SEATTLE, WA (March 12, 2026) – Independent Colleges of Washington (ICW) has released the following statement from Terri Standish-Kuon, President and CEO of ICW, on the fate of Senate Bill 5828 in the 2026 legislative session:

“After weeks of hearty debate, bipartisan support, and thousands of comments in support of restored aid funding for students living on low income, the Washington State Legislature has chosen to sustain last year’s 11th-hour cuts in the Washington College Grant and College Bound Scholarship programs. 

“Lawmakers could have achieved a balanced budget without inequitably sacrificing the futures of 7,000 students.

“It’s profoundly disappointing to have come this far, only to lose the battle for our students this year. These inequitable cuts fall on students living on low income who attend not-for-profit colleges and universities and undermine our collective efforts to meet educational attainment and workforce goals. These students are living on the same levels of low income as aid recipients attending public colleges and universities. The only difference is where they are pursuing their college degrees.

“Our state did not have to ask one group of students to bear cuts of up to 50% in their state student aid — especially when the fund set up specifically to prevent cuts in student financial aid is growing. Forecasted revenue for the Workforce Education Investment Account rose by 11% — or $171.9 million — in February, compared to earlier estimates. 

“When Olympia defers the dreams of Washingtonians, we all lose. In advancing a supplemental budget with no funding restorations for these student-aid programs – which directly supports students – the Legislature has ensured that fewer students in Washington will earn a college degree. 

“These Washingtonians from all corners of the state – of whom 67% are students of color, 65% are female, and 62% are first-generation students – may be forced to stop or drop out, borrow more, or forego enrolling all together. For many of these students, their campuses are the only geographic option or the only options that have the academic program they want. And when support for students is reduced unevenly, it sends a mixed message about who we believe deserves access to opportunity. 

“Senate Higher Education and Workforce Development Committee Chair T’wina Nobles (D-Fircrest) and Senate Republican Caucus Chair Judy Warnick led a bipartisan effort to reverse the effect of last year’s Senate Bill 5785, which decreased the state’s contribution for tuition scholarships at private, not-for-profit campuses.

“The cut in scholarship funding represents less than 0.1% of the state-funded operating budget and would have more than paid for itself with the taxes and other contributions these college graduates will make in Washington. 

“ICW’s campuses generate countless benefits for Washington without operating and regular capital support from the state. Moreover, the students at these campuses graduate at rates above the state and national averages. 

“We will continue to fight for students. Independent Colleges of Washington was built on the foundation of making higher education more accessible for students attending private, not-for-profit colleges and universities across the state, and we will continue to prioritize those values in our work going forward.”

About Independent Colleges of Washington

As the leading advocate for not-for-profit, private campuses in Washington state, Independent Colleges of Washington (ICW) enables students to pursue their college aspirations, and Washington state to achieve its postsecondary attainment goal. In achieving its vision and purpose, ICW contributes to the long-term health and vitality of an economically robust and socially just Washington. The work of the association reinforces the importance of higher education in Washington to ensure the public commitment remains strong. 

The Seattle Times

By The Seattle Times editorial board

Budgets are moral documents, dollars-and-cents depictions of priorities and values. By that logic, it’s hard to sit comfortably with a spending plan that dings lower-income students attending private colleges more than those at state schools.

But that’s what lawmakers did last year. Facing down a deficit of more than $7 billion, they slashed tuition aid awarded through two programs: the Washington College Grant and the College Bound Scholarship. Those cuts are scheduled to take effect this fall.

But lawmakers did not squeeze all students equally. Those attending the University of Washington and other public institutions can get their tuition covered annually through the Washington College Grant if their family incomes qualify. But students enrolling at private schools — like Gonzaga or Pacific Lutheran University — who used to get a flat rate of about $9,700, will see their grants cut by a third, to $6,500.

Simultaneously, the College Bound Scholarship — which taps low-income kids in middle school and promises up to six years of higher education funding if they maintain decent marks — would be cut by nearly half for students enrolling in private institutions.

Talk about mixed messages. Washington says education is the state’s paramount duty. Business leaders, who see a knowledgeable workforce as essential to the economy, have been beating the bushes to get more high school graduates enrolled in college or career training, especially those from low-income families. And Gov. Bob Ferguson made it a centerpiece of his campaign for office: more kids would fill out the FAFSA and apply for financial aid, he promised.

