Students at WA's private colleges would see financial aid slashed under new state budget
(Getty Images)
Financial aid for low-income Washington students at private four-year colleges will be cut under the state budget plan now on Gov. Bob Ferguson's desk awaiting his signature.
Students attending any of the state's nine independent colleges, such as Gonzaga University, Pacific Lutheran University, Seattle University, and Whitman College, would see state tuition assistance under the Washington College Grant and College Bound Scholarship programs cut to 50% of the average level awarded to students at public universities.
Aid for students in online programs, such as Western Governors University-Washington and certain apprenticeship programs, would also be reduced. And students at for-profit universities and private vocational schools would no longer qualify for the assistance.
Income eligibility guidelines would also change for the college grant program. For the 2024-25 academic year, students from a family of four with an income up to $78,500 would be eligible for the maximum award. That income amount is equal to 65% of the state median income. The latest budget calls for dropping the threshold for a full award to 60% of median income.
These reductions would begin during the 2026-27 academic year, meaning second and first-year students, along with future students, would feel the effects.
Lawmakers adopted the cuts to student aid as part of the package of spending reductions and tax increases they approved this year to solve a budget shortfall estimated to be around $16 billion over the next four fiscal years.
The Washington College Grant, which lawmakers approved in 2019, is often celebrated by its supporters as one of the most generous state tuition assistance programs in the nation for low- and middle-income students.
Sen. June Robinson, chair of the Senate Ways and Means Committee, said that the financial aid program has helped a lot of people attain higher education, but that the grant is not financially sustainable as it is now.
'Quite frankly, we just can't afford it as a state,' Robinson said.
The cuts would affect students like Diego Gonzalez, a second-year student attending Seattle University, who thought he could rely on financial aid from the state college grant program to help pay for his education.
'I don't know about my future, and it really does suck because I've made such a good community here at Seattle University,' he said.
Gonzalez is a first-generation, low-income college student and relies on the aid to attend college. Since the budget has passed, he said he has stayed up late applying for scholarships, worried he will no longer be able to attend college because he can't afford it.
Growing up in a low-income household, Gonzalez said his family could barely afford buying school supplies. He didn't think college was obtainable because of the high costs, but receiving the state tuition assistance has allowed him to get one step closer to achieving his dream of going to law school.
While tuition is higher at private colleges than public universities, they already provide low-income students with a substantial amount of financial aid using their own resources and wouldn't be able to make up for the cuts to the state grant, according to Terri Standish-Kuon, president and CEO of Independent Colleges of Washington.
'Those financial aid dollars are finite,' Standish-Kuon said. 'We will not be able to fill the cuts of this magnitude.'
The majority of people receiving Washington College Grant funding at the private four-year schools are students of color, women, or first-generation college students, Standish-Kuon added.
Independent colleges award one in every five bachelor's and graduate degrees in the state and help give students who may be tied to a specific geographic area or who seek different learning environments, an opportunity to receive higher education, Standish-Kuon noted.
Students at these colleges also graduate at higher rates than state and national averages. 'Steering students away from these schools is materially harmful,' Standish-Kuon said.
The Independent Colleges of Washington said they are urging Ferguson to veto the section of the budget legislation containing the cuts to the Washington College Grant and the College Bound Scholarship program.
Gonzalez said he doesn't know what will happen with his financial aid until Ferguson signs the budget. He also said that if the program is cut, even if it is restored in the future, it will not 'reduce the damage or impact on the students.'
