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Associated Students of the University of Washington |
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A Resolution Establishing the Need to Support Higher Education WHEREAS it is the duty of the Washington state legislature to provide for the future welfare of the state of Washington; and WHEREAS a strong higher education system is essential not only for maintaining the prestige of Washington state’s institutions of higher learning, but also for assuring the state’s economic vitality; and WHEREAS according to the Higher Education Coordinating Board : 1) “Higher education is the primary driver of the Washington economy;” 2) “Higher education institutions throughout the state sustain and stimulate local and regional economies while providing the education and expertise needed to nurture future economic growth;” 3) Washington state public colleges employed 62,000 individuals in 2007; and 4) “The state’s Strategic Master Plan for Higher Education, adopted in 2008, called for increasing degree and certificate production by more than 40% annually within a decade to meet projected demand for college graduates;” 5) State budget cuts in the past year have left “public higher education institutions about $556 million below the maintenance level;” 6) “Maintaining a proper balance between the two revenue sources is consistent with the principle that higher education benefits both individuals who attend colleges and universities, and the general public;” and WHEREAS a well-funded higher education system is the best and most effective way to attract and produce a more skilled, active, and higher-earning labor force, which, in turn, will significantly contribute to the state’s future revenue; and WHEREAS the University of Washington is currently ranked the 16th best university in the world, making it a major point of prestige for the state and the nation; and WHEREAS according to the UW Office of Planning and Budgeting : 1) “Approximately 76 percent of UW degree recipients continue to reside in Washington State, comprising a significant part of the skilled workforce;” 2) “Additionally, 73 percent of UW law, medicine, nursing, dental, and pharmacy graduates practice in Washington;” 3) 89,000 graduates fulfill a variety of skilled labor jobs that require degrees and are essential to the state; and WHEREAS according to a new Skill Gap Analysis from the Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board, demand for mid-skill jobs could outstrip supply by 2013; and WHEREAS further cuts to the University of Washington will severely constrain its capacity to continue to provide a skilled workforce for the state of Washington; and WHEREAS 35,716 (74.6%) students who attended UW for Autumn Quarter of 2009 were residents of the state of Washington; and WHEREAS the lifetime earnings of a person with a college degree are on average double those of someone without a degree; and WHEREAS, individuals with a bachelor’s degree earn on average $20,500 (38.7%) more per year than high school graduates; and WHEREAS, those who earn a bachelor’s degree can use their income more easily to own property, save more money, stay employed, and have a higher discretionary spending habit, thus limiting expenditures in state social service programs; therefore BE IT RESOLVED BY THE ASSOCIATED STUDENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON: THAT ASUW greatly encourages the efforts of the Washington state legislature to minimize the repercussions of the global financial crisis on its institutions of higher learning; and THAT ASUW calls on the Washington state legislature to invest in a promising economic future by reducing the budget cuts it imposes on higher education; and THAT a copy of this resolution be forwarded to Governor Christine Gregoire, Washington state senators and representatives, UW President Mark Emmert, Provost Phyllis Wise, ASUW Government Relations Director Jono Hanks, ASUW President Tim Mensing, other Washington institutions for higher education, and Richard Lum and Mike Bogatay of the Washington Students Association. Key Facts About Higher Education in Washington. Rep. Higher Education Coordinating Board, 2009. Web. Supplying Washington’s Skilled Workforce. Rep. UW Office of Planning and Budgeting, 4 Dec. 2009. Web. Latest Washington State Skill Gap Analysis. Rep. Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board, 12 Feb. 2010. Web. University of Washington Factbook. Rep. University of Washington, 29 Dec. 2009. Web. "College Degree - why go to college." College Board, 2010. Web. History of Legislation 02/4/2010: Submitted for consideration |
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