Western students, faculty and administration are united in requesting increased funding for student support services as the campus community’s top priority for the 2016 legislative session. Research clearly demonstrates that basic support services like advising, tutoring and counseling are some of the most effect tools available to ensure student success, particularly for first-generation students and other traditionally underserved students.
Students whose families have no experience with higher education often need support to navigate college and stay on track to graduation. With the growing number of first-generation college students in the state and the demographics of students graduating from high school becoming increasingly diverse, it is more important now than ever for universities to provide key support services such as academic advising, tutoring and retention services that help students succeed in college. These trends are reflected at Western, where the 2015-16 freshman class is the largest and most diverse in the university’s history, and highlighted by the fact that applications for the 2016-17 freshman class include an all-time record number of applications from first-generation students.
As Washington State continues to serve more students from traditionally underserved populations, we must ensure their success by providing quality support services that augment their education. Considering the amount of state resources spent on reducing tuition and financial aid programs such as the College Bound Scholarship and the State Need Grant that help students access higher education, it is vitally important to ensure those investments are fully effective by ensuring students complete their degree.
Western is currently restricted by high ratios of advisors to students and a lack of resources, coupled with a growth in demand for student support services, including nearly a 200% increase in demand for Tutoring Center services over the past six years and a 100% increase in the number of clients at the Counseling Center over the past five years. State funding would help WWU better meet student needs and provide a positive return on investment for the state by increasing student access to services that help them graduate and join the workforce. Specifically, Western requests an annual amount of $1.2 million to invest in:
- Student advising, outreach and mentoring services;
- Academic tutoring support services;
- Mental health support services;
- disAbility support for students;
- Destination Graduation: College completion for returning adults.
WWU was the only regional university that did not receive funding for student support services during the 2015 legislative session and, unfortunately, funding was not included in the House of Representatives budget proposal released yesterday. Western will continue working to secure funding in the final budget for these essential services before the Legislature adjourns.
For additional information about Western’s student success proposal, please click here.