State cuts to higher education continue to impact the quality of education for students as the next round of budget cuts approaches.
Cuts to Washington State University’s budget over the last 18 months have totaled $136.7 million and administrators are expecting an additional reduction of $98 million or more for the 2011-2013 biennium budget currently being discussed in the Legislature.
The continuing state budget deficit is caused by the current financial crisis and less tax revenue than anticipated. Decreasing state funding for higher education is one way to reduce the state budget deficit.
If the governor’s proposed reduction of $98 million is approved, the cumulative percent reduction in funds from July 2009 to present will be 49.6 percent, according to the Washington State University Budget Office.
In the last round of budget cuts, the Department of Theater and Dance was eliminated. The program is slated to officially be removed July 1.
“I was already certified in my major,” said Katy Nuttman, a recent theater graduate. “So I was fortunate enough to finish my degree last May. A lot of my friends were not lucky enough and transferred to schools elsewhere in the state and country”
Depending on the extent of budget reductions, more students will face a similar situation as classes and programs are eliminated.
Since July 2009, 1,080 courses were removed from the university's catalog, 16 degrees or program options phased out, eight degrees consolidated or reduced, seven academic units consolidated, reduced or phased out, and three academic program areas eliminated. Ultimately, 517 jobs were eliminated, said WSU President Elson Floyd.
Since 2009, budget cuts have affected nearly every college and degree program at the university, according to the WSU Budget Office. The Distance Degree Program is one program affected by budget cuts.
“The number of classes being offered has gone down a lot,” said Amanda Strempel, a distance degree student. “You get e-mails around registration time telling you to register ASAP because there likely won’t be enough spots for everyone.”
In addition to fewer classes, many of the service centers across the state that assist with exam proctoring and tutoring have shut their doors, Strempel said.
The College of Education is inundated every year with students seeking certification and an increasingly small number of spots in the program.
“The education program is only accepting half of the applicants into the program,” said history major Nathan McClure. “After my group interview, they warned us that we might not get in and suggested that we apply to the master’s program through WSU if we don’t get in.”
Many students who don’t get in are forced to consider different programs or reapply multiple times to get into the program, drawing out their time at WSU, said McClure.
The number of sections for required classes has plagued students in nearly every department.
“There is only one section for many of my classes,” said Rachel Harris, a kinesiology major, “which creates problems when multiple classes only start at certain times on certain days.”
Despite the budget cuts, Harris feels that WSU has still been able to provide a solid education.
“Though we have very little flexibility with our courses, and it may take a little longer, the staff is very good,” said Harris. “The students become familiar with each other and tend to know each professor personally. Though I do wish our program had more funding, I believe we have a very good staff that is making the best with what they can.”
As the Legislature continues debating the 2011-2013 budget, students, teachers and administrators must wait to see how the further reductions will manifest in their programs. Floyd hopes that no additional programs will be eliminated and that the burden of tuition increases will lessen. Nuttman hopes no future students will experience their program being cut like she did.
