News & Updates

The Seattle Times has a story about a new program that could help some students better manage student loan payments.  There are limitations and the program is not for everyone, but according to the article:

The Income Based Repayment program allows graduates to pay no more than 15 percent of their income toward monthly loan repayments. Those with moderate or low incomes will be required to pay much less than 15 percent, and in some cases, nothing at all — at least initially. The program will be particularly helpful to new graduates who have big loans and are entering a tough job market.

The program encompasses federal loans that account for about two-thirds of all student debt. Private loans taken out by students and federal loans taken out by parents do not qualify. If people are already in default on their loans, they won’t qualify for the program, either.

Kay Lewis, director of student financial aid at the University of Washington, said she plans to send a mass e-mail to the 4,100 students who graduated from the UW this year to let them know about the program. She said about half of those students left with loans.

You can read the entire article here.

Welcome —

Unless this is your first time here, you can see that we have updated the State Relations page to make it easier for you to find the information you want (and to make it more consistent with many other UW websites).  Most importantly, the Capitol Record blog has been moved front and center — no more having to click to find it.  We will continue to post news updates from Olympia, along with important information on higher education issues around the nation. 

We have maintained all of the key links from the old site (along with a few new ones) and we will continue to post documents and other resources that provide context for the stories we cover in the blog.  We hope you find the new design more useful and welcome your suggestions on how we can keep you better informed.   Thanks for reading!

Next Monday you will see a new look for the Capitol Update blog. We are changing the design to be consistent with other UW sites, and to provide readers with easier access to the information they want. Rather than have to click through to the blog, it will be front and center on the main page. You will still have access to all of the quick links and resources from the old site as well. If you have our blog bookmarked (and we certainly hope you do), you will be automatically forwarded to the new site.

An article in Maine’s Kennebec Journal has a familiar ring to those who followed recent state budget debates here and around the nation. According to the article:

A critical component of Maine’s long-term economic recovery is investment in higher education. But that’s not where the state has put its money in recent years, a former Maine state economist said Thursday.

Investment in Maine’s colleges and universities is “the most critical thing we can do for the future of our state,” said Laurie Lachance, now president and chief executive officer of the Maine Development Foundation.

But that investment has dropped off during the past few decades as a percentage of state spending, Lachance told Augusta Kiwanis Club members.

In 1968, she said, 18 percent of the state General Fund supported higher education. In 2007, it was down to 9 percent.

People with higher education levels are less likely to be unemployed and are more likely to have high incomes, Lachance said.

You can find the complete story here.

Remember when President Bush had to duck to avoid a shoe thrown by an angry Iraqi journalist? (If not — here’s a You Tube refresher). At the same time, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Malaki didn’t flinch at all. Why the difference? Turns out that in the split second the shoe was in the air, the President’s brain calculated it as a threat, while the Prime Minister’s brain realized the shoe was not aimed at him, and the two men reacted accordingly.

UW neuroscientists believe we have a “dual vision” system that allows our brain to instantly determine the trajectory of an object, whether it poses peril, and take decisive action — all in a flash. This is the same system that explains how baseball hitters know when to bail out of the batter’s box and when to hang in, even when a pitch is far inside. It all happens in a fraction of a second — faster than the eyes and conscious mind can process.

UW researchers are using the data to better our understanding of how humans process an overwhelming amount of sensory information — and how our brains react — even before a conscious thought is formed — to protect us from harm.

You can read more about the UW research here — perhaps during a sunny afternoon taking in a game at Safeco Field.

Congratulations to the Husky men’s crew for bringing the Intercollegiate Rowing Association national championship home for the purple and gold. The crew overtook Cal with a furious final 500 meters in the varsity eight race, and came home with four gold medals as well as the team title.

Governor Gregoire added her praise as well —

“I congratulate Coach Michael Callahan and the Husky Men’s Crew team for winning their third straight national championship. To compete in such a grueling sport takes determination, perseverance and a lot of heart. Their come-from-behind victory makes this championship even more memorable. This team has so much to be proud of – a strong work ethic, a history of success and the makings of a talented team for years to come. I am incredibly proud of these student athletes, and congratulate them on their outstanding achievement!”

Well done!

A recent study by the American Enterprise Institute (with funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation — “Diplomas and Dropouts” shows the UW’s six-year graduation rate at 75%, well ahead of the state average of 59%. You can read a good story on the study in the Seattle Times. According to the article, researchers tracking graduation rates say better data is needed:

Hilary Pennington, the director of postsecondary success and special initiatives at the Gates Foundation, said federal data sets in higher education are inadequate and need to start accounting for part-time and transfer students.

That said, the report does show you can have similar institutions with “really incredibly different outcomes,” Pennington said.

“We are very interested in the obvious next question: What is it that the good ones are doing, and the poor-performing ones are not doing?” she said.

For Washington public universities, a key question is how budget cuts — which are likely to reduce course options — may make it harder for students to finish their degrees. Expect this issues to gain a higher profile in coming years.

Hearty congratulations to the UW Softball team, who beat the Florida Gators and captured the NCAA National Championship. The victory was also noticed in Olympia where Governor Gregoire issued the following statement:

“I am incredibly proud of our Washington women for their victory. The excellence, determination, and passion they have demonstrated are truly outstanding. It is exciting to see such success enjoyed by students from my Alma Mater. Their record-setting performances and confident ability to upset a top-ranked team are truly commendable.”

“With USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Danielle Lawrie, a new record for hits in a single-season set by Ashley Charters, and a record-setting number of World Series doubles by Morgan Stuart, the Huskies have good reason to celebrate. And I proudly celebrate with them!”

Bow Down to Washington, indeed!

Sorry for the groaner, but the budget cuts being proposed for California’s higher education system are dramatic. Governor Schwarzenegger and lawmakers are having to respond to the failure of several budget measures at the ballot, and proposals include sharp cutbacks in financial aid, higher tuition and fees, and deep cuts in enrollment. Here are two takes on the situation, one from Business Week and a broader story from the LA Times.

Lawmakers are also feeling the pain of the recently passed state budget. Today’s Olympian had a story about budget cuts being implemented in the House and Senate. The measures include layoffs, mandatory furloughs, reduced per-diem for members, and reduced communications budgets. You can read the entire story here.