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News & ArtsWednesday, April 20, 2011
Education / Olympia Is the University of Washington Catering to Nonresidents?
Posted by Goldy on Wed, Apr 20, 2011 at 11:53 AM
- Source: University of Washington
Prospective students and their parents were understandably outraged when the University of Washington recently announced that it was cutting the available slots for in-state freshmen by three percent at the Seattle campus, in order to make room for more lucrative nonresidents. And I'm sure the news that even the Tacoma and Bothell campuses are now heavily recruiting in California and elsewhere didn't calm any nerves. But I'm guessing folks might be a little surprised to learn how much the UW has been forced to cater to out-of-staters in order to compete for their tuition dollars.
According to the UW's own statistics, between 2000-2001 and 2006-2007, undergraduate nonresident tuition grew at a slightly higher pace than resident tuition, 71 percent compared to 59 percent. But over the past four years that trend has dramatically reversed, with resident tuition rising another 45 percent since 2006-2007, compared to a 19 percent combined hike for nonresidents.
For example last year, resident tuition jumped by 13.1 percent, while nonresident tuition only rose by 3.9 percent, well less than than annual 5.6 percent public four-year tuition inflation reported by the College Board.
Such a deal.
Of course, UW administrators really aren't to blame. Legislators have slashed support for higher education by more than 50 percent over the past two budgets, demanding that our universities cut costs and operate more like a business. So the UW has chosen the rational path of seeking to maximize revenues by attracting higher paying customers. That's what businesses do, right?
I guess. But I just don't see how this policy serves the interests of Washington's youth or its economy.
21
"See, but that isn't how it works. Tuition for every student is $25,329/year. The state subsidizes $16.5k of that for its residents."
Actually, I think that the average cost of educating one undergraduate per year is less than $25K. The state general fund subsidizes about 45% of the cost for residents and students and their families are left with the balance of about $9K, meaning the total cost of the education is around $16K. I don't have a document to pull this percentage from, but it's what is cited in all the doom and gloom emails I continually receive from the UW Pres. and Provost as a staff member.
Non-resident students either "cost" more or very literally do subsidize the operations of the UW, including the educations of residents.
Actually, I think that the average cost of educating one undergraduate per year is less than $25K. The state general fund subsidizes about 45% of the cost for residents and students and their families are left with the balance of about $9K, meaning the total cost of the education is around $16K. I don't have a document to pull this percentage from, but it's what is cited in all the doom and gloom emails I continually receive from the UW Pres. and Provost as a staff member.
Non-resident students either "cost" more or very literally do subsidize the operations of the UW, including the educations of residents.
20
@14
Wow, a sociopath. Your parents must be so proud. It's soulless pieces of shit like you that ruin society for the rest of us. Lemme guess, going into business? Best of luck, ya pointless shitstain! Here's to hoping you end up like the Enron guys one day!
Wow, a sociopath. Your parents must be so proud. It's soulless pieces of shit like you that ruin society for the rest of us. Lemme guess, going into business? Best of luck, ya pointless shitstain! Here's to hoping you end up like the Enron guys one day!
19
"Why can't UW forego that damn stadium and help out its own state's kids?"
That stadium is a revenue-generating asset and will be paying for itself
That stadium is a revenue-generating asset and will be paying for itself
18
See, but that isn't how it works. Tuition for every student is $25,329/year. The state subsidizes $16.5k of that for its residents.
So what you're seeing is, tuition is going up 4-5%/year. It's just that the state is simultaneously, constantly making HUGE cutbacks in the amount of subsidy it provides.
So what you're seeing is, tuition is going up 4-5%/year. It's just that the state is simultaneously, constantly making HUGE cutbacks in the amount of subsidy it provides.
17
Out-of-state students aren't just cheaper. With higher entrance requirements, they're also better. If a large portion of them end up staying in the area, maybe they end up bringing more future value to the state economy. I was an out-of-state student who stayed, and most of my OOS friends stayed too.
