Senate, House budget proposals released

The House and Senate released each chamber’s supplemental operating and capital budget proposals this week.  The Senate operating proposal includes $1.8 million per biennium to transition Western on the Peninsulas degree programs from a self-supported funding model to a state-funded model.  This funding would align tuition rates for students attending WWU on the Peninsulas with tuition rates for most other resident undergraduate degree programs at Western. The Senate operating budget proposal also includes funding for the Washington State Institute for Public Policy to conduct a study that identifies the extent to which employees or students at postsecondary institutions in other states have access to peer-reviewed journals, pursuant to ESSB 5504.