Those weren’t just well-intentioned ideals, dependent on the fiscal outlook. They were framed as bedrock values.

Sen. T’wina Nobles, D-Fircrest, has a bill that would restore aid for students at private universities, 62% of whom would be the first in their families to earn a degree. But it must be voted out of the Ways and Means Committee by Monday, Feb. 9, to advance. Nobles suggests paying for its $33 million price tag with money from the new Education Legacy Trust account, which is funded through capital gains taxes.

At $1.2 billion, the trust has more than enough to cover the cost through the next biennium.

The Washington Student Achievement Council administers both college aid programs, and its director, Mike Meotti, points out that education offers a bigger, faster return on investment than most other government spending. Rather than merely keeping people afloat, higher education actually helps them get ahead.

So how serious are lawmakers about confronting Washington’s very real affordability crisis? Helping more low-income kids pay for college would be a powerful way to signal an answer to that question.

The Seattle Times editorial board: members are editorial page editor Kate Riley, Ryan Blethen, Melissa Davis, Josh Farley, Alex Fryer, Claudia Rowe, Carlton Winfrey, Frank A. Blethen (emeritus) and William K. Blethen (emeritus).

The Spokesman-Review

By Katia Passerini and Scott McQuilkin

Washington is at risk of breaking a promise that has defined its commitment to opportunity for generations: that talent and hard work – not family income – determine who can access higher education.

Across our state, families have relied on the Washington College Grant and College Bound Scholarship as a guarantee that students who earn their way into college will have a fair chance to stay and succeed. That promise has helped fuel Washington’s workforce, civic life and economic strength.

State budget cuts passed by the 2025 Legislature put that promise at risk. Lawmakers faced difficult budget choices, but reducing aid based on where low-income students enroll is the wrong solution.

Unless lawmakers reverse these cuts, students attending Washington’s independent, nonprofit colleges and universities will see their state financial aid cut nearly in half beginning in the 2026–27 academic year. Senate Bill 5828 would restore those dollars. The bill deserves strong, bipartisan support.

The Washington College Grant and College Bound Scholarship were created with a clear purpose: to ensure Washington has the educated workforce it needs for the future and to help families invest in their own economic mobility. By cutting aid for students at independent colleges, the state limits educational choice for low-income students, treating them differently based solely on where they enroll rather than their financial need or academic potential. Put differently, the state is making an indirect determination of where these students should attend college, regardless of the high achievement, retention, graduation and placement outcomes that many independent institutions of higher education in Washington state proudly achieve. These outcomes demonstrate an outstanding return on investment, a metric widely touted as an essential measure of higher ed assessment across bipartisan lines. 

At Gonzaga University and Whitworth University, we see firsthand what these programs make possible. Together, our institutions currently educate more than 1,600 Washington College Grant recipients. Many students are the first in their families to attend college. Many are pursuing degrees in high-demand fields – health care, education, business, engineering, and the sciences – that directly support Washington’s economy and communities.

For these students, state financial aid is not a supplement. It is the difference between enrolling and dropping out, between completing a degree and leaving college with debt but no credentials.

The consequences extend far beyond individual campuses – and beyond any single region of the state. Higher education is a major economic engine across Washington, from the Puget Sound to Eastern Washington. Gonzaga and Whitworth alone graduate roughly 2,500 students each year, most of whom stay in the state to work, raise families and contribute to civic life. Employers across Washington rely on this steady pipeline of educated talent.

Independent, nonprofit universities play a distinctive role. Unlike public institutions, we do not receive state operating funds. Every public dollar invested through the Washington College Grant goes directly to students, stretching taxpayer resources while expanding educational opportunities. Cutting aid to students who choose these institutions does not save money in the long run – it undermines workforce development and regional economic stability.

We are committed to supporting our current students. But no institution can sustainably absorb these cuts year after year. Without restored funding, future cohorts of Washington students will face fewer options and higher barriers to earning a degree.

This moment calls for a clear-eyed assessment of priorities. Washington has been a national leader in student financial aid because lawmakers recognized that broad access to education fuels innovation, competitiveness, and shared prosperity. Retreating from that commitment sends the wrong signal – to students, to families, and to employers deciding where to invest and grow.

Senate Bill 5828 offers a responsible path forward for Washington’s Legislature. Lawmakers should hear loudly and clearly that this issue matters.

