Passion, spirit, energy of higher education

The University of Washington is an extraordinary, amazing and wonderful treasure in our state. Beloved even by Cougar fans whether they acknowledge it or not (well, perhaps I exaggerate…but I digress). I’m not a graduate. (Disclosure: I was too intimidated even to apply in high school, thinking I didn’t really have the grades to make the cut for undergraduate admissions. I haven’t given up yet…perhaps another master’s degree or a PhD is in my future…)

The rich history of graduates, the UW Medical Center’s role in securing federal R&D dollars to bring about life changing medical advances, the amazing economic ripple effect of the institution regionally. The list of accomplishments, faculty impacts, administrative leadership, sports victories and so much more. It is a national player in so many fields of academic endeavor. It is respected worldwide. The list goes on and on and on and on. All of these and more make the UW an amazing resource that is part of the DNA, the very soul, of our city and state. My noble and honorable predecessor in this role, state Rep. Helen Sommers, was the power and voice of higher education in the Legislature for decades. She stood by the UW through thick and thin. I am deeply honored to succeed her in the House, and to share her deep passion for higher education.

And yet, as a member of the Higher Education and Education Appropriations committees of the House of Representatives, I find myself privately pondering the question of why the UW appears to be so weak politically in Olympia?

The central tenet itself can be debated at length with absolutely no resolve or consensus. Perhaps it’s not weak, just experiencing pains of today’s economy? Or, perhaps there is something more structural going on in terms of the way state government views its own role in higher education?

In the end, the most important indicator of support is the budget and the authority provided to the UW administration to operate the organization. This past year higher education was hit hard. Really hard. It’s been called the state’s ‘savings account’ since funding for higher education isn’t constitutionally protected. Thus, it fluctuates with the economy and political winds.

Even if the question is accepted, the answer is complex and, of course, highly debatable. Without questioning anyone’s motives or views, I can’t help but believe that many legislators view the UW as essentially strong enough to survive without additional or full funding RELATIVE to other state programs. That is, UW professors and administrators and students may face a tough ride, but they are still in better shape in today’s economy than foster youth or parks or health care for immobile seniors or day care services for low income youth.

The debate this past session about tuition was not easy. I called publicly for a large tuition increase before any tuition proposals were on the table. The debate internally within the House Democratic Caucus was passionate, engaged, thoughtful, deep and genuine. Good and honorable people disagree on this policy question, and there is no righteous path that any side owns. I do believe in a different tuition model than we have today but that is only part of the story.

Broader than the issue of tuition, the policy question facing our state’s premier public institution of higher education today is this: How does the UW become a 21st Century entrepreneurial institution that is run more like a business in the context with which that makes sense (that is, data-driven, objectively focused on outcomes, market oriented toward adding value, non political criteria for competition of internal resources, etc.) and yet maintain it’s core public mission for the people of our state?

Simply, how do you get the financial benefits of local control by the UW to run itself like an independent institution yet the public benefits of ensuring the age old public mission is honored and not lost? It is not about the buzz words of privatization or deregulation or other such loaded messages. It is, at the foundation, about seeking alignment between the state’s role and funding. If we want to maintain a firm grip of control, we need to provide the resources for that model. If we want to fund the UW at a lower level than historical averages, and allow tuition to be the largest portion of UW resources as is now the case, we need to allow them to have the authority to make more independent decisions to secure non state resources.

That means private partnerships, federal resources, sponsorships and much more. It means that the state can’t be the exclusive holder of the power and authority without providing the resources from state coffers. We can’t have it both ways. We need to let the UW run itself and ease up on the reins of control if we’re not going to provide the state resources.

There is no question the university needs to breathe life into its internal reform efforts. It needs to spend money much more wisely. It needs to make better decisions about what programs work in a systematic fashion toward the larger state policy goal of educating more people to higher levels.

Many universities around the country have build new, 21st Century models of governance and management. We need to ask new questions, tough questions about the state’s role with the UW and, of course, our entire structure of higher education. State support may come and go, but the core public mission of the UW as our premier institution must be protected and enhanced. We must assure access for our students based not upon financial ability but academic promise. Everyone has a right to access to opportunity. It is in our state’s DNA.

Building a next generation model of higher education is not easy or clear, and every state grapples with this challenge. Many public officials are struggling with these policy questions in Olympia and statewide. But the enormous pressure of our state’s budget structure and tax system is adversely impacting our ability to sustain our premier institution. We’ve build one of the very finest institutions of higher education in the world right here at home. We have a prophet in our own land.