'It's students who kind of rely on higher education to pull themselves out of poverty, like myself, who might not have the opportunity to do that,' Gonzalez said.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
8 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Revisit the Last Major U.S. National Military Parade of 1991
Soldiers who served in the Gulf War march along the streets of Washington, D.C., on June 8, 1991. Credit - Mark Reinstein—Getty Images To mark the 250th anniversary of the United States Army, Washington D.C. will play host to a national military parade on Saturday, June 14. The date also falls in line with President Donald Trump's 79th birthday, but the U.S. Army has said it has no plans to mark the occasion alongside the parade. Either way, the President is still expected to play a significant role in the celebrations. But the event comes at a highly precarious time, amid nationwide protests which started in Los Angeles when people rallied against raids conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). After some of the protests descended into violence, Trump controversially deployed the National Guard and active-duty Marines to L.A. to quell the demonstrations. The move was made without a request from California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who has since taken legal action against the Trump Administration. Amid backlash, the 'No Kings' movement is expected to hold nationwide protests against Trump on Saturday, including in Arlington, Virginia, across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C. Speaking at the Oval Office on Tuesday, Trump warned against people who planned to protest at the upcoming parade, telling reporters: "For those who want to protest, they're going to be met with very big force." Read More: L.A. Protests Intensify as Police Report 'Mass Arrests' Despite Curfew, While Trump Says City Is 'Lucky' He Got Involved Even prior to the recent escalated tension over immigration efforts, Trump's decision to hold the parade received criticism, especially from some Democratic lawmakers. Sen. Tammy Duckworth of Illinois, who is an Iraq War veteran, has called it an 'egotistical, nonsensical birthday parade.' While Sen. Adam Schiff of California described it as a 'dictator-style military parade' and accused Trump of spending millions of tax dollars to throw himself a 'birthday party.' The upcoming parade is expected to cost around $45 million, including $16 million in damages to roads after tanks and other heavy vehicles tour the streets of Washington. It's set to be a grand affair, involving an estimated 6,500 U.S. troops, 150 vehicles, and 50 aircraft. This is the first major national military parade in the U.S. since 1991. President George H. W. Bush held the event on June 8 that year, after the U.S. led a successful coalition in the Gulf War. As the U.S. gets ready for Trump's much-discussed June 14 military parade, here's everything you need to know about the last one that took place 34 years ago. The parade was held to celebrate the military success of the U.S.-led coalition in the Gulf War, which came to a conclusion in late February. The first phase of the war, named Operation Desert Shield, involved a military and personnel coalition in Saudi Arabia from August 1990 to January 1991, hashed out on the border with Kuwait which had been invaded by Iraq, under the eye of Saddam Hussein. On Jan. 17, 1991, the war entered its second phase, Operation Desert Storm, in which the U.S-led coalition orchestrated an aerial and naval bombardment of Iraqi forces in Kuwait. This was followed by a ground operation, which lasted for five days, concluding on Feb. 28, with Kuwait liberated and Iraqi forces expelled. On the evening that Desert Storm began, President Bush addressed the nation in a speech from the Oval Office, saying: 'I've told the American people before that this will not be another Vietnam, and I repeat this here tonight. Our troops will have the best possible support in the entire world, and they will not be asked to fight with one hand tied behind their back.' He added: 'This is an historic moment. We have in this past year made great progress in ending the long era of conflict and cold war. We have before us the opportunity to forge for ourselves and for future generations a new world order.' But it wasn't only the Gulf War occupying the minds of Americans during the 1991 military parade. Bill Allison, a professor of history at Georgia Southern University, says that the legacy of the Vietnam War, which ended in April 1975, was still very much felt. 'Vietnam was looming large in that rear-view mirror. Vietnam veterans didn't get a parade and the war was a hot mess,' he says. "[For symbolic reasons], there was also a group of Vietnam veterans invited to march in the 1991 parade and as Bush said, 'We've kicked the Vietnam syndrome.'' Connor Williams, a professor of history at Yale, says that this campaign changed the American mindset on the military. 'Desert Shield and Desert Storm provided a relationship with the military that had not been seen in a generation… The incredible swiftness and completeness of that victory left a lot to celebrate,' he notes. The Gulf War was also the first major conflict in which the U.S. deployed a fully voluntary military force after conscriptions in both World Wars, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. 'For the United States, [the parade] was a testament to the volunteer work force and that had been a very risky move at the time,' says Allison. The parade is estimated to have cost around $12 million, which adjusted for inflation, translates to roughly £28 million today. An estimated $5 million dollars in 1991 was raised by the volunteer Homecoming Foundation, established to support military personnel returning from the Gulf and to help coordinate the parade. Around 700 foundation volunteers were also present to help the clean-up operation. Although, with roughly 8,000 troops marching through the streets of the nation's capital, the show of military might attracted a far smaller crowd than expected. Only 200,000 showed up to the parade early in the day, with numbers peaking later in the evening, when around 800,000 were present for the glittering fireworks display. Whilst there were some, such as anti-war protesters and people concerned about the cost, who voiced disapproval over the parade, there didn't appear to be too much criticism from lawmakers, according to historians. "One thing that will always unite politicians is supporting the troops, [even though] there's different opinions on how the troops should be supported," Williams says, adding that this sentiment can change if there is no notable military success to honor. 