We urge Washington residents, business leaders, and community members to speak up. Contact your legislators. Share why college affordability matters to your family, your company, or your community. Ask them to support Senate Bill 5828 and protect the Washington College Grant.

Restoring the Washington College Grant is not just an investment in higher education – it is an investment in Washington’s future.

Katia Passerini is president of Gonzaga University. Scott McQuilkin is president of Whitworth University.

The Spokesman-Review

By Erika Hernandez and Vernon Glass

In the 2025 Washington legislative session, lawmakers cut financial aid for students attending not-for-profit and independent colleges and universities across the state. These cuts – to the Washington College Grant and College Bound Scholarship – are inequitable, affecting only students attending not-for-profit, independent schools in Washington. While some saw them as a step forward, in reality, the cuts push students like us, attending Whitworth University, backward into financial fright by eliminating up to half of our grant and scholarship aid from the state.

The students most affected by these cuts are students who come from low-income backgrounds, students of color, women and students who are the first generation in their families to attend college – subsets that rely heavily on this financial aid. When I am around my peers at Whitworth and the question of “Why did you decide to come to Whitworth?” comes up, one reason we always talk about is that, after accounting for financial aid, Whitworth provides a great value considering the quality of education we receive. Some students share in these conversations that without aid like the Washington College Grant and College Bound Scholarship, they would have decided not to pursue a college education.

The Washington College Grant and College Bound Scholarship motivate and empower us to go beyond our own expectations and allow us to not only leave college with a degree but also contribute to our communities and society overall. During the 2026 session, legislators have the opportunity to correct these inequitable cuts from 2025 by passing Senate Bill 5828.

This bill, sponsored by leaders from both the Democratic and Republican parties, will undo, restore and reconstruct the unfair cuts for eligible Washington College Grant and College Bound Scholarship recipients who, like us, attend independent, not-for-profit institutions across the state.

As student representatives of Whitworth University, we write this letter to help our legislators and the public understand how vital it is that lawmakers keep the promises they made to residents when creating the Washington College Grant and College Bound Scholarship. Keeping that promise not only gives us the opportunity to become leaders but also gives us the greatest gift of all: the opportunity to learn. We must preserve educational support for students at all colleges, not just those the Legislature chooses for us.

It is crucial for legislators to reverse these inequitable cuts and to shrink the financial barriers that low-income and underrepresented families face when considering how to pay for college. Voting for SB 5828 will signal lawmakers’ support for students who rely on this funding, while ensuring a ready future supply of talented employees who contribute to the strength and vitality of their communities.

By supporting SB 5828, legislators can turn students’ dreams of a college education into reality, especially for those like us, who – without the Washington College Grant and College Bound Scholarship – may be unable to continue our education and complete our college degrees.

Please call or email your state legislators and encourage them to vote yes on SB 5828. Because empowering our communities starts with empowering the minds of our current and future students.

Erika Hernandez, of Prosser, Washington, and Vernon Glass, of Spokane, are both members of the class of 2028 at Whitworth University.

Spokane Journal of Business

By Scott McQuilkin

As someone who has worked an entire career in higher education in Spokane, I was asked by the Journal to consider how higher education and business have changed over the past 40 years, and future changes and opportunities I foresee. Readers 40 years from now will likely judge that I got little right about the regional industries of tomorrow. However, I do believe there are unchanging principles that will shape our civic life together. I bet I’m right about those.

I’ve recently heard variations on the same theme from a Google executive, a leader of the Association of Washington Business, and a Whitworth University-trained entrepreneur, who all say they need employees who can code, handle marketing, manage finance, and the like. What’s harder to find, these leaders say, are people with those skills who also are curious, resilient, and reliable; who possess interpersonal and intercultural skills; and who can work and relate effectively on teams. 

The Whitworth alumnus noted: “Artificial intelligence isn’t going away. It offers a bounty of benefits for which I am grateful. But AI cannot teach me what Whitworth did — discernment, judgment, relational skills, and empathy.” 

Those human capacities become more valuable as the world becomes more complex.

Whatever we predict about the business climate in the Inland Northwest in 2065 will be hit-and-miss. But the type of people our businesses need, and that our regional universities are focused on producing, is a sure thing. So, I’m keenly interested in how teamwork between business and higher education can deliver for our community.  

To my assignment: How has higher education changed over the past 40 years? 

