UW readies for upcoming legislative session

The ASUW is gearing up for a state legislative session that has big implications for higher education, especially for the UW.

In a year when the UW is pushing the state Legislature to increase its support for higher education, about 70 students, UW administrators and state legislators met last night to have dinner and discuss political issues at the 2nd Annual Legislative Pre-session Reception, sponsored jointly by the ASUW and Affordable Tuition Now.

The UW is requesting 22 percent more funding from the state Legislature this year [HTML_REMOVED] an increase of $156 million. The largest shares of that money would go toward increasing faculty salaries and expanding enrollment at the UW's branch campuses in Bothell and Tacoma.

Students used the face-to-face meeting with legislators to voice their feelings on several issues related to higher education, including capping tuition increases and making the UW's student conduct code apply to off-campus residences.

The ASUW has a student lobbyist each year in Olympia and sends a group of student there to talk to legislators every spring, but the pre-session reception is a chance for them to engage with local politicians more informally, said ASUW legislative coordinator Sameer Kanal.

"I think it's important to have [the legislators] come to our turf," Kanal said. "This is also a very different kind of lobbying. It's dinner, it's discussion. We're really getting into the meat of the issues ... not just going to a legislator and saying, 'Here's a problem; you solve it.'"

The event's keynote speaker, Lt. Gov. Brad Owen, affirmed the state's commitment to increasing funding for higher education during the upcoming session.

"The legislative contribution to higher education has declined ... but the demand is unlimited," he said. "No one from the state of Washington should be deprived of a world-class education at our state universities if they want one."

Students and legislators alike expressed concern about keeping higher education in the state accessible through limiting tuition increases and increasing financial aid.

"We must ensure that all Washingtonians have the opportunity to go to college," said Joel Murray, chair of Affordable Tuition Now. "One's financial situation should not be an obstacle in their quest toward achieving the American dream."

UW administrators present included UW President Mark Emmert, Provost Phyllis Wise and Fred Kiga, chair of the Board of Regents.

State legislators in attendance included Rep. Helen Sommers, chair of the House Appropriations Committee; Rep. Bob Hasegawa; Rep. Dave Upthegrove; Senator-Elect Ed Murray and Representative-Elect Jamie Pedersen.

"The round-table part of it [HTML_REMOVED] getting a chance to talk to students [HTML_REMOVED] was just fascinating," Pedersen said. "It was good to hear the kind of issues that they're concerned with as well as how those range."

Reporter Melissa Santos: melissasantos@thedaily.washington.edu.