Eastern Washington University EWU Digital Commons Eastern Washington University Digital History Student Newspapers Collections 1-18-2001 Easterner, Volume 53, No. 12 January 18, 2001 Eastern Washington University. Associated Students Follow this and additional works at: https://dc.ewu.edu/student_newspapers Recommended Citation Eastern Washington University. Associated Students, "Easterner, Volume 53, No. 12 January 18, 2001" (2001). Student Newspapers. 1347. https://dc.ewu.edu/student_newspapers/1347 This Book is brought to you for free and open access by the Eastern Washington University Digital History Collections at EWU Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Student Newspapers by an authorized administrator of EWU Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. THE www.easterneronline.com ASTERNE EASTERN WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY VOL 52, ISSUE 12 THURSDAY, JANUARY 18, 2001 In the dark More money The recent power shortage Gov. Locke is proposing a tighter could take an amazing toll budget that President Jordan on EASTERN's budget. says could increase tuition . SEE: Page 3 SEE: Page 2 ■ WINTER WARMFEST Second annual dance to raid LA Hall Saturday night. See: Page 8 2 January 18, 2001 Higher education funding mav dwindle posals. Another 200 students need to be ea. Eastern forced to make rolled just to cover the university's expenses. Cam­ pus housing is not funded by the state, so these contingency plans in case of cuts should not affect anyone who lives here at approval school. ASEWU President Bree Holsing is concerned Brian Triplett about what could happen to students as a result OipyE.ditor of these cuts and cost shifts. There is a commit­ Governor Gary Locke proposed a higher edu­ tee currently reviewing the school's budget but cation budget on December 19 that could have Holsing expressed concern about the fact that some dramatic.effects on academic programs here "right now, we do not have a student on that at Eastern Washington University. The governor's committee. [I would like) to get a student on that plan calls for a two percent reduction of funding committee, or to establish an alternative commit­ for Washington state's six public colleges and tee, because I believe the student voice is impor­ universities. For Eastern, that means a loss of tant. I have faith in our administration, but I feel _$752,000. it is a tremendous error not to have the student This budget cut comes at a time when several voice on there." Eastern employees were supposed to receive a 2.2 At some point during the next two weeks, percent salary increase. Some of these people will President Holsing and the student council will be still receive their raises, but the employees whose reviewing the university's operating budgets and salaries do not come out of state general funds making suggestions to the administration about may not receive the pay increases they were expect­ the proposed cuts. EWU's legislative liaison Mike ing. Their raises have been authorized by the state Johnson is also currently working with the state legislature, but the money might have to come legislature to try to avoid the possible tuition hikes. from alternative sources, such as funds originally There is a possibility that the control of tuition intended for other aspects of daily university op­ .A. Dan Clark and Bree Holsing hold up signs supporting the Student prices would shift from the state government to Eastern's local board of trustees. Holsing and erations. Council's stance on the proposed budget cuts. Holsing says "Education Other parts of the governor's proposal create her colleagues believe it would be better for stu­ even bigger problems. The university adminis­ is a right, not a privilege." dents if the state retained control of tuition rates, tration expects at least 300 more students to en­ partly because tuition would be less likely to in­ roll by next fall. Governor Locke's current budget ing for 15, and have to do those other reductions untouched and so that we can continue to make crease. will only support 15 students next year, and "about and cost shifts, then the net effect of absorbing all the investments. Obviously, the last strategy is "Another thing I would like to stress is that I 70 students next year for a total of about 85," those students is like making another budget cut. the whole question of to what extent will tuition see the administration's strategy on stirring up a President Stephen Jordan said during an inter­ The first strategy is to try to make our case around will have to be raised to deal with some of these scare on the price of tuition, but one thing they view on January 17. funding for more enroll- ------------------, issues, both in terms of need to focus on is what is going to happen to EWU will also be expected to absorb all in­ ment. Second, we are ask- LESS CASH FOR EASTERN the reductions and the financial aid. We need to help poor students get creases in utility costs. The costs of electricity and ing all the deans and vice- qualitative improve­ into school. A!; of now at our university, 65 per­ natural gas have been skyrocketing throughout presidents to look at their • On December 19, Governor Gary ments we ought to cent of our students are on state need-based fi­ Washington. The school's natural gas expenses programs-everything that Locke proposed a 2.2 percent make." nancial aid. We have a great need fort hat, and I have doubled this year, according to President they do- in the context of budget cut for all state funded President Jordan hope ... the legislature will represent that. If tu­ Jordan. Energy prices are expected to rise through­ 'what are the things that colleges and universities. talked about things he ition is going to rise, we need to find other ways out the 2001-03 period. In practical terms, this you do that aren't central is excited about, such a to make sure that [lower income) students have means the university's budget shortfall could be to the core mission of the makeover for the exte­ access to higher education. The main things we This budget cut and various other as much as 2.2 million dollars this year and a simi­ university?' ... that we can • rior of Tawanka Com­ are going to be focusing on are access, affordability, budget proposals could cost EWU lar loss could happen in 2002. look at eliminating. If we mons the new Com­ and quality of education," Holsing said. as much as 2.2 million dollars An increase in tuition fees is one way to com­ have to make reductions, puter Science, Engineer­ She enthusiastically added "Education is a this year and in 2002. pensate for the loss of state funding. Unfortu­ I do not want to make ing, and Technology right, not a privilege." nately, it would take an increase of approximately reductions across the building [a $22 million The one thing all parties seem to agree on is 10.73 percent in tuition fees while offering about board because all that • A 10.73 percenttuition increase dollar project] which that the university will continue to function pretty the same amount of financial aid that is being does is drag the whole would cover all ofthe university's should be open by the much the way it does right now. However, it given to students now to cover the school's ex­ universitydown. Wehave projected expenses, but President fall of 2004, and the remains to be seen where the cuts will be made penses. achieved real positive Stephen Jordan and the school renovation of Senior within the individual academic programs and cen­ "If we were to try to cover all of the reduc­ growth and direction. We administration are seeking other Hall. Capital funds, ters of excellence, or whether tuition will eventu­ tions and cost shifts that are proposed under the have a vision-the centers ways of dealing with the loss of which are used for ally be increased. Alternate proposals include a governor's proposed budget through tuition, it of excellence, the Cheney funding. One suggested alterna­ building costs, have re­ much smaller increase of 4.4 percent, so the over­ would require that large of an increase. It's a little Hall proposal, and a tive is a smaller tuition increase mained intact. There­ all impact on students could be relatively small. over two million dollars a year in impact. That's number of other things. of 4.4 percent. Any tuition fore, Eastern will be able On the other hand, the full 10.73 percent increase prerty significant when you see that we receive We want to continue to increase would be a last resort for to continue with various could affect some students' ability to afford to about forty million dollars a year in state general invest in growth and the university. projects including the attend classes here at Eastern. President Jordan, moving the university funding," President Jordan said. Downtown Path. the school administration and faculty, and the stu· "Obviously, we're looking at other strategies," forward. The second • The ASEWU is also doing what it Expansion of cam­ dent government all share a similar desire to make President Jordan continued "We're working with strategy is [looking for] pus housing, which has certain that students receive the best education things we can eliminate can to help students in the face of the legislature on increasing support in the bud­ been a major concern re­ possible under current budgetary constraints, so and not do any more so this loss of funding, including get for new enrollments.