Comments on: Two-Year Colleges Can’t Absorb Further Cuts Without Turning Students Away

By: Debbie

Debbie — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 18:02:50 +0000

When mentioning the financial burden to students who “do not get financial support from their parents” keep in mind the poor parents who are still trying to help their adult children…This burden is really really hard on us yet we help our kids because we know education is most important. Many of us are sacrificing retirement to help our adult children.

By: Amy Kinsel

Amy Kinsel — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 01:34:48 +0000

Ryan is correct; I presented a simplified description of what is in fact a complex funding system for Washington’s CTCs. Varying levels of state support for different students in different programs, and varying levels of tuition and fees paid by different students in different programs account for some of this complexity. International Students do indeed pay higher tuition than domestic students, but their numbers are small compared with the total number of students attending CTC’s statewide, and while colleges do increasingly rely on the higher tuition these students pay to subsidize the educations of their domestic students, that tuition “bonus” is not enough to save the CTC system in the face of severe reductions in state support. Fall 2009 statewide enrollment figures show that the CTC system is educating 14 percent more full-time equivalent students than the state is funding the system to educate. Collecting extra tuition from International Students will not make up for this funding shortfall.

By: Ryan

Ryan — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 20:45:20 +0000

I’m curious as to why you left out the international students? They pay 4 times more than the domestic students and the colleges have worked hard to boost their enrollment in international students to make up for the shortfall in state funding. The monies that the international programs provide typically go into the general fund for the institution and pay everything from teacher salaries to facilities maintenance. This is a vital group to the success of the colleges and schools are under increasing pressure to increase these enrollments to shore up the balance sheet.
The benefits of having these programs are far more than financial, but it is now a group that colleges depend on for revenue more than ever before.

By: Tony

Tony — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 22:11:42 +0000

“UW President Emmert is currently touring the state touting a high-tuition/high-financial aid solution to state budget cuts to the university.”

Where does “HIGH-FINANCIAL AID” come from. The state? from – US? – taxes – fees – or other revenue sources. If the state is broke … how will financial aid be paid? and even more important to who? Only the top 1% – 2% of applicants? Only those entering specific fields? Who decides?

I’ll bet the Governor, senators and congressmen and other state “elected” officials aren’t worried about their child getting a GRANT. Are any of their children going to CTC’s?

By: James Bichler

James Bichler — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 18:16:25 +0000

According to the Economic Opportunity Institute, Washington State has the most regressive taxing scheme then any other state in the nation. The richest one percent of Washingtonians pays less then four percent of their annual income on taxes while the most impoverished who make up approximately twenty percent pay seventeen percent. A high income tax coupled with a reduction in sales tax will help to alleviate the growing budget deficit while at the same time provide the funding so desperately needed by community and technical colleges.

We should all take note Oregonian voters who recently voted for a high income tax which at this time is looking to be approved by about seven percent. The same is needed here. For too long the poorest Washingtonians have carried this burden, now is the time to ensure that the rich pay their fair share.