Negotiations To Begin on The Final Operating Budget Proposal (Senate Bill 6062)
The House approved its version of the biennial operating budget on a 53-45 vote Monday night on a largely partisan vote. The action now sets up negotiations between the House and the Senate to determine a final compromise budget for Washington State University and the rest of state government. The Senate passed its version of the budget 25-23 on March 26. Sen. Jim West, R-Spokane and Rep. Tom Huff , R-Gig Harbor will lead the negotiations between the two houses.
There were some amendments added Friday night (Saturday morning) in Appropriations Committee which, among other things, adjusted the House budget to reflect upper-division enrollments at the branch campuses and provided flexibility to use tuition for salary increases. Efforts by Rep. Helen Sommers, D-Seattle, to improve the faculty retention pool and reinstate teaching assistant health benefits were unsuccessful. There were no amendments to the higher education section on the floor Monday. There were several amendments offered that are opposed by WSU but were withdrawn by the majority caucus before the floor vote. The Senate version of the budget is generally more favorable to WSU as it provides $5.3 million more to the university, about $1.4 million shy of Gov. Locke's budget for WSU. Differences include deletion of graduate health benefits in the House budget and a far smaller faculty retention pool. But there are some advantages to House budget language such as no provisos for branch campuses and a 3 percent enrollment band, each not included in the Senate budget.
Issues in Dispute for Washington State University's Biennial Budget
WSU Favors The Senate Faculty Retention Pool -
Funding is provided by both houses for WSU to increase salaries to faculty members who are at a competitive disadvantage to their peers. The Senate provides $2.1 million for this important issue. The House provides just $730,000. If the House appropriation were spread over WSU's faculty, it would amount to an increase of just 4/10 of 1%.
WSU Favors The Senate's Decision to Retain Graduate Assistant Health Benefit Funding
- The House budget deletes $1.4 million in funding for graduate health benefits. In contrast, the Senate made a deliberate policy decision to continue to fund the program. Graduate students who work as research or teaching assistants for the institution do not fall into traditional employee categories. Since 1993, the Legislature has provided funds for this purpose. In fact, the bill passed the House 91-0 in 1993.
WSU Favors House Enrollment Standards.
Both houses provide financial penalties to institutions that do not reach their enrollment targets. The Senate requires each campus to exactly hit their targets. The House budget offers more flexibility, requiring the institution to come within 3 percent of its enrollment target.
WSU Favors House Position of Eliminating Branch Campus Requirements.
The Senate budget continues current state practice of requiring a minimum enrollment and funding level for each branch campus and Pullman. The House budget gives the institution more flexibility, allowing enrollments and funding to be shifted among campuses if one campus fails to make its enrollment targets.
WSU Favors Senate Accountability Standards.
Both houses contain standards for Washington State University and other institutions on accountability. Funds cut from the institutional budgets for existing programs can be returned to WSU if it reaches the accountability targets. The Senate allows the state Higher Education Coordinating Board to determine those targets. However, the House sets specific targets for WSU that are inappropriate for a land grant institution. If the House position of setting specific targets is adopted, WSU has requested that more appropriate targets of:
- 12 FTE students per faculty type (WSU's full professors are currently at 10 FTE which is approx. 50 students);
- an undergraduate retention rate of 90 percent (the House has set it at 95 percent and WSU is currently at 87 percent),
- and a graduation efficiency index of 90 percent for native students and 80 percent for transfer students.
Enrollment Funding. The Senate provides $7.2 million for 766 new student FTE in the WSU system. The House budget provides 745 FTE for $6.57 million.
Learning Centers and Agricultural Programs.
No funding is provided by either budget for new WSU Learning Centers. However, the Senate budget requires WSU to open a new learning center in Goldendale with existing monies. The House budget requires new programs in weed research without more monies. The House provides $50,000 in funding for a community garden pilot program.