• Campus populations are more diverse. Since 1985, the percentage of U.S. college students who identify as persons of color doubled from about 20% to 41%; the same trend occurred at Whitworth. 
• A decreasing percentage of high school graduates are attending college, in part because Washington state has one of the lowest filing rates for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, in the country. Thousands of students are thus unaware of, and ineligible for, federal and state financial aid. This puts not only college out of reach, but also the estimated $750,000 in higher lifetime earnings for a bachelor’s graduate versus someone with only a high school diploma. By the way, access to private, nonprofit universities in the state will get a whole lot tougher next fall because the Washington State Legislature voted to slash need-based aid for students attending them. Yes, those schools that produce 16% of all college graduates in the state. If this legislation is not reversed, it will devastate efforts to produce the workforce needed for Washington’s existing and emerging industries.
• There’s been a national decline in the number of students majoring in traditional liberal arts disciplines, despite the fact that English and philosophy graduates have documented high earning power. Graduates with liberal arts degrees know how to ask good questions, think critically, navigate complexity, and communicate effectively to drive innovation. People with these attributes are valued in every business setting — from the break room to the boardroom. Case in point, my older brother, Kevin McQuilkin, earned a philosophy minor in college and became a highly successful mergers and acquisitions banker. He is now serving as Executive in Residence at the Gonzaga University School of Business Administration and tells his students that his coursework in philosophy advantaged him as a banker because of how it helped him to think and reason.
• Online, asynchronous educational models have reshaped the ways some students, particularly adult learners, achieve their postsecondary goals, but those that prioritize human connection produce the best outcomes.
• Graduates of the past decade change careers far more often than people from my generation, so durable, adaptable skills are more important than ever.
• Despite the narrative in the news about affordability, the net cost of a four-year degree in the U.S., after financial aid, has grown at about one-third the rate of the consumer price index. Believe it or not, a Whitworth degree, adjusted for inflation, is more affordable today than it was 10 years ago, and certainly 40 years ago.
  

So, how can the business community and higher education, together, win the future for Spokane?

Partnerships between higher education and business will need to deepen further. Together we can co-create internship pipelines, apprenticeships, and microcredentials that help local talent stay ahead of industry evolution. Our health care ecosystem in particular needs not only practitioners, but researchers, analysts, and leaders who see the human story behind the science. And, as careers become less linear, universities must create opportunities for lifelong learning — helping workers learn new skills and adapt through flexible programs that keep our regional workforce strong.

Whitworth, alongside our peers at Gonzaga, Washington State University Spokane, Eastern Washington University, and Spokane Colleges, is developing a workforce strategy that connects classroom learning to professional application. This collaboration benefits everyone involved: Employers get homegrown talent; graduates are ready to contribute from day one; universities stay responsive to industry needs; and students see a clearer path from education to meaningful work — often right here at home.

As we look ahead, the next 40 years will be about alignment — aligning education with industry, technology with ethics, and growth with community values. That’s the game we should be playing, and one we can win. 

Scott McQuilkin is president of Whitworth University.

The Seattle Times

By Carolyn Kelly and Pat Callans

After saying in March that they were prioritizing student aid “so more people can access the great institutions of higher education in our state,” the Legislature enacted life-altering student aid cuts affecting some 7,000 students receiving financial aid at not-for-profit, independent universities in Washington. This last-minute change, made days before the Legislature adjourned, is a troubling and unnecessarily damaging move for our state.

Those 7,000 students represent about a third of all undergraduates at the state’s independent campuses. And unless the state reverses its cuts, a total of roughly 13,000 Washington students will see their aid amounts reduced over the next two years. About 100,000 total students are grant recipients.

As the state Legislature prepares to reconvene in 2026, the time is now to mitigate harm to students who depend on this assistance to complete their degrees. This is more than just the right thing to do for our students. It’s also the right financial choice. This scholarship funding represents less than 0.1% of the state-funded operating budget and will more than pay for itself with the taxes and other contributions these college graduates will make in Washington. Independent universities deliver college graduates who are ready to fill local jobs, at a fraction of the cost of public institutions to taxpayers. Any business — even one that’s struggling — would consider this investment a no-brainer.

State policymakers need to make things right, financially and ethically. They made a promise to Washington students through the College Bound program when they were as young as middle school. The state made a commitment to these students that, as long as those students made a commitment of their own to meet certain standards, the state would be there with financial aid for college or university. That promise is now broken. What message does that send to students about what they can count on?

