During a two-day summit in Vancouver, Wash., between March 5 and March 6, the Board of Regents voted to approve a slate of student fee increases. The board also discussed and approved a resolution to authorize WSU President Betsy Cantwell to invest an additional $20 million in Cougar Athletics.
Citing proceeds that fell short of expected earnings, the board reported an estimated $20 million shortfall for Cougar Athletics in the 2027 fiscal year, which begins July 1, 2026. The shortfall comes amid broader institutional financial issues related to enrollment troubles and statewide budget cuts.
The regents said the investment is necessary because a strong athletics program will help recruitment and retention, in addition to increasing regional and national standings, which will ultimately help WSU’s financial situation in the long run. By extension, the board argues the investment will support WSU’s academic and research missions.
In the short run, to help offset the financial deficit, the board will continue to raise fees for students. In addition to consecutive votes over the past several years to increase undergraduate tuition by the maximum 3.3%, the board voted Friday to approve additional increases on student fees.
Among the fees set to go up are the Dining and Housing fees, with Housing fees set to increase between 4.5–4.75%.
While Dining and Housing fees are increasing, it is important to note that Housing fee increases are lower than the previous two years, with Housing fees increasing between 5–7% in 2024 and between 6.7–7.5% in 2025.
Dining fee increases, on the other hand, have gone up over the last two years and will continue to do so. In 2024, fees increased between 2–5.8%, while fees for 2027 will increase between 6.47–6.94%.
These increases in Dining fees come after the board’s November 2025 approval of phase 1 plans to renovate the Southside Dining Hall. According to the board, 70% of first-year students live on the Southside of campus, and thus utilize the Southside Dining Hall, which serves approximately 2,500 meals a day throughout the academic year and has not been significantly updated since 2007.
Students in WSU’s professional schools will also have to pay more. In addition to general fee increases, the board voted to increase tuition rates for professional programs.
Most programs saw an increase by 3.3%, the maximum increase cap for undergraduate tuition rates. The only programs not to be increased by 3.3% were the non-resident doctor of pharmacy program and WSU’s graduate business programs.
The board noted that the 3.3% cap on undergraduate tuition increases does not apply to graduate and professional tuition rates, and thus 3.3% was chosen as a show of good faith. The regents also said the decision to raise tuition rates for business programs less than other programs comes from the desire to keep them competitive on the national stage.
The final 2027 fiscal year budget will be presented to the board and voted on in May 2026.
cEdwards • Mar 9, 2026 at 8:44 am
Student pay more while Athletics gets bailed out, again? Seems like this school can’t figure out its priorities.
I don’t understand the idea of raising the student price tag when increasing enrollment is the primary goal. The ‘welcome mat’ concept has only proven useful for increasing athlete recruitment and is largely disproven for long-term student enrollment increases.
Athletics have been bailed out many times over the last decade, and they definitely got major ‘investments’ in facilities. Where’s the return on investment for all this? The teams aren’t any better and the school isn’t any more known.
Let try investing in our students and make WSU a competitive academic option for the region/nation. Let’s shed the party school mentality, knock Athletics down to a self-sustaining level, and then focus on increasing the academic levels.