Olympia Updates

HOUSE CHAIRMAN HUFF MATCHES SENATE FUNDING LEVELS IN SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET - ESSB 6108
House Appropriations Chairman Tom Huff announced a supplemental operating budget for Washington State University that is virtually identical on most topics to the budget originally proposed by Senate Ways and Means Chairman Jim West, R-Spokane. The West budget has passed the state Senate. The Huff and Senate budgets provide critical funding to WSU for building preservation and pays increased legal costs. But the proposed budget is likely the final death knell for efforts to fund the management of WSU agricultural trust lands and establishment of new electronic K-20 classrooms in the 1998 Legislative session.

Here are the highlights shared by both the Senate version of the Supplemental Budget and the Proposed House Chair's Version:

• $3.25 million for final legal costs and settlements is funded. The amount is just slightly less than the original $3.3 million requested by Washington State University to pay the costs incurred by the attorney general's office and by outside counsel to defend the state from litigation and settle lawsuits. The cost includes a settlement by WSU during the legislative session of a lawsuit.
• Revised enrollment targets requested by WSU for the 1998-99 academic year were accepted by the House chairman. This means House and Senate budget now agree on a $2.65 million reduction in the university's enrollment budget. The reduction will still allow for significant growth at all WSU campuses this fall.
• Funding is provided to UW to develop "Internet 2." The $3 million in funding is provided in each version of the budget to the University of Washington to join in the development of the next generation of Internet technology. The federal government will establish a limited number of sites for the new Internet network and these funds are expected to secure a connection for this state that will also benefit Washington State University and other research entities. The hub for Washington State is a fast "gigabit per second" connection or "giga-pop."
• $810,000 is provided to the state Higher Education Coordinating Board for completion of the Cooperative Library Network. Most of the funds to be distributed for one-time equipment acquisition and ongoing support of a system that will allow students to access the materials of all public four-year institutions from their campus library. WSU will also benefit from the acquisition of shared electronic journals that will be purchased with this appropriation for use by all institutions.
• $1.4 million is provided for a Prepaid Tuition Program through the Higher Education Coordinating Board. This appropriation is expected to begin the program that will allow families to purchase "tuition credits" at 1998 prices that can be used for full redemption at a later date. The net effect is that parents and grandparents can lock in current tuition rates for their children and grandchildren. The credits can be purchased in increments as small as $35. There are some future plans to allow for payroll deduction plans as well.
• $10 million is provided to state government for conversion of computer systems to accommodate dates after the Year 2000.

• The Senate budget transfers $680,000 to WSU to assume business management of the Spokane Riverpoint Higher Education Campus. The proposed House budget does not make the transfer. However, the House budget was finalized before legislation had passed the House Appropriations Committee. The House budget did recognize that the transfer of Spokane buildings and property would be an issue and appropriated $85,000 to the state Higher Education Coordinating Board for "implementation of Substitute Senate Bill 6655". That is the legislation which abolishes the Spokane Joint Center for Higher Education. WSU supports the Senate budget level.
• The Senate budget provided $100,000 for workload increases at the WSU Fish Disease Diagnostic Laboratory in Pullman. The House provided no funding on this issue. The laboratory has experienced a rapid growth in the testing required to certify private salmon and trout farm operations. In particular, additional testing is necessary for federal certification for fish eggs for sale out-of-state.
• A special Spokane pilot program for non-resident Student Waivers is Established in the House Budget. The Senate budget contains no such authority. Under a recommendation from House Higher Education Chairman Don Carlson, R-Vancouver, Washington State University and Eastern Washington University are given authority to waive a portion of the tuition rate for out-of-state students participating in the undergraduate exchange program operated by the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE). WSU would be allowed to charge tuition to participating students in the Spokane area at 150 percent of the resident tuition rate. There is no additional funding associated with this authority but WSU does support the language.
• The House Budget Provides Flexibility for Setting Summer School Tuition. WSU and other institutions are authorized to set summer term tuition in excess of the fiscal growth rate set by current law. The policy would allow WSU to continue its practice of charging tuition during the summer at a rate per credit hour similar to that charged students during the regular academic year.
• The House budget directs OFM to develop long-term higher education enrollment forecasting models. The models are to be completed by Nov. 1