With these cuts, these Washingtonians — 67% identify as students of color, 65% identify as female, and 62% are first-generation in college — stand to lose as much as $27,000 in Washington College Grant and College Bound funding over a four-year degree.

In addition to attending school, these students are often balancing work and supporting their families. They are focused on higher education for the transformative power it offers them. They are Washington’s coming generation of nurses and therapists, educators, engineers and entrepreneurs.

As The Seattle Times editorial board said this spring, “Twenty-somethings who graduate, enter the workforce and start contributing to the economy as taxpayers will be essential to creating a sound Washington economy going forward.”

We greatly fear these cuts will force students to stop or drop out, borrow more, or forego enrolling. The public-private partnerships that campuses have built upon the foundation of state and federal aid to support Washingtonians will no longer pencil out, forcing campuses to spend their limited financial aid dollars on fewer students. Reductions in student aid of this magnitude will deny students access to a powerful source of long-term prosperity.

Students have many stories about what financial assistance means to them.

“When I was in high school, I had no plans of necessarily achieving a higher education financially, I just didn’t think it was ever going to be possible,” says Cher Aguilar Henriquez, a 2025 graduate of Saint Martin’s University. “Thanks to the Washington College Grant, I was able to pursue a higher education that no one in my family had ever been able to pursue, and I now get to go on and choose my own future.”

Taezha Watson, a Pacific Lutheran University senior, said, “Because of the Washington College Grant, I’m funded and supported and receiving an education that makes me a better person. I wouldn’t be here without financial aid, and I think that’s why it’s so important to me.”

We do not want to see hardworking and motivated students defer or derail their dreams, precisely at a time when the state’s workforce most needs them. Make good on this promise. For all of us.

Carolyn Kelly: is a member of the executive committee of the board for Independent Colleges of Washington and is a former president/COO of The Seattle Times.

Pat Callans: serves on the Independent Colleges of Washington board of directors, chairs Seattle University’s board of trustees and is an executive vice president at Costco.

Letter to the Editor, The Spokesman-Review

As a former high school administrator and proud alumnus of Gonzaga and Pacific Lutheran, I’ve counseled thousands of students weighing their post-high school options. For many, often the first in their families to consider college, the initial thought was: Can I afford this? After sharing they qualified for the Washington College Grant or the College Bound Scholarship, everything changed. These programs do more than ease financial anxiety; they unlock futures.

Yet recent cuts to the Washington College Grant and College Bound Scholarship programs throws away that key, shattering the futures these students dream for themselves. Students from low-income families attending Washington’s independent, nonprofit colleges will be hit hardest, losing up to $27,000 or more over a four-year degree. Among them, 67% are students of color, 65% are women and 62% are first-generation college students.

Access is already a barrier for many Washingtonians who live far from four-year campuses. Independent nonprofit colleges – Whitworth and Gonzaga University here in Spokane, for example – provide critical local access. When aid disappears, the path to higher education narrows, not because students lack ability, but because the system failed them.

Students at Independent Colleges of Washington campuses make up about 1 in 10 statewide yet earn 20% of all bachelor’s and graduate degrees. To be blunt, ICW universities are central to Washington’s educational and workforce success.

Lawmakers must reverse these cuts and restore aid. It’s time to recommit to the promise that every student, regardless of their family’s income, can pursue a college education.

Scott Friedman

SEATTLE, WA – “As I have said before, when Olympia defers the dreams of Washingtonians, we all lose. The enacted State Budget cuts student aid support, virtually ensuring that fewer students in Washington will earn a college degree,” said Terri Standish-Kuon, president and CEO of Independent Colleges of Washington (ICW), an association representing nine private, not-for-profit campuses and their 30,000 students.

“The new State Budget decimates state student aid through the Washington College Grant and College Bound Scholarships for about 6,000 Washingtonians at ICW member campuses – 63% are students of color, 64% are female, 51% first-generation students. They are just as “low-income” as aid recipients attending public colleges and universities – the only difference is where they decided to pursue their college degrees.

“We look forward to working with Governor Ferguson and the Legislature to ensure that this coming generation of nurses and therapists, computer scientists, educators, engineers, and entrepreneurs have the support they need to persist in higher education at ICW member campuses, where they will have strong advising, caring student supports, and a sense of community – and where they have the best odds of earning a degree.”

