Governor signs Stambaugh bill decoupling services and activities fees from tuition at state’s four-year colleges
A bill sponsored by Rep. Melanie Stambaugh to permanently decouple services and activities (S&A) fees from tuition at four-year colleges in Washington state has been signed into law.
S&A fees are used to fund campus activities, events, facilities/equipment and programming. Under current law, these fees can only be increased if tuition also increases. If the Legislature freezes or lowers tuition, S&A fees are required to stay the same. However, exceptions were made in the 2013-15 and 2015-17 fiscal biennia when the Legislature authorized college governing boards to increase S&A fees by amounts they and the S&A fee committee — comprised mostly of students — deemed reasonable and necessary.
Stambaugh says House Bill 1433 will give students more autonomy going forward.
“Decoupling services and activities fees from tuition means students will have the ability to work with their governing board to make decisions based on campus and student needs,” said Stambaugh, R-Puyallup. “Our students are best positioned to know what these needs are, and the fact they’re accountable to their peers when making budgeting decisions ensures a thoughtful and deliberative process. I look forward to seeing the positive outcomes that result from this measure becoming law.”
House Bill 1433 will go into effect later this year.