June 26, 2008
Regents OK new college, tuition hike
The UW Board of Regents approved the creation of a College of the Environment, as well as a tuition increase for undergraduates, at its June meeting.
The new college has the potential to be one of the nation’s largest programs focused on environmental science, policy and management. Dennis Hartmann, professor and past chair of atmospheric sciences, has been named interim dean of the new college, subject to approval by the regents at their July meeting. Hartmann will help conduct discussions to formulate the new college’s mission, configuration and academic programs as well as determine which units want to join the new venture.
“The regents’ approval allows us to continue the intense discussions needed to build the best environmental college in the country,” said Provost Phyllis Wise, who presented the proposal to the regents.
The UW’s environmental expertise comprises more than 400 faculty members on three campuses and extends across fields of study ranging from the geosciences to natural resources, and from climate dynamics to environmental policy. The UW’s environmental expertise spans more fields than Duke, Michigan, Stanford or Yale — all with existing environmental colleges — as well as 17 other universities known for their environmental programs.
The ultimate composition of the new college has yet to be determined. If all the units proposed for the college choose to join, it would have one of the largest groups of environmental scientists and scholars in the country, Wise said. The new college will bring together experts and degree programs that are currently distributed across numerous schools and colleges without overarching coordination. The units will keep their existing degree programs, with the new college providing students a single place to turn for help with their degrees and to find research opportunities concerning the environment, Wise said. It also will give businesses, state agencies, nongovernmental groups and others a focal point for environmental information and problem solving.
One new academic unit is proposed that would draw on faculty from the social sciences who are involved with the environment, a unit currently labeled “Environment, Society and Culture.”
The UW expects there to be an increased focus on joint appointments between the new college and existing units on campus.
The UW also proposes creating a central institute within the college where University researchers can build on the strengths of the core units and collaborate with off-campus experts and groups to promote fundamental advances and formulate real-world solutions for pressing regional, national and international problems, Wise said. The UW will launch the institute in the fall using a gift of $1 million from an anonymous donor.
In other business at the meeting, the regents approved an increase for undergraduate resident tuition of $408 for 2008-2009
Currently, the state of Washington, through general fund appropriations, pays for a little less than half the cost of educating an in-state undergraduate student. Total tuition and fees for the coming year will be $6,793, an increase of 7 percent.
“Tuition at the UW has historically been low, and even with this increase it is going to be $1,900, or 20 percent a year lower than comparable institutions around the country,” said UW President Mark A. Emmert. “Still, we understand that for some families, paying tuition can be a struggle, which is why the UW will be increasing the amount it allocates in financial aid as tuition rises. We also remain committed to the Husky Promise Program, which guarantees that Washington students from low-income backgrounds pay no tuition at all.” Currently, about 20 percent of UW undergraduates, about 5,500 students, pay no tuition.
The tuition increase will yield approximately $8.4 million annually, but it and the state appropriation combined still leave the UW at a disadvantage in comparison with similar public institutions, which spend $3,100 more per student on undergraduate education.
Tuition for nonresident undergraduates will increase by $1,079, or 6.6 percent. Increases for graduate and professional programs will range from 6.1 to 9.4 percent.