–30 –

About Independent Colleges of Washington

As the leading advocate for not-for-profit, private campuses in Washington state, Independent Colleges of Washington (ICW) enables students to pursue their college aspirations, and Washington state to achieve its post-secondary attainment goal. In achieving its vision and purpose, ICW believes it will contribute to the long-term health and vitality of an economically robust and socially just Washington. The work of the association reinforces the importance of higher education in Washington to ensure the public commitment remains strong.

A Joint Letter from Independent Colleges of Washington, the Washington State Council of Presidents, and the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges

Dear Members of the Washington Congressional Delegation:

We write today collectively as leaders of higher education institutions in the State of Washington to express our concerns about the Student Success and Taxpayer Saving Plan, the legislation that most directly impacts the millions of Washington college students in the larger budget reconciliation package currently under consideration. On balance, we firmly believe that the legislation would create bigger barriers to higher education for students of all backgrounds at a time when a wider range of knowledge and skills are needed to be successful. Ultimately, if this bill were to pass, students and their families would have a harder time accessing postsecondary education and Washington State would be hurt.

While we recognize there are additional concerns, we emphasize the following as our primary issues with the legislation, given their significant impact on our students and families.

Pell Grants

The bill, as written, would change the definition of a “full time” student for the purposes of Pell Grant eligibility, increasing the credit requirement from 12 to 15 credits per semester or 45 credits per year for trimester institutions. In addition, the bill would remove Pell eligibility for students attending postsecondary education less than half-time. The proposed changes would make postsecondary education less accessible to working students and students who are parents, athletes, and other populations who struggle to enroll in a full courseload.

Here in Washington, 83,201 students received a Pell Grant in the 2023-24 academic year. Of those students, 15,226 – or 18.3% – received part-time Pell. Part-time students are generally our most financially vulnerable students. Many of these students must attend part-time so they can work and support themselves while studying. The impact is especially significant for adult students, who typically cannot rely on parents or families for financial support or for assistance in securing Parent PLUS or private loans.

The Pell Grant program has served as the foundation of this nation’s social compact on higher education and has served millions of students and families for more than 50 years. The proposed changes would reduce college access and affordability for the very students the Pell Grant was designed to support.

Notably, the House bill proposes making these Pell Grant eligibility changes effective July 1, 2025, immediately and negatively affecting the financial aid packages we have constructed for the students coming this fall.

Loans

The legislation as approved by the Education and the Workforce Committee contains several problematic provisions, which, when taken together, will make postsecondary education more expensive and less accessible to students.

We first note that the bill would eliminate the federally subsidized loan program, which benefits undergraduate borrowers. In other words, even the neediest undergraduate students would be forced to borrow unsubsidized loans or private loans, making higher education more expensive by shifting the cost burden directly on to students and their families.

In addition, the legislation would limit the amount that an individual could borrow from the federal loan program to the national “median cost” of the program that the individual is pursuing. Operationally, this means that a student who pursues a program that is even $1 over the “median cost” of a program – determined by comparing all similar programs across all states and in all sectors, including comparing private, not-for-profit, and public institutions against each other – would be forced to take out private loans to pay for the difference between the median cost and the cost of their program. This would make education more expensive. Worse yet, the student may not pursue a postsecondary education at all as a result.

On top of the PLUS loans being eliminated for graduate and professional students, the bill seeks to make PLUS loans eligible to parent borrowers only after student borrowers have exhausted their own federal borrowing capacity.

As a result of these and other problematic changes to the federal loan program – including lowering annual loan limits – the overall aggregate limits at both the undergraduate and graduate and professional levels would be curtailed. Again, cumulatively, the impact is to make higher education less affordable and attainable. At a time when Washington State needs more skilled workers across a panoply of fields, ranging from healthcare workers in rural areas and special education teachers in every corner of the state to a new generation of agricultural scientist and foresters, the bill’s loan provisions would exacerbate these unmet needs.

"Risk Sharing" By Institutions of Higher Education

The legislation adopted by the House committee also would hold institutions responsible for the unrepaid loan balances of graduates and borrowers with the unintended consequence of incentivizing universities to enroll fewer students from low-income and/or first-generation backgrounds. The legislation forces institutional payments to the federal government, regardless of whether students from that specific college or university have a strong history of repayment and low rates of federal loan defaults.

