University of Washington President Ana Mari Cauce and her colleagues are still trying to digest recent Supreme Court rulings that shook the foundation of higher education. In a matter of days, the High Court banned the use of affirmative action during the college admissions process and struck down President Biden’s student-loan forgiveness plan. It represented the latest blow to institutions struggling with enrollment and funding shortfalls that have led, in some cases, to steep budget cuts and the elimination of popular programs. Seattle Pacific University, for instance, recently announced a cut to its academic programs budget by 40%. Western Washington University has announced a permanent 3% budget cut because of declining enrollment and a federal funding shortfall that led to a $10 million budget deficit.
