Via The Olympian
You can’t walk into a business, school or clinic in Thurston County without meeting one of them; graduates of The Evergreen State College and South Puget Sound Community College fuel our local economy, non-profits and high quality of life.
And not just here at home. Washington’s public colleges sit at the center of our state’s future: preparing nurses to care for our families, educators to teach our children and environmental scientists to protect our natural resources. Yet, higher education faces budget pressures that threaten access, services and opportunity for Washington students. At our Olympia colleges, we’re feeling the effects hard.
Let’s start with the facts: SPSCC announced efforts to stabilize its finances with the closure of three programs and extensive layoffs. Likewise, Evergreen is facing years of underfunding and cuts, and both colleges are feeling stressed, even with growing enrollments. Why? Because funding from the legislature has not kept pace with the real costs associated with operating modern-day colleges that holistically serve students.
The challenge we face is not inefficiency or lack of demand. It is a funding model that has not kept pace with reality. Washington state provides generous financial aid and keeps a lid on tuition increases. But when tuition does not cover legislatively approved cost of living increases, the money has to come from somewhere. If the state budget doesn’t cover these costs, it means cuts to student services and programs, and layoffs for employees.
As presidents of two public institutions serving the South Puget Sound, we see what students are up against. Many are working adults, first-generation college students, parents and caregivers. For them, the cost of college is more than tuition — it is housing, food, transportation, childcare and time away from paid work. Public colleges exist to meet these realities and help students succeed despite them.
Our two colleges work together to improve student success locally. Students who begin their education at SPSCC and transfer to Evergreen stay local and save money. These transfer pathways rely on strong advising, sufficient course offerings, and faculty and staff who have the capacity to support students at every step. When funding is unstable at any point, students feel the impact through fewer classes and people to help them navigate college.
This comes at a time when Washington needs higher education more than ever. Most family-wage jobs require education or training beyond high school. We know that 70% of future jobs will require a postsecondary credential or degree. That cannot be met if access to public higher education continues to erode.
While we recognize that lawmakers face difficult budget decisions, cutting higher education is not a solution, it is a setback. Public colleges and universities are among the most effective investments Washington can make in its people and economy, and Olympia is a testament to that.
We urge legislators to protect and strengthen funding for public higher education this session. Supporting students is an investment in Washington’s long-term economic health, equity, and resilience. Our students — and our state — deserve nothing less.
Timothy Stokes is president of South Puget Sound Community College. John Carmichael is president of The Evergreen State College.