Bill to remove tuition cap passes House A proposal to remove Washington state’s 7 percent tuition cap passed its first test Wednesday.

The bill, approved by the state House of Representatives by a 50-47 vote, would remove the cap signed into law by Gov. Chris Gregoire in 2007.

A new tuition cap, likely to be 14 percent, will be set when the state budget is released, which must be formed before the legislative session ends at the end of this month.

Tuition raises must be approved by the Board of Regents at the each of the state’s universities.

An amendment to the bill, which failed by a vote of 49-48, would have reverted the cap back to 7 percent in two years if any further raise is made in the state budget, said Shawn Hoey, ASWSU director of legislative affairs. The amendment was similar to the two-year surcharge Gregoire proposed on March 17.

“We were totally against the surcharge, but that appears to be our best option,” he said.

The amendment was proposed by Rep. Bob Hasegawa, D-Seattle. Hoey said a similar amendment will be proposed in the Senate. A decision on the Senate proposal is expected in the next few days.

Raising tuition is seen by many as a way to offset looming budget cuts in the state’s higher education budget.

Graffiti found in Zen Staircase, police respond Racist graffiti has appeared twice on the Zen Staircase in the Fine Arts Building during the past week.

The first graffiti was written on the wall Saturday, said Roderick Camarce, a junior digital technology and culture major and a member of the Filipino American Student Association.

After the graffiti was taken off that day, more racist graffiti appeared on the staircase Monday.

During the weekend, the FASA held a conference with about 400 students from across the Northwest.

“Sometimes I think racism is still put under the blanket,” Camerce said. “Just because we elected a black president doesn’t mean it doesn’t still exist.” The WSU Police Department was informed of the graffiti through an e-mail, Police Lt. Steve Hansen said.

“The trail would have to be pretty obvious for us to find out who did it,” he said.

Also on Tuesday, a WSU student allegedly made some racist remarks and attempted to punch another student in the Asian-American and Pacific Islander Student Center, Camerce said.

When the WSU Police arrived, the student tried to kick one of the officers and escape from the building, Hansen said. He was arrested for third-degree assault and harassment.

The Asian American Pacific Islanders Center is planning a forum with WSU administrators and students regarding the incidents for Monday, Camarce said.