More than 200 people packed the Carwein Auditorium on the University of Washington Tacoma (UWT) campus yesterday as Gov. Christine Gregoire signed legislation that expands access to four-year degree programs throughout Washington state.
“We’ve had a ‘no vacancy’ sign up at our colleges and universities for too many students for too long, said Gregoire, who faces the challenge of making room for 26,000 more college students by 2010. We must create more room for students to get the education they need to compete in our 21st century economy. This bill will help us meet that need.”
Indeed, House Bill 1794 allows University of Washington branch campuses in Tacoma and Bothell, as well as Washington State University branch campuses in Vancouver and the Tri-Cities, to admit lower-division students and award four-year degrees, beginning in the fall of 2006. Until now, the campuses have offered only the junior and senior years of coursework toward a bachelor’s degree, and courses leading to master’s degrees.
The bill also has sweeping benefits for community colleges throughout the state.
It authorizes up to four community and technical college pilot programs leading to bachelor’s degrees in applied technology, and encourages community colleges and regional universities to work together to offer four-year degrees on community college campuses so students do not have to relocate to complete their degrees. The bill also allows Everett Community College to work with education, business and community leaders to recommend ways to better serve the baccalaureate capacity needs in north Snohomish, Island and Skagit counties.
Earl Hale, executive director of the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges, said, “The two-year colleges support House Bill 1794 because it represents a comprehensive approach to building baccalaureate capacity in Washington. It recognizes the partnerships between the two- and four-year institutions and uses a variety of approaches to meet the needs for increased access to higher education across the state.”
UW President Mark Emmert said his school currently turns away many qualified freshmen. “We need to expand access to baccalaureate degrees for the increasing number of students who will be graduating from our high schools,” he said. “UW Bothell and UW Tacoma will help us meet that demand for a UW diploma.”
The bill’s prime sponsor, Rep. Phyllis Kenney, said, “We face significant challenges in higher education. We have more students who want access to our colleges and universities than we can accommodate under our current plan.
UWT has made several moves in anticipation of expanding its enrollment.
The university broke ground April 27 on a three-story, 309-car parking garage to help meet the parking needs of UWT students, faculty and staff, and a five-story, 129-unit apartment building. The project, named Court 17 and located at 17th Street and Court C in downtown Tacoma, will open in phases: the garage later this year, and the apartments in late 2006.
On March 25, Emmert and representatives from the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges and the Higher Education Coordinating Board signed an agreement promising transfer students nearly three-quarters of UWTs undergraduate seats, in anticipation of the bill.
The university also plans to spend $7.5 million to convert the “Dawg Shed” into a full-scale assembly hall.
The UWT currently has 2,100 students, and will admit its first 125 freshmen and sophomores in 2006.
I know here in Tacoma this has been long-awaited, Gregoire said. To Tacoma I say, congratulations.
