• Focus : Washington

    Washington joined the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE), a 15-state commission working to boost access to and success in higher education for students in the West, in 1955. Washington and WICHE have shared a remarkably productive history. But more importantly the state and its citizens reap essential economic and educational benefits today, saving millions of dollars annually while ensuring the state’s “human capital” is educated and ready to participate in a highly competitive global economy.


    In 2008-09 Washington students and their families saved $27 million in tuition by participating in WICHE’s Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE), plus another $1 million through the Professional Student Exchange Program (PSEP) and Western Regional Graduate Program (WRGP). Four Washington universities received $2.3 million in tuition revenues in 2008-09 through WICHE’s programs in dentistry, pharmacy, veterinary medicine, and other disciplines.

     

    Doing the Math: Washington's Return on Investment

    In 2008-09 Washington, its institutions, and its students saved or brought in some $30 million through WICHE and spent $120,000 for membership in the commission, yielding a 250-fold return on investment.
     
    In the last 5 years, Washington students’ savings from WUE alone have topped $109 million, with membership dues of just $561,000, yielding a 194-fold return.

     


    How does Washington benefit as a WICHE state?

    WICHE’s programs save Washington money and enhance the use of its educational resources in several critical ways.

     

    > When funding is reduced, access to higher ed can be preserved because students have affordable out-of-state options via WICHE.

     

    > Washington’s public colleges and universities are able to increase enrollment in programs with extra capacity – and bring in much needed educational dollars – by enrolling students from other WICHE states.

     

    > Washington saves money by not having to establish and maintain costly programs in a number of essential or leading-edge areas because its students have access to out-of-state programs.

     

    > Washington vastly increases the resources it has for training its workforce: the majority of its professional students who train through WICHE’s PSEP return to the state to work and live.

    What student programs does WICHE offer?

    Some 4,000 students from Washington are attending undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs in other Western states through WICHE’s three student exchange programs this year (Figure 1 breaks down tuition savings, as well as the revenue from incoming students). State membership in WICHE is required for students to participate in these programs.
     
    Western Undergraduate Exchange. Some 23,000 Washington students have enrolled in out-of-state undergraduate programs through WUE in the last decade. Over 3,600 Washington WUE students are enrolled in 2008-09.
     
    > Washington students saved about $27 million in tuition and fees this year, with an average savings of $7,344, by paying the WUE rate of 150 percent of resident tuition in their enrolling institutions.
     
    > The top majors of Washington’s students are: biology, business, economics, engineering, and education.
     
    Washington also benefits from WUE by receiving students from out of state – some 820 this year. Its institutions choose how many out-of-state slots to offer and in which areas, allowing them to make the best use of their resources by accepting students in underenrolled programs. There’s a workforce benefit for the state, too, as students often stay in Washington after graduating.
     
    Professional Student Exchange Program. Washington has sent students to professional programs through PSEP since 1960. It currently supports 13 students in optometry and osteopathic medicine, while receiving 110 students and some $2.3 million in support fees from other Western states. Historically, 70 percent of outbound PSEP students have returned to Washington to pursue their professional careers.
     
    Western Regional Graduate Program. Washington’s postgraduates participate in graduate programs through WRGP, which offers access to over 200 high-quality, distinctive programs (“distinctive” meaning that they’re offered at only four or fewer institutions in the WICHE region as well as to a range of healthcare programs) at 39 institutions in 14 WICHE states. Washington sent 79 students to out-of-state institutions in 2008-09, while receiving 44.
     
    Internet Course Exchange (ICE). Washington participates in WICHE’s newest exchange, ICE. Eastern Washington University and 29 other member institutions and systems work towards sharing distance-delivered courses. Other Washington institutions may also join.

    WICHE's Added Value

    Washington gains added value from WICHE's programs in policy, workforce development, technology, mental health, and other areas.