15
plus if they come in with straight A's now, and some IB and AP credit, they'll be forced to declare a major after their first semester and have their tuition jacked up by the time they're a Junior (since they'll have 4 years of credits, most of which won't apply to their major).
Sucks to be kids now. The old white fogies in Eastern Wash keep ripping them off to live off their socialized programs.
Sucks to be kids now. The old white fogies in Eastern Wash keep ripping them off to live off their socialized programs.
14
UW accepted me as out-of-state with zero high school diploma or GED. Just one sweet talked personal essay and some face time with the advisors of the specific school I was applying to.
Laughing at some little overachiever 18 year old who got straight As right now.
Laughing at some little overachiever 18 year old who got straight As right now.
13
@BigSid--sorry. Instead of "cheap" how about "relatively cheap" since that is what I meant...obviously tuition isn't cheap! In-state or out. I agree with your points...so what's the solution? Tax? Oh yeah, the politicians we elect won't do that, so prices gotta go up. You want the cost of getting an education to remain at the same rate as the "back in my professor's day" rates of 30 years ago? Drop the cost of providing said education back to what it was 30 years ago. Simple.
11
Remember when teachers, poor people, the disabled, the elderly, firefighters, police officers, public employees, Planned Parenthood, NPR, and PBS crashed the stock market, ruined the real estate market, wiped out half of our 401Ks, took trillions in TARP money, spilled oil in the Gulf of Mexico, gave themselves billions in bonuses, and paid no taxes?
Yeah, me neither.
(I wish I had written that)
Remember when teachers, poor people, the disabled, the elderly, firefighters, police officers, public employees, Planned Parenthood, NPR, and PBS crashed the stock market, ruined the real estate market, wiped out half of our 401Ks, took trillions in TARP money, spilled oil in the Gulf of Mexico, gave themselves billions in bonuses, and paid no taxes?
Yeah, me neither.
(I wish I had written that)
10
You have such a way of cutting to the essence, @9. Well done. This would also COMPLETELY eliminate provincialism, so two birds for that jagged stone.
9
Hey, every public college should just take only out of state students! *Poof!* Higher education budget crisis gone!
8
this is basic infrastructure. and as a society, we no longer understand the value of it. this is just who we are as a people. it's a sad picture.
7
Someone said it better than me, but when you monetize education, same as health care and debt, this is what happens. Obviously out-of-state students pay more; we all pay taxes (I know, NOT an income tax) that go toward supporting the UW system so if someone wants to attend from out of state they SHOULD pay a significant mark-up. Calling in-state tuition "cheap" is a total non-starter, I had professors in college who paid THREE HUNDRED DOLLARS PER QUARTER to attend UC schools, where they USED to guarantee placement to any student graduating in the top 10% of their high school class. Now that's gone. $8 per credit community colleges? Also gone. If you haven't been paying attention, a bachelors degree is the new HS diploma: it's fucking toilet paper. You're guaranteed exactly JACK AND SHIT for earning a bachelors now, but let's make it even harder to get even THAT far for in-state students who want to attend the school paid for by their parents and themselves..
6
Since it's all about the money, and not about the futures of our own young people, why not just auction off the available slots to the highest bidders?. We must ensure the education of our global plutocracy.
3
Doesn't it serve Washington's youth and economy by not just hiking tuition across the board? Wouldn't resident tuitions have had to go much higher if there wasn't an increase in non-resident enrollment to go along with it? Resident tuition was ridiculously cheap...the increases bring it more in-line with other states' resident tuitions. Non-resident tuitions were already pretty high, relative to other states, hence a much higher hike for residents than non-residents.
1
Every out of state postgrad is someone that the state isn't underfunding, so I can see why.
It's not like the state Constitution requires us to treat Education as the Primary Duty of the state, way behind funding roadways for eastern washington or insane tunnels we can't afford that double pollution and global warming impacts for Billionaires ...
It's not like the state Constitution requires us to treat Education as the Primary Duty of the state, way behind funding roadways for eastern washington or insane tunnels we can't afford that double pollution and global warming impacts for Billionaires ...
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