Olympia Updates

An executive branch budget announced Tuesday tightens the screws on the state`s research universities, attempting to squeeze $4.7 million out of existing Washington State University programs, denying cost-of-living salary increases to university employees at K-12 rates, and placing increasing pressure to raise student tuition rates to cover basic university expenses such as salaries, inflation and energy costs.

Washington State University Vows To Keep Pushing For Salary Relief, Urges Legislature to Reject Proposed Program Cuts.

The budget proposal now moves to the Washington State Legislature, where WSU is focusing on two critical points: Avoid damaging cuts to existing programs and address salary inequities for university employees. Specifically, WSU is suggesting that its faculty receive at least the same cost-of-living increases as other educators, and that much more funding be provided for faculty recruitment and retention. The executive budget provided $2.87 million, just a fraction of a percent, for a salary recruitment and retention. President Lane Rawlins issued a statement Tuesday vowing to continue to push for improvements in salaries necessary to retain the outstanding faculty at the university.

University Faculty Capped At 2.2 Percent for Cost-Of-Living, While K-12 and Community Colleges Get 3.7 Percent Boost

The proposed executive budget follows the direction of a voter-approved initiative and provides a 3.7 percent cost-of living increases next year to K-12 and community college employees. Yet university employees, including both research and teaching faculty and staff, are limited to just a 2.2 percent cost-of-living increase next year. Faculty at Washington State University receive an average of $10,000 per year less than faculty at other comparable land-grant research universities across the United States. This average faculty salary ranks WSU 22nd out of a list of 23 peer institutions. The differential treatment for university faculty versus K-12 and community college employees continues into the following year when cost-of-living increases for four-year university employees continues to lag behind others employed in education. Over the biennium, all WSU employees will receive 4.7 percent cost-of-living increases, while many K-12 and community college employees will receive 6.3 percent.

WSU Is Concerned This Budget Will Place An Increased Burden on Student Tuition, Without Improving Education.

Fielding questions about problems with how the executive budget funds higher education, budget analysts for the executive branch frequently suggested that student tuition might be used to plug gaps in the budget. Instead of enhancing education, this would be using tuition for basic expenses of the university that have historically been provided by the state general fund. The executive branch has not released any legislation on tuition. However, analysts confirm that legislation is circulating that may allow for up to a 10 percent increase per year in tuition. WSU fears tuition increases might quickly be consumed by some basic needs not covered by the executive budget:

-- Even these modest COLA increases are not funded by the executive budget for many education employees. In a move by the Governor`s Office of Financial management that deviates from well-established precedent, the proposed executive budget provides no state monies to cover even the small cost-of-living increases proposed in its budget. That means schools and universities receive no funding to cover the base salary increases for thousands of its employees. The implications of this decision are not fully understood. Some speculate it may be necessary to increase tuition at the research universities to pay for theses employees. If tuition funds were required for this purpose, this issue alone would dictate approximately a 2 percent tuition increase.

-- The executive budget provides no funding to cover huge increases in natural gas and electrical costs. Despite much concern from the executive branch about rising energy prices, there is no additional funding provided for these costs. At Washington State University, natural gas prices have tripled in recent weeks. If alternatives can not be developed, this could have millions of dollars impact on the university`s operating budget.

-- The executive budget provides no funding for inflation.

$1 million provided for the Advanced Technology Initiative But Most WSU Quality Requests are Not Funded.

The failure of the executive budget to provide funding for existing WSU programs and adequate salary relief will be the university`s highest priority to be addressed in the upcoming session. This proposed budget casts even more doubt on proposed quality enhancements to the institution. University proposals for a biotechnology initiative, an urban 4-H program, a high-technology training pipeline, and global competencies were all not funded in the executive request. The University of Washington and Washington State University each received $1 million for a new Advanced Technology cluster. That is one-third of the funding requested by WSU that was to launch new state research in plant and animal genomes, and development of new wood materials to help distressed timber counties.

This update is shared by broadcast fax and electronic mail to friends of Washington State University as state government developments regarding the 2001 Legislative Session. Contact Michelle Delaney, WSU State & Community Relations, 509/335-6292 to be added to the list. Call Larry Ganders at 360/956-2165; From WSU Campuses, Dial 8-2165. e-mail: Ganders@energy.wsu.edu. In the Seattle area, call Jane Yung at 425-373-9090. For bill status and other info, visit our improved web page at www.olympia.wsu.edu.