'In 1991, it was very much a campaign event for everybody. The salute Bush exchanged with Norman Schwarzkopf [a U.S. Army General during the Gulf War] was highly photographed. There was a [presidential] election the next year and there was a lot of B-roll happening because Bush and Democratic leaders wanted to be seen shaking hands and supporting the troops,' Williams says. The only significant demonstration was a group of anti-war activists delivering speeches in Lafayette Park, on the opposite side of the White House to the parade, which went down Constitution Avenue. In January 1991, during the conflict in Kuwait, thousands of protestors attended multiple anti-war demonstrations, centered around humanitarian worries. Read More: Veterans Condemn Trump's 'Misuse of Military Power' Amid L.A. Protests Experts tell TIME that, generally speaking, there are three key reasons behind military parades, including the one held in 1991: Celebrating the troops Rallying the public Sending a message to other countries 'In 1991, it was more about rallying the people and celebrating the troops. To some extent, the U.S. didn't need to display power like the Soviets did. The power had already been displayed. People had been watching the capability of the U.S. military on the nightly news,' says Williams. 'Not everyone [tanks and personnel] rolled down Pennsylvania avenue to give off that effect. It was more a way for people to celebrate what they thought was emerging, a unipolar world.' As for Trump's upcoming parade on June 14, Williams says that it "will be interesting" to see how U.S. strength is displayed anew. 'Will it be demonstrated in a peaceful way or in attack mode? How will the people respond?' That remains to be seen. Contact us at letters@


CNN
21 minutes ago
- CNN
Trump's pick to lead FAA
Aviation news Federal agencies Trump appointments Donald TrumpFacebookTweetLink Follow President Trump's nominee to lead the Federal Aviation Administration was grilled by senators Wednesday on critical safety-related issues, including the required hours needed for pilots, the outdated air traffic control system and the ongoing problems at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. At a hearing held by the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, senators raised questions about the current state of the country's aviation system to airline executive Bryan Bedford. The FAA administrator role has been filled by Chris Rocheleau on an interim basis since the departure of former Administrator Mike Whitaker on Inauguration Day. Top of the mind for senators was safety. If confirmed, Bedford would oversee the country's airspace system, which has dealt with several issues over the last six months, including fatal air travel incidents and an outdated air traffic control system that has experienced technology outages. 'The system that manages our skies is showing its age,' Bedford testified. 'The stresses of this antiquated system truly came into view as we all returned to the skies after Covid. Chronic understaffing, controller fatigue, outdated facilities and telecommunications technology has placed a significant strain on the men and women at the FAA, and it has absolutely frustrated travelers with excessive delays and cancellations and has caused the public to question whether it's truly safe to fly.' Senators pressed Bedford on major challenges facing the FAA as it grapples with repeat air traffic control systems failures at the approach control facility for Newark Liberty International Airport; aging air traffic control infrastructure nationwide; and a shortage of 3,000 air traffic controllers. In attendance at Wednesday's hearing were the parents of Sam Lilley, the first officer killed in the midair collision at Reagan National Airport in January that killed 67 people. Bedford said he met with the families that lost loved ones in the tragedy. The crash led to a ban on helicopter traffic on a four-mile stretch over the Potomac River. 'We need to shine a light on this,' Bedford said. 'Transparency is going to help us find permanent solutions.' Bedford reiterated his top priority 'will be public safety and restoring the public's confidence in flying.' With regard to the crash, Sen. Jerry Moran, a Republican from Kansas, brought up legislation recently introduced involving ADS-B. Civilian and military aircraft use ADS-B, which helps an aircraft broadcast its location, altitude and other key factors while monitoring other aircraft around it. ADS-B Out broadcasts aircraft information, while ADS-B In allows aircraft to receive that information. 'ADS-B In can be a significant safety improvement for the visibility of traffic because it incorporates the traffic that's on the ground,' Bedford said. 'So, when we look at the alerting systems that we have and we're relying on, even when we're using surface radars, it still requires the controller to be in the loop.' But the Army often turned it off while flying on missions in Washington. The NTSB previously confirmed the Army's Black Hawk helicopter involved in January's collision had the necessary equipment and was capable of transmitting, but investigators still do not know why it wasn't. A closed-door roundtable is expected later Wednesday among lawmakers regarding the safety troubles at Reagan National Airport. In May, some helicopter flights to the Pentagon were put on hold by the US Army pending an investigation after two planes at Reagan National Airport were forced to abort landings as a US Army Black Hawk helicopter approached the Pentagon nearby. Those Army helicopters were from the same unit as the one that crashed. At 4:15 p.m., the members of the Senate Subcommittee on Aviation will meet with Brig. Braman, director of Army Aviation; Rocheleau and Jennifer Homendy, chairwoman of the National Transportation Safety Board. Bedford has long opposed a requirement for new pilots at commercial air carriers to obtain 1,500 flight hours, which many senators brought up during Wednesday's hearing. The rule was created after the crash of Continental Connection Flight 3407 near Buffalo, New York, which left 50 people dead. The NTSB found pilot error was to blame. His opposition to the rule dates as far back as 2014, when he testified at a hearing for the House Subcommittee on Aviation. He called the rule 'a largely inflexible and arbitrary' in his opening remarks. The rule left regional air carriers such as Republic Airways in a pilot shortage at the time. The families of those killed in the 2009 crash expressed 'serious concerns' about Bedford's nomination, specifically citing his effort to circumvent the rule as CEO of Republic Airways. Bedford joined Republic in 1999 as president and CEO, according to the airline's website. