Proposed bills address state need grant funds, free speech
Rep. Matt Manweller, R-13
OLYMPIA — Rep. Matt Manweller, R-Ellensburg, introduced two new higher education bills this week.
The first is House Bill 1033 that reallocates state need grant money from private universities to public universities so they receive the same amount of funding from the state. The second is House Bill 1362, which is an academic bill of rights that seeks to protect college faculty and students who express unpopular opinions.
The state need grant bill would reduce the amount of funding private universities receive to an equal amount that those at private universities receive.
Central Washington University representative Steve DuPont testified in support of the bill. He said he would prefer the state need grant program be fully funded but it is the state’s responsibility to support public universities.
“We believe that if the legislature enacts this bill and does reallocate the savings to more state need grants awards,” DuPont said. “This will benefit more students at Central who are eligible, but don’t receive state need grant awards.”
Chairman of the Higher Education committee Rep. Drew Hansen, D-Bainbridge, would prefer the state need program be fully funded. He believes that is possible, citing the 2015 session when a bipartisan group cut tax loopholes to lower tuition. He said before he can form an opinion on the future of the bill, he is waiting for data on the impacts of this legislation.
“Believe it or not, we want to hear what will happen to those students if we cut their financial aid before we consider Representative Manweller’s bill or not.”
Manweller does not believe adding more money to the state need grant program is currently possible, and sees his bill as a way to work with the money the state already has.
“We would love to just add money to the pot,” Manweller said. “In a McCleary world, where every extra dollar is going to k-12 education, the only way we can really get more kids off that list is to come up with some type of creative way to do it.”
Roy Heynderickx, president of St. Martins University as well as the chairman for the Independent Colleges of Washington, which includes Gonzaga, Heritage University, Whitman College and others testified on Tuesday in opposition to the bill. Heynderickx said approximately 40 percent of the population at St. Martins are first-generation students and many are eligible for state need grants and receive some form of financial aid or aid from the university. He said private universities are eligible for state need grants and students have the right to equal opportunities.
Chris Mulick, the director for state relations for Washington State University, said he did not take a position or testify in the hearing on the state need grant bill because it could affect the relationships they have with other universities.
“In the spirit of partnership we opted not to comment or take a position,” Mulick said.
Manweller’s second bill create an academic bill of rights for students and faculty at universities. The bill is designed to protect faculty and students from expulsion without due process for unpopular opinions they may express on or off campus. Manweller said many colleges are engaging in a heckler’s veto, when a few students complain about a speaker or issue, so the university bans a speaker or takes punitive action against a faculty member or student.
“If you are going to end a person’s career,” Manweller said, “They should at least have some minimal due process protections.”
Manweller believes these bills may not make it out of committee, but sees them as a way to start conversations about these issues.
“I want our four-year universities to be on notice that we are paying attention to what they are doing,” Manweller said. “We are watching and we are going to do everything to hold them accountable if they engage in this type of behavior.”
Hansen said because the second bill had not had a hearing yet, he was not very familiar with it, but he felt like with the protections already in place, he did not see a real need for it.
“I’m not sure if it adds anything meaningful to what the state and federal governments already protect.”
Mulick and DuPont said they could not comment on Manweller’s second bill at this time.
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