State Briefing Papers

2007 Session: Washington State University
Legislative Briefing Papers & Budget Requests

Left, Secretary of State Sam Reed with Butch, the award-winning university mascot.

While recent increases have been temporarily covered through reallocation of resources and other efficiencies, WSU needs permanent state funding for the increased utility expenses.

Washington State University (WSU) and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) have established a new partnership that will leverage decades of research to provide national leadership and advance our region’s role in the emerging bioproducts and bioenergy industry.

Compariaosn chart between 8 western states and the Washington Ag Fund and Sci Fund.

Washington State University and the state's other five public four-year colleges and universities propose that the 2007 Legislature approve changes in the state constitution and submit the proposal to the voters to provide better investment returns from trust lands. Currently, the state investment board is not allowed to invest in stock equities, only government bonds, for higher education. There is no constitutional restriction on state pension funds for K-12 trusts.

The 2007 WSU biennial budget request on Small Business Development Centers submitted by WSU to OFM on September 1, 2006. The request establishes three new offices in Southeastern Washington, Kelso-Longview and the Aberdeen-Shelton area. Also benefits existing centers operated by Highline Community College in Des Moines and Olympic Community College in Bremerton. WSU MBA internships with SBDC offices are also created.

Talking points in support of the UW-WSU-EWU proposal to expand dental and medical education to Washington residents.

Listing of organizations that have formally endorsed the WSU budget request for the unified agriculture initiative.

A $6.7 million comprehensive joint bio-energy and bio-products research program with specific identified outcomes to reduce Washington State’s foreign energy dependence and boost economic development through production of high-value consumer goods using in-state crops and biomass.

Key agricultural and food industry leaders, producer associations, commodity commissions, and other stakeholder groups in the state did an unprecedented review of the WSU agriculture budget. This request is the result of that review and reflects what they consider critical to remaining globally competitive.

Unprecedented communication with industries, businesses, college and other universities has produced a compelling state operating budget request package from Washington State University that will nurture more engineers and scientists, launch an agriculture research program based on industry needs, promote bio-fuels made from Washington commodities and create more doctors, nurses and dentists for the Inland Northwest.

Washington State University proposes capital projects that complete the Pullman Life Sciences Building, extend the life of existing older structures, protect the lives of students and employees, and provide the vital infrastructure that is the lifeline to serving the state as a premier research university. This is the summary of WSU's capital construction budget requests for the 2005-2007 biennium. Revised Nov. 28.

Washington State University proposes capital projects that complete the Pullman Life Sciences Building, extend the life of existing older structures, protect the lives of students and employees, and provide the vital infrastructure that is the lifeline to serving the state as a premier research university. This is the summary of WSU's capital construction budget requests for the 2005-2007 biennium.

This comprehensive biennial budget package pairs a request for high-demand and general enrollment increases with a request for targeted programs and capacity for middle school, high school and college students.  As a result of this comprehensive approach, the proposal will ensure well-prepared state research university graduates to fill the demands of the state’s knowledge-based economy.

The 2007 WSU unified biennial budget request for agriculture. Dozens of food and agriculture organizations join with Washington State University to support a $10.8 million proposal to add critical scientific capacity to WSU’s efforts directed at increasing the economic viability and sustainability of Washington’s food and agriculture industries through strategic investment in research and education. This request is coupled with internal reallocations, federal contracts, and private funding aimed at developing technological solutions to assure that this $29 billion industry remains viable, globally competitive and environmentally sustainable.

The 2007 WSU biennial budget request on Small Business Development Centers submitted by WSU to OFM on September 1, 2006. The request establishes three new offices in Southeastern Washington, Kelso-Longview and the Aberdeen-Shelton area. Also benefits existing centers operated by Highline Community College in Des Moines and Olympic Community College in Bremerton. WSU MBA internships with SBDC offices are also created.

This is the request by WSU and the University of Washington for finding common ground on contentious policy issues.  State funding is provided to allow communities and groups who cannot afford the services of the successful UW-WSU center to participate. It will also allow the center to engage earlier in disputes  maintain a continuity of services, and research emerging issues. (This document represents the WSU portion of the joint request)

This includes the joint $12.8 million request by the University of Washington, Washington State University and Eastern Washington University to educate more doctors and dentists through a cooperative program in Spokane. The program will utilize WSU and EWU faculty to deliver the first year of medical and dental students who have been admitted to the UW School of Medicine or the UW School of Dentistry. Twenty first-year medical students will be educated each year in Spokane. Eight first-year dental students will be educated in Spokane. WSU has also separately submitted a request for more Phd, master's and undergraduate nursing students.

Washington State University is only as effective as the people it employs. There is no other single factor that even comes close. To ensure that world-class employees are recruited and retained, they must be compensated at competitive rates.