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, a Democrat from Illinois and ranking member of the Aviation Subcommittee said Bedford was 'leaving the door open' for changes to the FAA's required 1,500-flight-hour rule for first-time commercial airline pilots. 'I've asked you four questions on whether or not you will unilaterally reduce the 1,500-hour rule … at no point have you answered yes, so you are leaving the door open,' Duckworth said. Bedford did not outright say he was committing to maintaining the 1,500-hour rule, a pilot training requirement. During questioning, Bedford said reducing the flight hours was not his priority, stressing that he was more focused on 'fixing the air traffic control system.' 'There won't be safety loopholes, I commit to you,' Bedford said. 'We will never do anything to reduce the safety and competency of our pilots.' CNN's Pete Muntean asked Bedford after the hearing about the 1,500-hour rule, but he did not comment further. A top priority for the FAA is the dated air traffic control system. Paper strips and floppy discs — technology still used by controllers today — have become a talking point on Capitol Hill. The system, which has technology in use since the 1970s and '80s, has been in the spotlight recently because of at least four outages that occurred late this spring at Newark Liberty International Airport, where controllers lost sight of planes and technology went dark. Since then, Newark Airport has seen a number of fixes, but the FAA doesn't expect it to be back to normal until October. The FAA announced plans in May to replace core infrastructure including radar, software, hardware and telecommunications networks to manage modern travel. Duffy has not yet disclosed how much the project would cost but is counting on Congress to deliver funding. 'I believe the agency can get back on the right track if we can all agree first that the air traffic control system needs significant investment,' Bedford said. The agency recently issued a Request for Information for a company to implement a 'brand new air traffic control system over the next three years.' It has identified five areas of interest for a new system: telecommunications, radio communications, surveillance, automation and facilities. It's unclear how this will impact Verizon's contract with the FAA to modernize the system. Verizon has a massive $2.4 billion contract to provide a long-sought upgrade to the FAA's communications system, known as the FAA Enterprise Network Services, or FENS, program. Sen. John Hickenlooper, a Democrat from Colorado, asked Bedford what ideas he had to address the air traffic control problems. 'I think one of the challenges have is a lack of trust,' Bedford said, echoing written remarks he submitted to senators ahead of the hearing. 'There's a lack of trust issues within the FAA and between the FAA and some of the stakeholders, and it's been explained to me why some of those issues there are, but we have to move past that. We will have to embrace transparency and accountability as we move forward this process.' CNN's Pete Muntean contributed to this report.


Fox News
an hour ago
- Fox News
House advances Trump's $9.4B spending cuts package targeting NPR, PBS, USAID to House-wide vote
President Donald Trump's $9.4 billion spending cuts package survived a key hurdle on Wednesday afternoon, setting the measure up for a final House-wide vote later this week. Trump's proposal, which was introduced as legislation by House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., would cut $8.3 billion from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), and just over $1 billion from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. The Corporation for Public Broadcasting distributes federal funding to NPR and PBS. The House of Representatives made a procedural motion known as a "rule vote," which passed mostly along party lines. The rule passing now allows for debate on the $9.4 billion spending cut measure, followed by a final House-wide vote. But it's not atypical for House leaders to include unrelated measures in rule votes, as is the case with the spending cuts package – House GOP leaders included a provision with minor changes to Trump's "one big, beautiful bill" to account for the Senate needing to amend the bill. That latter piece of legislation, a vast tax and immigration bill, is moving through the budget reconciliation process. By dropping the Senate's threshold for advancement from 60 votes to 51, it allows the party in power to skirt the minority – in this case, Democrats – on vast pieces of legislation, provided they adhere to a specific set of budgetary rules. House GOP leaders said they needed to make the recent changes to the bill to better adhere to the Senate's "Byrd Bath," when the Senate parliamentarian reviews the bill and removes anything not adhering to reconciliation guidelines. Whereas that deals with the government's mandatory spending processes that are more difficult to amend, the $9.4 billion spending cuts package tackles discretionary spending that Congress controls every year. It's called a "rescissions package," which is a formal proposal by the White House to claw back federal funds already allocated for the current fiscal year. Like reconciliation, the mechanism allows for a 51-vote majority in the Senate rather than 60. Congress has 45 days to consider it, or it is deemed rejected. Republican leaders have held up this rescissions package as the first step to codifying the billions of dollars of government waste identified by Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Trump allies have also made clear they view this first package as a test of what kind of cuts congressional Republicans can stomach. And while the rule vote was expected to pass, the bill could have trouble ahead of its expected Thursday afternoon vote. Rep. Mark Amodei, R-Nev., pointed out in a bipartisan statement that the media funding represents less than 0.01% of the federal budget and said taking that money away would "dismantle a trusted source of information for millions of Americans." Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., told reporters on Tuesday that he got assurances that USAID cuts would exclude critical medical funding. "I feel better than what I was hearing last week, that was gonna be a total cut," he said, without revealing whether he would support the bill.