OLYMPIA—Gov. Chris Gregoire signed WGU-Washington into law today, giving official recognition to the first nonprofit online university in Washington state.
“Today begins a new chapter for higher education in Washington that will bring college opportunities in high-demand fields to more people and more places in our state than ever before,” said Rep. Phyllis Gutiérrez Kenney, who sponsored and led the passage of the new law.
WGU-Washington is a branch of Western Governors University, which is known nationally as WGU, a fully accredited nonprofit university that was founded in 1997 by 19 western governors, including former Washington Gov. Mike Lowry.
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Randy Dorn hailed the Kenney bill as a way to increase access to higher education, particularly for older students who have work or family responsibilities that make it harder for them to attend classes at traditional campuses.
“Despite the budget shortfalls, it’s great to see a bill like HB 1822, a good option that provides enhanced access for students to get a college education,” said Dorn. “More students, especially mature and experienced students, will get a college education because of this bill.”
Unlike traditional universities that measure student progress by credits for class hours, WGU awards degrees for competence. It works with businesses to determine which skills are in high demand and partners each student with a mentor who tailors a graduation plan to the skills the student will need to succeed in his or her chosen field.
Allison Barber, the Chancellor of WGU-Indiana, told a Feb. 10 public hearing on Kenney’s bill that employers consistently give high ratings to WGU graduates.
“Ninety-seven percent of our employers said that they would rate WGU students equal or better than they rate students hired from other universities,” Barber said. In addition, “96 percent of our students walk away satisfied or very satisfied with the education they’re getting from WGU-Indiana.”
The online university currently offers more than 50 baccalaureate and master’s degrees in high-demand fields such as nursing, teaching, business administration, information technology, and software development.
Even though WGU requires no state or federal funding, the cost to students—less than $6,000 annually—is only a fraction of what they would pay at most public universities or for-profit online universities.
The bill signing took place four days after the state Higher Education Coordinating Board released a new report that warns of a wide and growing gap between the needs of Washington employers and the number of students earning degrees in the state.
The report said that about two-thirds of all job openings in Washington between now and 2018 will require some postsecondary education, but even though undergraduate colleges are “substantially over-enrolled” they are not producing enough of the degrees businesses need.
“Existing employer demand appears to be out of synch with current degree production in
Washington,” the report said.
“The new analysis of unmet needs in higher education shows that our greatest needs are in traditionally under-served places and populations, and this is exactly where WGU-Washington can shine and make the biggest difference,” Kenney said.
According to Barber, the chancellor of WGU-Indiana, students from under-represented backgrounds, including rural students, minorities and older, place-bound students, account for the majority of WGU’s student body.
In addition to declaring the state’s intention to establish WGU-Washington, Kenney’s House Bill 1822 authorizes the Higher Education Coordinating Board to integrate its academic programs and services into state policy and strategy. It also calls on the Board to promote efficient transfer of credits involving the new university.
“The full potential of WGU-Washington won’t be realized overnight, but it will very soon be bringing thousands of Washington’s people and businesses closer to their full potential,” Kenney said.