UW Parents & Families: Welcome to Higher Ed Advocacy
As a member of the UW community, you have joined us at a time when lawmakers in Washington State are making lasting decisions about the quality and affordability of state-wide public higher education. As a parent or family member of a UW student, the decisions made in Olympia have a direct effect on your student and family. We encourage you to become informed.
UW Impact, the University of Washington Alumni Association’s legislative advocacy program, was created in 2010 to increase state support and build a stronger future for the UW and public higher education. State funding for higher education was cut in half between 2009 and 2012, which dramatically shifted the public funding paradigm. In 1990, the state covered approximately 82% of the cost to attend the UW; in 2014 the state paid just 30%. Tuition has more than doubled since 2008.
The UW is at risk of further budget cuts in 2015, as lawmakers contend with another projected revenue shortfall and a demand by Washington’s highest court to pour millions into the K-12 system. A cut in state funding will likely force another round of tuition hikes, which we know will hurt students, parents and families.
UW Impact helps alumni and individuals who care about the UW learn about the issues and communicate messages to elected officials, friends and neighbors. A network of advocates can ensure Washington will prioritize funding and enable the UW to maintain its status as a world-class university, with unparalleled access and opportunities for all students.
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