Rep. Timmons introduces bill to raise Western Washington University's per‑student state funding to parity

House Bill 2070, introduced by Rep. Joe Timmons (42nd Legislative District), would establish a per‑student calculation to bring Western Washington University’s state appropriation up to parity with peer regional universities when Western is the lowest‑funded institution on a per‑FTE basis.

Timmons told the Postsecondary Education Workforce Committee on Feb. 25 that Western has historically been the lowest‑funded regional four‑year university in the state “by just about $1,000 below Central Washington University currently,” and that since 1990 Western has been the lowest funded in most years. He framed the bill as “bringing Western up” rather than taking funds from other campuses and acknowledged budget constraints that make enactment this session unlikely.

Saranda Ross, staff to the committee, summarized the bill’s mechanism: it would calculate a per‑student state funding ratio using carry‑forward level funding divided by full‑time‑equivalent students; if Western’s ratio is the lowest among the regional universities and state college, the state would appropriate at least the difference between Western’s ratio and the next lowest institution.

Western leadership testified the shortfall has real consequences. Sabah Randhawa, president of Western Washington University, said the per‑student disparity has grown to “more than $1,000 per student, resulting in more than a $25,000,000 gap” in annual state allocations compared with the next lowest funded institution. Randhawa and trustees described $23 million in operating reductions taken last year to protect core instruction, including elimination of administrative divisions and cuts to student supports.

Student leaders from Western said recent cuts — including a 3% reduction last year — forced course reductions and delayed graduations. Aspen Cates Dolio, student‑body president, said cuts “forced the university to cut … academic areas that are core to the university’s mission,” delaying graduation for some students and increasing costs for them. Sofia Maynard and Christopher Rosenquist described thinner frontline advising and five‑week waits for counseling intake appointments.

Several witnesses and university representatives urged consideration of broader, durable funding reforms — including enrollment‑ or outcomes‑based formulas — but others recommended that, if parity legislation returns, it either be broader in scope or include mechanisms allowing other institutions to receive parity funding when they are the lowest funded.

The committee closed the public hearing on HB 2070 and did not take executive action on the bill during this session meeting. The public hearing record included dozens of pro sign‑ins and a small number of opponents.