Washington governor Christine Gregoire is considering allowing the state’s universities to impose a temporary tuition surcharge.

The governor’s proposed budget for higher education already includes a seven percent tuition hike and a thirteen percent budget cut, but campuses are bracing for more bad news in light of the economic downturn.

A tuition surcharge would be up to each university to impose, and it would expire after two years. Money from the surcharge would go directly to the campuses rather than into the state’s general fund.