Schoesler introducing bill to limit tuition increases

Bill applies to next school year

OLYMPIA — Ritzville Senator Mark Schoesler wants a limit on how high Washington state university and college tuitions can increase.

Schoesler is introducing a bill next session to make college tuition prices more predictable for families and students in the 2007-2008 school year, he said.

If the proposed bill passes, tuition increases for students can not exceed the rate of inflation nor can it exceed 50 percent of the students' share of the cost of education. To make changes, two-thirds of the majority vote of each chamber would have to approve it, he said.

Under the bill, the state pays for at least 50 percent of the education.

"Inflation has hit students harder than it hit the state," Schoesler said during a meeting with the Columbia Basin Herald. "The gap just keeps growing. Tuition has certainly exceeded inflation."

Inflation is roughly three percent while tuition increases approximately seven percent every year, he added.

The bill is important to him because he feels it is important for families to be able to have expectations for the cost of higher education, he said.

"When it comes to tuition, we should provide students of working families with the same predictability that we provide seniors and workers when it comes to Social Security and minimum wage," he said. "The sharp and unpredictable hikes in college tuition rates have been a huge burden on students and their families, especially those scrambling to find the money to afford college."

Washington State University and Eastern Washington University are in Schoesler's district.

For the 2005-2006 school year at WSU tuition for undergraduate students was $5,077 and $6,295 for graduate students. The rate for undergraduate students will increase to $5,432 for the 2006-2007 school year. Rates for graduate students increases to $6,610.

Undergraduate students at EWU paid $3,609 for the 2005-2006 school year and graduate students paid $5,694. Undergraduate students for the 2006-2007 school year are paying $3,825 and graduates are paying $6,033.