Rather than holding college and universities “accountable,” in practice the bill would adversely impact low-income and first-generation students, as data confirms that they are most likely to default or have greater difficulty managing repayment. Institutions that enroll a greater share of low-income and/or first-generation students would be forced to either re-evaluate their missions or cut programs, student services, or financial aid offerings to help pay back student loans, even though loan repayments are generally outside of the direct control of the institutions.

Once again, this set of provisions would have the adverse effect of making postsecondary education less affordable and accessible at a time when our state needs more individuals with skills.

Conclusion

As leaders of higher education in Washington State, we appreciate the level of attention that has been given to the role that higher education plays in our society during the recent policy debates. However, we believe that the legislation, as currently drafted, would lead to a myriad of unintended consequences for the state and its students and families.

Sincerely,

James A. Wohlpart, President, Central Washington University
Shari McMahan, President, Eastern Washington University
John Carmichael, President, The Evergreen State College
Ana Mari Cauce, President, University of Washington
Elizabeth Cantwell, President, Washington State University
Sabah Randhawa, President, Western Washington University
Ruben Flores, Executive Director, Washington State Council of Presidents

Thayne M. McCulloh, President, Gonzaga University
Andrew C. Sund, President, Heritage University
Allan Belton, President, Pacific Lutheran University
William Brownsberger, President, Saint Martin’s University
Deana L. Porterfield, President, Seattle Pacific University
Eduardo Peñalver, President, Seattle University
Isiaah Crawford, President, University of Puget Sound
Sarah Bolton, President, Whitman College
Scott McQuilkin, President, Whitworth University
Terri Standish-Kuon, President & CEO, Independent Colleges of Washington

Chris Bailey, Interim Executive Director, Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges

Statement from Independent Colleges of Washington President and CEO Terri Standish-Kuon on SSB 5785, Amending the Washington college grant and college bound scholarship

SEATTLE, WA – “When Olympia defers the dreams of Washingtonians, we all lose. In approving a last-minute change to SSB 5785, the Legislature has ensured that fewer students in Washington will earn a college degree,” said Terri Standish-Kuon, president and CEO of Independent Colleges of Washington (ICW), an association representing nine private, not-for-profit campuses and their 30,000 students.

“The final version of the legislation stripped as much as $6,316 per student annually in Washington College Grant and College Bound Scholarships from some 5,900 Washington college students who attend not-for-profit, private, independent colleges and universities across the state. These Washingtonians – 63% are students of color, 64% are female, 51% first-generation students – may be forced to stop or drop out, borrow more, or forego enrolling all together.

“In addition to attending school, these students are often balancing work and supporting their families. They are focused on higher education for the transformative power it offers them. They are Washington’s coming generation of nurses and therapists, computer scientists, educators, engineers, and entrepreneurs.

“Washington benefits significantly from the work of Independent Colleges of Washington’s campuses – which they undertake without operating and regular capital support from the state. Now, the public-private partnerships that not-for-profit campuses have built upon the foundation of state and federal aid to support Washingtonians will no longer pencil out, forcing campuses to spend their limited financial aid dollars on fewer students. Full-tuition scholarship programs, dedicated financial aid for Washingtonians, education in correctional settings – all will be fundamentally undercut if the state walks away from its commitment.

“The students at not-for-profit universities in Washington graduate at rates above the state and national averages. By steering students away from these campuses, we are keeping Washingtonians from colleges that offer strong advising and student supports, a sense of community – and where they have the best odds of earning a degree.”

“Independent Colleges of Washington was built on the foundation of making higher education more accessible for students attending private, not-for-profit colleges and universities across the state, and we will continue to prioritize those values in our work going forward.”

–30 –

About Independent Colleges of Washington
As the leading advocate for not-for-profit, private campuses in Washington state, Independent Colleges of Washington (ICW) enables students to pursue their college aspirations, and Washington state to achieve its post-secondary attainment goal. In achieving its vision and purpose, ICW believes it will contribute to the long-term health and vitality of an economically robust and socially just Washington. The work of the association reinforces the importance of higher education in Washington to ensure the public commitment remains strong

A letter to high school principals and counselors

Dear high school principals and counselors,

As we wrap up the 2023-24 school year, we extend our heartfelt thanks for your dedication to guiding and mentoring students as they move beyond high school. From offering dual-credit opportunities to preparing graduates for college-level studies, your schools serve as crucial launching pads into higher education. Your students are our students, and so we write to seek your partnership in these essential last weeks of the school year.

