A
joint UW-WSU Operating Budget Request
The outline
of our request, as it affects WSU, is as follows:
Effective research
universities are essential to Washington’s future. They provide access to a
nationally competitive level of education, they train the next generation
of entrepreneurs, scientists and business leaders and they produce the knowledge
that drives economic development. Washington State University
joins with the University of Washington in submitting a budget request to ensure that quality programs
are available for the next generation of students. Our request is that the
state provide additional support per student incrementally each year. Catching
up with the funding levels of competing states will take several biennia.
Core funding would buy superior technology, state-of-the-art equipment, and
improved faculty and staff salaries. It would enhance faculty/student ratios,
provide more classes and mentoring, and lead to improved learning and graduation
rates.
2005-2006:
$16,988,000
2006-2007:
$33,976,000
Total:
$50,964,000
2003-05
Biennium: $36,000,000
For nearly
three decades Oregon State
University has paid for part of the base instructional
cost of WSU’s Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) program in Pullman.
This funding is now ending. The 2003 Washington
legislature responded to this urgent situation by funding $1.5 M for the biennium
to cover the first phase of the withdrawal. A second increment for the WSU
CVM is necessary to stabilize and sustain the college’s DVM program and instructional
budget, to preserve high quality programs, to provide increased access to
veterinary medical education for Washington residents,
and to fully utilize the outstanding facilities and veterinary instructional
resources in service to Washington
stakeholders.
2005-2006:
$1,014,000
2006-2007:
$1,014,000
Total:
$2,028,000
The state should increase its investment in research to
capture new opportunities for improved health for Washington’s citizens and to spur job growth and business expansion
across the state. The University of
Washington
and Washington State University should form an unprecedented
state alliance to develop new state-funded research and technology transfer
programs focused on improving human health and enabling the creation of new,
high paying jobs. Moreover, the joint efforts of the two institutions to
resolve public policy conflicts should be bolstered with state investment
in the new UW-WSU Policy Consensus
Center.
This
request is designed to heighten the impact of the Research Universities’ on
the State’s economy in three critical ways. First, it will be used to attract
outstanding faculty to the state, equip their laboratories, provide critical
infrastructure through the Center for Integrated Biotechnology, and provide
matching funds needed to attract significant federal, corporate and private
funds. Next, UW TechTransfer and the WSU Office of Research
will coordinate a set of activities to
enhance technology transfer and support future competitiveness of the knowledge
based economy. Finally, the fledgling, UW/WSU
Policy Consensus Center, which provides a framework for the resolution of
divisive issues, will be strengthened.
2005-2006:
$3,050,000
2006-2007:
$4,050,000
Total:
$7,100,000
Continued
Access: Enrollment
Educated people and university
research are keys to competitive success in a modern economy. Yet the state
enrolls far fewer students in baccalaureate and graduate programs than the
economy of the state needs. Enrollment at all campuses of is above the budgeted
level. Without additional funding this enrollment cannot be sustained. The
Regents of Washington State University and the
University of Washington passed
a joint resolution to not increase enrollment despite growing student demand
and to cap freshman and transfer enrollments until such time as significant
progress is made to improve per student funding. This request item cannot
take precedence over protecting core programs from budget reductions, but
the two research universities are prepared to expand enrollment while progress
is being made in addressing core funding at each institution. Recommended
increases for the WSU campuses are shown in the chart below:
| |
|
|
|
| WSU Pullman |
250 |
250 |
500 |
| WSU Spokane |
20 |
20 |
40 |
| WSU Tri-Cities |
45 |
45 |
90 |
| WSU Vancouver |
100 |
100 |
200 |
| High Demand |
100 |
100 |
200 |
| Total |
515 |
515 |
1,030 |
2005-2006:
$4,948,000
2006-2007:
$10,100,000
Total:
$15,048,000
Washington
State University is bargaining
with several unions. Several decision packages are included in the WSU request
to provide a means to request state funding to implement labor agreements.
