Speech story

Floyd committed to working together on budget crisis

WSU President Elson S. Floyd expressed his loyalty to students on Feb. 3 as he gave a somber speech covering the tuition increases and budget cuts.

With 14 to 40 percent tuition increases and millions of dollars being cut from the WSU budget, Floyd reassured the audience in the CUB auditorium that he is on their side.

“What I know is that the system is broken right now, we can’t live in a world with 40% tuition increases,” Floyd said.

Protecting those who work here and the students who learn here is Floyd’s core value during the budget crisis. Preserving the quality of the education, being open and transparent are other values Floyd identified.

Floyd also hopes for a university-shared government, in which the Board of Regents would set the tuition prices. The 10-member board currently has one student member. Floyd would like to see an increase in the number of students on the board to better voice student opinions.

“It seems logical to me to have students around the table when making decisions about tuition,” Floyd said.

Floyd and the members of ASWSU, including Vice President Jay Hendrickson encourage all students to involve themselves in the fight against the budget crisis.

According to Hendrickson, ASWSU is asking three things of students wishing to aid in the fight against tuition increases and financial aid cuts.

First, sign up for WSU’s Democracy in Action and receive updates on the legislative session. Secondly, go straight to the source with ASWSU’s Coug Day at the Capitol, where students will meet directly with legislators to show them how important higher education is. Lastly, write, email, or call the local legislature with your student opinion and testimony.

With the legislature in Olympia being in an “absolute state of confusion,” Floyd emphasized the importance of students voicing their opinion.

After the university was cut to the bone last year with $54 million budget cuts, a heavy impact on WSU is expected with this year’s proposed budget cuts of about $22 million, according to ASWSU.

“I feel like we are going to see a difference in the demographics of students applying here. I also think we will see an influx of people heading to community colleges and not to our four-year institutions. Without students we lose out on money, it would be a chain effect. Without that money we won’t have funds or people for our programs,” ASWSU Executive Board Intern Cailee Olson said.

The budget cuts and tuition increases are currently in the proposal stages. After concrete decisions are made through the legislature process, preliminary budget cuts will be seen at WSU.

“Only once the finalized budget comes out, will WSU be able to fully comprehend and respond to the budget crisis,” Hendrickson said.

As the legislation process continues WSU administration will have forums to keep the students informed of the budget crisis decisions.

Questions for speaker- Elson Floyd

1. What can students do to make an impact on the rising tuition problem

2. How do you think the tuition increases will affect enrollment and dropout rates?

3. Could you sum up why the tuition would need to increase by such a large percentage of 40%?

Contacts for story

Cailee Olson- cailee.olson@email.wsu.edu

Jay Hendrickson- jh214@wsu.edu

Elson Floyd- floyde@wsu.edu