Regent Scott Carson echoed President Floyd’s concerns, saying "We can’t let the state off the hook. It is incumbent on all of us to let our legislature know the importance we place on education and that these cuts are not sustainable.”
A tuition committee made up of WSU students, faculty and staff recommended accepting the tuition increase outlined by the legislature. Even with the proposed tuition increase, WSU will face a budgeted shortfall of $40 million for the biennium. No increases are anticipated in Student’s Services and Activities (S & A) fees.
In other action, the Regents approved the sale of the Cougar Depot, a former railroad station housing the WSU Visitor’s Center in Pullman. A new visitor's center is planned; President Floyd said.
The Regents also approved several academic changes for WSU, including:
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Formation of a new School for Politics, Philosophy, and Public Affairs
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Formation of a new School of Design and Construction
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Extending Bachelor of Civil Engineering degrees to WSU Tri-Cities
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Extending the Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering to the University Center of North Puget Sound, Everett
Regent Scott E. Carson has been elected to serve as chair of the Board of Regents for 2012-13 term with Connie M. Niva to serve as vice chair and chair pro tem.
The board's next meeting will be August 24th in Pullman.
Contact:
Darin Watkins, WSU News, 509-335-4456, darin.watkins@wsu.edu
Darin Watkins, WSU News, 509-335-4456, darin.watkins@wsu.edu
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