Higher education is an investment we can’t afford to neglect

A recent easing of the budget crisis facing Washington state is presenting legislators with an unexpected opportunity to both right a wrong and to invest in our state’s long-term economic health.

Washington’s public colleges and universities are being hollowed out from within due to steep state funding cutbacks, particularly in recent budgets. Washington invests less in higher education today than it did in 1989, yet our institutions are now serving thousands more students.