Legislature Approves Austerity Budgets

Yesterday afternoon the Legislature passed the state’s 2025-27 operating, capital and transportation budgets, sending them to Governor Ferguson for action. In a year when the state faced the largest budget deficit since the Great Recession, the public four-year higher education system came in for a big share of cutbacks in the operating and capital budgets.

In the operating budget, Evergreen will take a 2% reduction in FY 2026 growing to a 5% reduction in FY 2027. These cuts reflect across-the-board reductions for the state’s four-year sector as well as an Evergreen-specific cut of $2.8 million in the second year. The specific cut is meant to reflect Evergreen’s enrollment losses from 2017 through 2021 and to bring Evergreen’s per-student cost to the state closer to the average of the regional universities.

In the capital budget, Evergreen was awarded $16.3 million. The budget includes money to begin designing a renovation of the third floors of Lab I and II. Evergreen will be able to maintain the college’s infrastructure and keep the renovation of SEM 1 on track.

Amid the austerity of the operating budget, there are some grace notes. The amount of the cut is far less than the 28% initially proposed by the House. Collective bargaining agreements to provide salary increases for represented staff of 3% in FY 2026 and 2% in 2027 were funded. The Legislature did not direct employee furloughs.

Evergreen’s ground-breaking Shelton Promise scholarship program was fully funded, as well as $1.4 million to maintain work on IT upgrades.  The Washington College Grant scholarship, which is important for many Evergreen students, remains well funded.

Evergreen Advocates Made A Difference

Over the legislative session, support for Evergreen grew in quality and quantity. Alumnae effectively mobilized through Evergreen Advocates, helping to bring down the initial deep cuts. We increased our contacts with legislators and staff and laid the foundation for deeper engagement over critical issues of per-student funding and enrollment growth.

Governor Ferguson now has 20 days to contemplate whether he will sign, veto, partially veto or just allow the budget to come into effect. A veto would mean bringing the Legislature back for a special session.

College leadership can now begin to weigh budget reduction options. Proposals will be shared by Week 9 of Spring quarter (week of May 26), so that the Board of Trustees can consider spending plans in June.