GPSS IN THE NEWS
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STATE OF THE UNIVERSITY ADDRESS
Source: The Daily
Author: Jeffrey Tripoli and Melissa Santos
Date: Oct 12, 2006
Emmert unveils plans to eliminate tuition for some
UW President Mark Emmert yesterday announced in his annual address a plan to eliminate tuition costs and fees for low-income, in-state students that will begin next fall.
“If you come from a low to low-medium income family, you will come to the University of Washington tuition-free and fee-free,” Emmert said to a near-full Kane 130 auditorium and several broadcast cameras. “No students from these income brackets will ever have to pay tuition.”
The plan, called Husky Promise, will provide the approximately 5,000 undergraduate students who qualify for Pell and State Need Grants with full tuition and fee scholarships.
“We believe the inability to pay should not prevent any Washington student who academically belongs here from earning a degree. I can't think of a better investment,” Emmert said in a press release yesterday.
“The premise is absolutely beautiful,” said ASUW President Cullen White. “The concern is how we're going to do this logistically.”
While White said he completely supports aid for low-income students, he expressed his concern that the middle-to upper-class students and graduates may end up paying more.
Tuition rates for everyone, including undergraduates, graduates and out-of-state students, would not be affected, Emmert said at the reception following the address. The Husky Promise is a partnership between federal, state and University programs. It should cost $1.5 to $2 million annually, in addition to the $44 million in Pell Grants and State Need Grants and the $25 million in scholarships the University already funds.
“What makes the Husky Promise possible is a classic public-private partnership whereby public tax dollars and private gifts to the University combine to make this sort of opportunity available to students who otherwise could not afford to go to college,” he said.
According to Emmert, the last year and a half of the school's current fundraising program, Campaign UW, will be focused on Husky Promise. The campaign is currently at $1.8 billion of its $2 billion goal.
“We're very good at fundraising,” White said. Although the plan does ease some financial concerns on low-income students, there are other costs to consider, he said.
“Tuition isn't the only barrier,” he said. “We live in a place where the cost of living is very high...[the plan] still doesn't do as much as we hope to do.”
Student Regent Jenny Faubion said she looks forward to seeing the plan in action.
“I think it's a tremendous undertaking,” she said. “I'm excited to see the University put its money where its mouth is.”
Emmert said in his address that he was concerned about the school's reputation as being elitist and insufficiently connected with the community. He said the new freshman class is one of the most diverse yet.
“If by elitist they mean... a rich kid's school, I have to take issue with that,” he said, calling the University's legacy one of “inclusion and opportunity.”
One-third of undergraduate students at the UW are first-generation college students, Emmert said. Thirty-one percent are low-income and the school is ranked No.3 in rewarding of Pell Grants, he said.
“[The University] has been trying to figure out how to make this work for a long time,” Faubion said. “I hope we can make the Husky Promise a real promise.”
While the Husky Promise was the topic of the evening, Emmert touched on several other issues. He expressed his satisfaction with the new holistic admissions system and discussed the benefits of the purchase of the Safeco building.
He also addressed faculty pay, saying that in order to attract and maintain what he called a “world-class staff,” the University needs to provide competitive wages.
“There's thousands of reasons we don't, and they all have dollar signs in front of them,” he said.
Although much of the speech was about the positive points of UW education, Emmert stressed that there's still room for improvement.
“It's our obligation to not be satisfied with the status quo,” he said, “even where we're extraordinarily good.”
UW President Mark Emmert yesterday announced in his annual address a plan to eliminate tuition costs and fees for low-income, in-state students that will begin next fall.
“If you come from a low to low-medium income family, you will come to the University of Washington tuition-free and fee-free,” Emmert said to a near-full Kane 130 auditorium and several broadcast cameras. “No students from these income brackets will ever have to pay tuition.”
The plan, called Husky Promise, will provide the approximately 5,000 undergraduate students who qualify for Pell and State Need Grants with full tuition and fee scholarships.
“We believe the inability to pay should not prevent any Washington student who academically belongs here from earning a degree. I can't think of a better investment,” Emmert said in a press release yesterday.
“The premise is absolutely beautiful,” said ASUW President Cullen White. “The concern is how we're going to do this logistically.”
While White said he completely supports aid for low-income students, he expressed his concern that the middle-to upper-class students and graduates may end up paying more.
Tuition rates for everyone, including undergraduates, graduates and out-of-state students, would not be affected, Emmert said at the reception following the address. The Husky Promise is a partnership between federal, state and University programs. It should cost $1.5 to $2 million annually, in addition to the $44 million in Pell Grants and State Need Grants and the $25 million in scholarships the University already funds.
“What makes the Husky Promise possible is a classic public-private partnership whereby public tax dollars and private gifts to the University combine to make this sort of opportunity available to students who otherwise could not afford to go to college,” he said.
According to Emmert, the last year and a half of the school's current fundraising program, Campaign UW, will be focused on Husky Promise. The campaign is currently at $1.8 billion of its $2 billion goal.
“We're very good at fundraising,” White said. Although the plan does ease some financial concerns on low-income students, there are other costs to consider, he said.
“Tuition isn't the only barrier,” he said. “We live in a place where the cost of living is very high...[the plan] still doesn't do as much as we hope to do.”
Student Regent Jenny Faubion said she looks forward to seeing the plan in action.
“I think it's a tremendous undertaking,” she said. “I'm excited to see the University put its money where its mouth is.”
Emmert said in his address that he was concerned about the school's reputation as being elitist and insufficiently connected with the community. He said the new freshman class is one of the most diverse yet.
“If by elitist they mean... a rich kid's school, I have to take issue with that,” he said, calling the University's legacy one of “inclusion and opportunity.”
One-third of undergraduate students at the UW are first-generation college students, Emmert said. Thirty-one percent are low-income and the school is ranked No.3 in rewarding of Pell Grants, he said.
“[The University] has been trying to figure out how to make this work for a long time,” Faubion said. “I hope we can make the Husky Promise a real promise.”
While the Husky Promise was the topic of the evening, Emmert touched on several other issues. He expressed his satisfaction with the new holistic admissions system and discussed the benefits of the purchase of the Safeco building.
He also addressed faculty pay, saying that in order to attract and maintain what he called a “world-class staff,” the University needs to provide competitive wages.
“There's thousands of reasons we don't, and they all have dollar signs in front of them,” he said.
Although much of the speech was about the positive points of UW education, Emmert stressed that there's still room for improvement.
“It's our obligation to not be satisfied with the status quo,” he said, “even where we're extraordinarily good.”