A request regarding the FAFSA

Education beyond high school — whether that be an apprenticeship, certificate, associate degree, or bachelor’s degree — puts students in the best position to get well-paying jobs and keep those jobs. To make that a reality, we come together to rally behind a shared cause: encouraging students and families to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). This revamped financial aid form, the most significant update since the 1980s, promises to expand access to federal Pell Grants and other forms of assistance for thousands of low-income students. Additionally, it unlocks opportunities for the Washington College Grant, among the nation's most generous state financial aid programs.

Delays and technical issues with the new FAFSA are causing many students to become frustrated and even wait to apply for financial aid and college. As you know, students who delay their education beyond high school are more likely to not go at all, ultimately putting their long-term financial and social stability at risk.

As the U.S. Department of Education continues to work on fixes to the FAFSA and information it shares with colleges and universities, our campuses are working together to help students complete their FAFSAs and pursue their dreams for higher education. Washington’s public and most not-for-profit, private four-year colleges and universities in the state have extended college decision day to June 1, 2024 to provide students more time to navigate the FAFSA process and make informed decisions about where to enroll. Community and technical colleges and other colleges and universities are also:

• Engaging with local high schools on events such as “FAFSA nights”;
• Messaging to students who have applied for college and students who are already enrolled;
• Participating in statewide initiatives to increase FAFSA completion rates; and
• Creating toolkits, webinars, and resource pages to help college financial aid officers navigate the new FAFSA.

Ways to help as a high school principal or counselor

New research from the Gates Foundation, HCM Strategists, and Edge Research shows that students trust their principals, counselors, and teachers. Forbes magazine summed it up this way:

“High school students are more likely to be exposed to positive information about college through school counselors, parents, college web sites and teachers. Whereas non-degree high school graduates [people who graduated from high school but did not pursue a college degree] are more likely to receive mixed messages … In other words, high school students are inside the college information pipeline, engaging primarily with educators who advocate for college degrees.”

As high school principals and counselors, you wield immense influence in shaping students’ educational journeys. We invite you to join us in:

• Letting students know there is a place for them at Washington’s colleges and universities, whether they want to earn a 2-year degree, a 4-year degree, train for a specific career in the skilled trades or become an apprentice. Washington’s community and technical colleges are open-door institutions, which means that applicants are automatically accepted. Through the Washington Guaranteed Admissions Program (WAGAP) or other direct admission programs, Washington’s public universities and some private, not-for-profit campuses have seamless pathways to higher education.
• Informing students about the Washington College Grant, one of the most generous and flexible financial aid programs in the country. Students and families can even get an estimate of their potential awards on the Washington Student Achievement Council website.
• Persuading students to complete a FAFSA or WASFA (Washington Application for State Financial Aid, for people who are undocumented or who do not qualify for federal financial aid but may qualify for state aid.) You can find your school’s FAFSA completion rates on the Washington Student Achievement Council’s FAFSA Completion Dashboard.
• Recommending that students and their parents or guardians sign up for the state’s college text messaging service called OtterBot for helpful reminders, resources, and encouragement. Students should text "Hi OtterBot" to 360-928-7281 and parents or guardians should text "Hi OtterBot" to 360-634-0354.
• Encouraging students to stick with it! The U.S. Department of Education is working hard to fix technical issues, and many have been resolved. By completing the FAFSA, students can open the doors to education and training that will improve their economic and social mobility for the rest of their lives.

Thank you for your partnership and your unwavering dedication to the success and well-being of students, now and in the future.

Sincerely,

Paul Francis, Executive Director of the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges;

Ruben Flores, Executive Director of the Council of Presidents;

Terri Standish-Kuon, President and CEO of Independent Colleges of Washington

• Awarding financial aid packages to admitted students based on information other than the FAFSA: Whitman College
• Extending to June 1 the deadline for admitted students to make a commitment to enroll: Gonzaga University, Pacific Lutheran University, Saint Martin’s University, Seattle Pacific University, Seattle University, University of Puget Sound and Whitworth University
• Accepting enrollment decisions on a rolling basis until in the later summer: Heritage University

The letter notes that “the new March 8 deadline to finalize appropriations coupled with the issues surrounding the rollout of the new FAFSA form, makes it impossible for colleges and universities to package financial aid offers for millions of students and families who rely on federal student aid to make informed decisions about where to attend college.”