Additional Update: The Senate Ways and Means Committee adopted an amendment Sunday afternoon which adds $450,000 to the Senate chair`s budget for the Spokane Health Sciences Initiative. The amendment, drafted by Senate Minority Leader Jim West, R-Spokane, drew unexpected support from Sen. Lisa Brown, D-Spokane, and Sen. Valoria Loveland, D-Pasco. It was incorporated in the Senate budget which passed the state Senate Sunday night 32-16. The funding level matches the recommendation of House Democratic leaders, particularly House Co-Speaker Frank Chopp, D-Seattle, and House Appropriations Co-chair Helen Sommers, D-Seattle. No changes were made to the enrollment provisos.
SENATE PLAN PUTS $5 MILLION OF WSU`s CURRENT
BUDGET AT RISK FOR CUTS.
A higher education budget that imposes tough penalties on WSU if student enrollments don`t grow by 536 students was made public today by Senate Ways and Means Chair Valoria Loveland, D-Pasco. WSU immediately expressed concerns at a Senate Ways and Means hearing Saturday that the proposal could result in budget cuts at some or all WSU campuses. It leaves the university with a very uncertain budget base for the coming year at all campuses. The requirements are "all or nothing" provisions, requiring each campus to hit exact targets. For instance, even falling one student short could result in $3.182 million in cuts to the Pullman campus. WSU Tri-Cities would lose $775,000.
Another $3.9 million in scheduled increases for WSU could be reduced. In addition to $5 million in potential "all or nothing" cuts in the current budget, the Loveland budget provides for possible pro-rated reductions of up to $3.928 million in scheduled increases if an additional 606 students are not enrolled at Pullman, Spokane and Vancouver campuses which have been budgeted for growth.
The sanctions proposed by Loveland were not included in House Republican or Democratic budget proposals. WSU had voluntarily proposed to give up $1.4 million in scheduled increases in Pullman, Vancouver, and Spokane because all of its campuses had enrollments under the state targets set last year. The university urged legislators not to impose sanctions that put the rest of the WSU budget at risk and urged that no reductions be made at WSU Tri-Cities. House Appropriations Co-Chair Helen Sommers, D-Seattle, called the WSU offer "responsible" and accepted the adjustment. So did House Appropriations Co-chair Tom Huff, R-Gig Harbor. However, the House has so far failed to write a budget with a 49-49 Democratic-Republican tie. So with only five days left in the scheduled legislative session, the Senate Democratic budget with Loveland`s language appears to be the most likely to pass the Legislature. Sommers told WSU Saturday that she would tryto get her enrollment language in the budget as the budget moves through the process. WSU is supporting her in that effort.
WSU Pullman Must Grow By 287 Students Next Year or Lose $3.182 Million From Its Existing Budget. WSU`s Pullman campus, which declined by 240 student FTEs this year to 16,985 students, must grow by at least 287 students next year or face cuts of $3.182 million. That`s an all or nothing proposition under the budget; growing by 286 students would still result in the cuts. In addition, another $1.7 million in new enrollment funding passed by the 1999 Legislature will be withheld and allocated on the basis of how many of another 377 students attend WSU. In other words, in order for WSU Pullman to receive its full budget allocation under the Loveland proposal, it must increase enrollments this fall by 664. WSU Tri-Cities Must Grow by At Least 158 Students Next Year or Lose $775,000 - 15 percent Of Its Current Budget.
WSU Tri-Cities, which increased by only five students this year to 596, must grow by 158 students or lose more than 15 percent of its total budget. The "all or nothing" requirement could hit Tri-Cities particularly hard since it receives far less money ($2,000 less per contracted student) than other campuses in the state. Sen. Loveland has said she understands that situation but believes WSU Tri-Cities` unique case should be addressed in the next biennial budget when the Legislature convenes in January. But WSU has expressed concern that since it is apparent the Tri-Cities campus won`t hit its target, that the language seems to dictate that the campus take an immediate $775,000 cut. House budget writers have proposed putting less Tri-Cities funding in jeopardy. House Republican Co-chair Tom Huff initially proposed cutting $1.5 million at Tri-Cities. Today, he accepted a proposal by Rep. Don Carlson, R-Vancouver, to cut Tri-Cities by $300,000. Rep. Helen Sommers, D-Seattle, proposes no changes in the Tri-Cities budget.
WSU Vancouver Must Grow by At Least 51 Students or Lose $582,000. WSU Vancouver grew by 22 students this year. WSU Vancouver currently enrolls about 970 students. The $582,000 is an all-or-nothing proposition. Under the Senate budget, WSU Vancouver could receive another $988,000 for up to 100 more students. In order for WSU Vancouver to receive its full budget allocation under the Loveland proposal, it must increase enrollments this fall by 151 students. WSU Spokane Must Grow By At Least 40 Students or Lose $465,000. WSU Spokane grew by 49 students during the last year for a total of 432 graduate and professional students. The Legislature had provided $1.22 million to WSU Spokane for next year. About 60 percent of that funding is a certainty under the House Democratic proposal but would be pro-rated under the Loveland plan based on how many of 129 additional students attend. WSU Spokane must enroll 169 more students this fall to receive its full budget allocation.
SPOKANE HEALTH SCIENCES PICKS UP HOUSE SUPPORT, BUT NOT IN THE SENATE BUDGET
The proposed Senate budget includes no funding for the WSU Health Sciences Initiative. House Republicans provided $600,000 for their recommendation. House Appropriations Co-chair Helen Sommers, D-Seattle, indicated today that she would support $450,000 in funding. Senate Minority Leader Jim West, R-Spokane, indicated he would support the Sommers funding level and attempt to get it in the Senate budget. The SIRTI request is now funded in all budgets.
This update is shared by fax and electronic mail to friends of Washington State University as state government developments occur regarding the 2000 Legislative Session. Contact Karen Fischer, 509/335-6665 to receive a copy. Call Larry Ganders at 360/956-2165 or send him a short pager message via e-mail to 3607863527@page.metrocall.com. From WSU Campuses, Dial 8-2165. e-mail: Ganders@energy.wsu.edu. Call Jane Yung in Olympia at 360/956-2164 or pager her at 360-956-8500. For bill status and other info, visit our web page at www.olympia.wsu.edu.
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