Western students and community members will have an opportunity to speak out against the proposed $35 million budget cut to Western on March 1, during a statewide day of action for public universities.
The Associated Students Western Votes organization is hosting the second annual “Rally to Restore Education” from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Performing Arts Center Plaza.
In a letter to representatives Feb. 24, President Bruce Shepard said Gov. Chris Gregoire’s proposed cut for Western is $35 million. He said this would take state support down to 35 percent, and place the financial burden of public education on students and families.
“We have exhausted the ability to make deeper cuts without affecting the quality (of education),” Shepard said.
President Shepard listed extreme examples of what the cut could mean for Western, noting that it is equal to eliminating the operating budget of Woodring College of Education, Huxley College of the Environment and Fairhaven College of Interdisciplinary Studies.
“These are obviously unthinkable options that would tear out the core of Western as a university,” Shepard said. “But the equivalencies show just how deep these proposed cuts really are.”
Under the governor’s proposal for Western, the average time to earn a degree would increase from 4.6 years to 5.7 years. The cut would force 43 faculty positions to be cut, increasing class sizes and eliminating programs.
A total of 51 staff positions would have to be cut university-wide, including important roles in student support services like financial aid, registration, counseling and heath, Shepard said.
Byron Starkey, AS Vice President for Governmental Affairs, said in addition to those impacts, $25 million would be cut statewide from the State Need Grant, tuition could increase up to $2,100 in two years and 50 percent of state work-study positions will be eliminated.
Western sophomore Eileen Pollet, who has helped Western Votes organize the rally, said she is tired of the state using education to fill budget gaps.
“Cutting education is not a good way to revive our economy,” Pollet said. “We are the future of Washington, and we need to remind legislators about the value of students and degrees.”
Christina Roy, president of Western Votes, said participants will be able to look up the contact information for representatives in Olympia, and make phone calls in support of higher education at the PAC plaza.
Roy also said letters outlining the impacts of budget cuts at Western will be provided to participants with a section where they can write their own personal note and sign their name. The letters will be hand delivered to representatives in Olympia by Western’s legislative liaison, Iris Maute-Gibson.
Roy said the main thing students heard from legislators during Viking Lobby Day was they see a lack of student voice in the legislature.
Viking Lobby Day took place in January and allowed Western students an opportunity to lobby in Olympia on behalf of Western and higher education.
“Legislators told us it was good to see students who care, and they want to see more of that,” Roy said. “So that is what we hope to do on Tuesday.”
During the rally, Western Votes will also host speakers throughout the day including Maute-Gibson, Starkey and AS president Colin Watrin, among others, who will share personal stories and explain what is happening in Olympia.