     

    Workforce Development. Washington was selected for technical assistance from the Escalating Engagement project: WICHE helped the state to map how it could better connect its higher education institutions and related policies with workforce development needs (in keeping with the Higher Education Board’s recently approved strategic plan). Washington also sent a delegation to WICHE’s December meeting on building statewide longitudinal databases that incorporate K-12, postsecondary, and workforce data; WICHE connected the state’s representatives with counterparts throughout the West and with knowledgeable experts. In addition, WICHE President David Longanecker testified last year before a joint legislative committee on the connection between higher education and workforce development.
     
    Policy Assistance. Washington participates in WICHE’s College Access Challenge Grant (CACG) Network: CACG is a federally funded formula grant program designed to increase the number of low-income students who enroll and succeed in college. The network provides a forum for developing, implementing, and maintaining state CACG efforts, with states sharing best practices and lessons learned and receiving current research. In addition, David Longanecker served as a facilitator for HECB’s 2008 master planning retreat and presented on national perspectives on tuition policy this year; while WICHE Director of Policy Research Brian Prescott gave a talk to the NW Gear Up Association at the invitation of the HECB staff last fall. WICHE has also consulted with Washington policymakers on accountability and finance issues.  
     
    Technology. The University of Washington and five other Washington institutions are members of WICHE’s WCET (formerly the Western Cooperative for Educational Telecommunications), which provides access to the latest and best e-learning information resources and institutional good practices. The e-learning program of the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges is an active member in WCET’s eLearning Consortia. In addition, this February WICHE and the Seattle Science Foundation co-hosted a meeting with representatives from China Open Resources for Education (CORE), U.S. and Canadian institutions, and distinguished U.S. scientists to explore interest and strategies to develop targeted training programs for the Chinese market.   
    Mental Health. WICHE’s Mental Health Program has collaborated with the director of the University of Washington’s Institute for Mental Health Research and Training, Maria Monroe-DeVita, to explore the application of evidence-based practices in rural settings; Monroe-DeVita also addressed a recent conference sponsored by WICHE and SAMHSA. Mental Health Director Dennis Mohatt was a plenary speaker at the Washington Association of Community Mental Health Programs’ annual conference, discussing rural mental health workforce development.
     
    Meetings & Other Initiatives. WICHE has held numerous national and regional meetings in Washington. The 2004 “Changing Direction: Aligning Financing Policies to Increase Access and Success” meeting drew participants from 28 states and Washington, D.C. The 2005 Northwest Academic Forum annual meeting, held at Pacific Northwest National Laboratories, drew decision makers from 10 states (as did biannual NWAF Executive Committee meetings). The WICHE Commission’s 2000 semiannual meeting brought participants from 15 states to Washington, as did the 2005 Legislative Advisory Committee meeting. The 2008 “Escalating Engagement” statewide policy forum, which addressed economic development and higher ed, was held in Seattle and preceded by meetings and focus groups throughout the state.
     
    Washington is also engaged in other WICHE initiatives. The Master Property Program, which helps institutions reduce insurance premiums and improve coverage, saved Seattle Pacific University $37,700 in 2008. Washington participated in the national State Scholars Initiative, a program managed by WICHE that encourages students to do rigorous coursework in high school. The state is active in WICHE’s Western Academic Leadership Forum, which addresses regional higher education issues and resource sharing: the University of Washington, Washington State, Central Washington University, and Eastern Washington University are members.

     

    Our goal with both meetings and projects is to assist educational leaders and policymakers by advocating for good public policy in the West. A third way we accomplish this is via our publication series, including Policy Insights and Workforce Briefs, which explore a wide range of significant policy issues. We also publish in-depth works such as Knocking at the College Door: Projections of High School Graduates by State and Race/Ethnicity and the Regional Fact Book for Higher Education in the West, which includes data and analyses on fiscal, demographic, economic, and social indicators, as well as a state report providing Alaska data on access, affordability, finance, faculty, technology, and workforce issues. These resources can be downloaded at no cost from the WlCHE website.