GOVERNOR LOWRY EXPECTED TO MAKE PARTIAL VETO OF
ìWHENî FUNDING PACKAGE
Gov. Mike Lowry is expected to take final action
on Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 6251, the supplemental operating
budget tomorrow, and is reportedly urged by staff to make a
partial veto that will reduce the funding for a K-20 Telecommunications
Network by $12 million. About $54 million was appropriated
in the supplemental budget for a telecommunications network that
would eventually link K-12 schools with the proposed Washington
Higher Education Network, a system that would expands the WSU
ìWHETSî system to all four-year institutions and
community colleges. Of the funding provided, $27 million was
from the state general fund into a ìK-20 Technology Account,î
$15.3 million was from the state building construction account,
and $12 million was from a ìData Processing Revolving Account.î
While initial reaction from the Department of Information Services
was that the data processing account did have adequate reserves
to cover the $12 million, the legislative decision drew sharp
criticism from the Office of Financial Management, who argued
that the fund was not set up for that purpose. Even with a Governorís
veto, OFM staff indicate that $42.3 million will remain to be
spent on the telecommunications network for the balance of this
biennium. With the extensive approval process required in Senate
Bill 6705, it is uncertain whether the reduction in funding will
initially result in any slowing of the process to build the telecommunications
system. No other substantive vetoes of budget appropriations
that would affect higher education are reportedly under consideration.
HIGHER EDUCATION COMMUNITY CONTINUING TO PRESS
FOR ìWHEN.î
The Governor last week signed Engrossed Substitute
Senate Bill 6705, the legislation
written late in the legislative session that dictates how the
ìK-20î telecommunications appropriations in the supplemental
budget could be spent, setting a ìPhase Iî priority
for construction of a system ìbackboneî connecting
university and college campuses and educational service districts.
The decision to include K-12 schools as part of the network led
to some rethinking of the proposed telecommunications backbone
by Washington State University engineers. Technical discussions
between WSU and the other institutions have produced an apparent
decision to press ahead for the same higher education telecommunications
backbone proposed to the Legislature for consideration, and connecting
it to the educational service districts and state community colleges.
The proposal calls for a backbone equivalent to 84 T-1 channels
that would form a double loop across the state connecting cities
like Spokane, Vancouver, Wenatchee, Spokane, Seattle, Tacoma,
Tri-Cities and Bellingham. Consideration of the ìPhase
Iî higher education backbone proposal could begin when the
Oversight Committee has its first meeting, tentatively scheduled
for April 11. Unfortunately, ESSB 6705 appears to prevent
the development of any new telecommunications sites off the backbone
proposed by WSU until an extensive telecommunications plan is
completed by an Oversight Committee created by the ESSB 6705.
Such ìPhase 2î sites that appear to be on hold until
the plan is completed include Longview-Kelso, Puyallup, and Prosser,
as well as additional classroom capacity for Wenatchee and Yakima.
Joint higher education programs in new locations like Everett,
also must wait for development of the plan though some limited
connections to the community colleges may be possible.
WSU BUDGET REACTION - ONE OF THE BEST SUPPLEMENTAL
BUDGETS IN YEARS
Washington State University reacted to the Legislature-passed
supplemental budget as one of the best supplemental budgets for
higher education in years, clearly establishing college and university
students as a priority for funding. When the Governor signs the
supplemental budget Saturday it will trigger an increase in contract
enrollments in the WSU system from 17,835 in 1996 to 19,330 in
1997, permanently fund and expand the extended degree program
and provide a start for ìlearning centersî, permanently
fund wine grape and pesticide research at $1.525 million, provide
$450,000 to link WSU with other higher education libraries, transfer
$4 million worth of programs from the state energy office to WSU
cooperative extension as dictated by 4SHB2009, which was signed
by the Governor Thursday, and as noted above, provide $42
million to $54 million for a K-20 telecommunications system.
This update is shared by broadcast fax and electronic
mail to friends of Washington State University as state government
developments occur. Contact Karen Fischer, WSU State-wide
Affairs, 509/335-6665. Larry Ganders: 360/438-7552; Fax: 360/438-8104.
(ganders@tssnet1.tss.net) For bill status and other legislative
info visit our web page at www.wsu.edu/IR/wsulegis/olympia.html.
