Budget writers in the House and Senate unveiled operating budget proposals Monday that would yield new reductions for WSU.
Though both proposals rely on substantial tax packages to narrow this year’s budget gap, the two chambers took different approaches to higher education funding. The Senate plan ultimately includes about $11.8 million in general appropriation reductions over the next biennium but allows some of that to be made up by authorizing a tuition increase of 5 percent more than it otherwise would be for fall 2026. The House plan includes $16.1 million in general reductions without providing additional tuitional authority.
Both plans fully fund WSU’s request to continue the Native American Scholarship program but on a temporary basis for the next two years. Neither fund WSU’s requests to fund its collective bargaining agreement with academic student employees or accreditation efforts in the Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine. Both plans include a $696,000 cut in biennial appropriation for turfgrass research approved two years ago. Both provide $16.8 million for cost of living adjustments, a far cry from requested amounts.
While the Senate plan reduces the maximum Washington College Grant award from students at 65 percent median family income to 55 percent and eliminates all awards at 71 percent MFI and above, the House proposal reduces the maximum award to 60 percent but leaves the rest of the program unchanged.
The House budget also includes a $600,000 cut in support for the Ruckelshaus Center and halves funding for the Murrow News Fellowship program. The Senate plan contains neither.
The Senate tax plan includes a payroll tax that would cost WSU roughly $2 million per biennium and a furlough program for fiscal year 2026 that would achieve $217,000 in reductions.
Both budgets are scheduled to receive public hearings Tuesday. After each chamber approves their version, House and Senate negotiators will come together to produce a compromise to send to Gov. Bob Ferguson.