Day
153 of the 2001 Legislature, 2nd Legislative Special Session
From: Larry Ganders, Assistant to the President, Washington State University
925 Plum St. SE - Building 4, P.O. Box 43165, Olympia, WA 98504-3165
Legislature Approves Capital and Operating Budgets, Looks Toward Adjournment
Visit Our Web Page: www.olympia.wsu.edu
LEGISLATURE PASSES CAPITAL & OPERATING
BUDGETS; PLODS TOWARD ADJOURNMENT
Like a large, weary, sweaty Clydesdale plodding toward home after long, hot toiling in the fields, the lumbering 2001 Washington Legislature appears to be tediously ending its long spring work season.
Adjournment after 153 days in session over nearly six months could come today at the summer solstice. The Legislature cultivated some late-session improvements for WSU, including flexibility to partially fund the Pullman Student Recreation Center, the best higher education salary package of the session, the authority to consider a public-private partnership for a new Pullman power plant, and design money for the Spokane Academic Center at Riverpoint.
While the capital and operating budgets are in the barn and awaiting Gov. Gary Locke's signature, the Legislature is already looking back on this session with regrets that could force a September special session, or at least big complications for next January.
A significant improvement in transportation funding appears unfinished and no money has been plowed into a $125 million gap in the budget that the House has refused to take out of "surplus" law enforcement and firefighter pension funds. That hole may not be filled until next January or with gubernatorial veto action, Senate sources say.
Progress on Quality, Institutional Control
WSU went into the session knowing it was in a difficult year, financially and politically. Throughout the session, the university held firm with two key objectives: to put the emphasis back on quality instruction, and to secure flexibility to decide its destiny. President Lane Rawlins new legislative agenda was dubbed, "A New Way of Doing Business." The new Rawlins Administration can claim progress on both fronts.
With this writing there are still issues unresolved for WSU including passage of a faculty retirement bill (House Bill 2244.) But here's some of what has been gleaned from the 2001 Legislature so far:
Net Budget Increase for WSU
The university's state general fund operating budget will actually have a net increase 8.1 percent to $411.36 million. The increase was a significant accomplishment in a tough budget year but the funds will be more than consumed by inflation, carry-forward costs, and salary increases. And within the $411 million total, program cuts were mandated by the Legislature.
Salary Improvements for Quality
At the top of WSU's quality agenda was salaries for its employees. The final budget provides 3.7 percent this year, compared to 3 percent recommend by the House and 2.2 percent recommended by the governor. Enough funding is provided for a 2.6 percent increase next year, but the Legislature has committed itself to review that figure in January.
WSU continued to resist double-digit tuition increases throughout this session and attempted to keep pressure for general fund state support. It will use the Legislature's flexible tuition authority to increase resident undergraduate tuition 6.7 percent this fall to $3,574. WSU will NOT use the Legislature's maximum 12 percent tuition increase for graduate business students and will use its discretion allowed in the new budget to hold the increase to 3.5 percent for all graduate students next year. Much of the tuition increases will go to pay for salary increases mandated - but not completely funded - by the Legislature. It also will be applied to unfunded obligations such as increased energy costs and inflation.
Program Cuts Limited to 1 percent
WSU succeeded in holding its program reductions to the $4.7 million recommended by governor, about 1 percent of WSU's total budget. In the end, the cuts did not target research, as had once been suggested, nor limited cuts to the research universities, as the Senate had proposed.
Tempering the Legislature's Enthusiasm for More EnrollmentsThe university repeatedly objected to lawmakers contemplating program cuts, on one hand, and investing substantially in increased enrollments on the other hand. Those actions create the impression that higher education is growing while actually fewer resources are being committed per each student. House leaders seemed to particularly listen to this message and the final budget seemed to reflect an effort to hold the line on cuts. WSU specifically received a $951,000 appropriation that may be used to offset cuts for Student Recreation Center maintenance and utilities. That money was taken out of Pullman enrollments. The budget still left room for 42 additional students for WSU Spokane and 82 for WSU Vancouver in 2002. The final budget provides $300,000 for the Advanced Technology Initiative, a modest effort by the Legislature to support research. The original program was designed for appropriations in increments of $1 million.
$103 million Capital Construction BudgetThe capital construction budget for WSU finished up at just under $103 million, the third largest appropriation of general fund-state monies in university history. Capital budget writers praised WSU for reshuffling priorities to meet the core needs of the university. New construction for a Pullman Energy Plant that could have a value in excess of $60 million with a private partnership can now be possible. Construction of a $12.6 million Murrow Hall Addition, a $12.4 million Shock Physics Building, and a Vancouver Multi-media Building can now begin.
More Construction Projects In The PipeLineThe WSU construction outlook for 2003-2005 brightens: Design efforts are funded for the Spokane Academic Center, the Johnson Hall Addition and a Vancouver Student Services Center. Cleveland Hall Addition was delayed to 2003-2005.
Clark College Building Slated for WSU Vancouver in 2003-2005Projects not on WSU's capital agenda could nevertheless impact our programs: Design funds were provided for a Clark College Building on the WSU Vancouver Campus, a $19.4 million structure that could be constructed in 2003-2005. Yakima Valley College received construction funds to complete a $22.5 million Higher Education Center. The Department of Ecology received $250,000 to study a City of Pullman/WSU water reclamation project.
Funds were also provided for the rebuilding of Merrill Hall on the campus of
the University of Washington in Seattle. This is the Urban Horticulture Building
that was fire-bombed by arsonists during the legislative session.
This update is shared by broadcast fax and electronic mail to friends of Washington State University as government developments occur. Contact Michelle Delaney, WSU Government 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. Contact Jane Yung Dennie in Olympia at 360/956-2164. For federal issues, contact Kristi Growdon at 206/219-2424. For state bill status and other government info year-around, visit our improved web page at www.olympia.wsu.edu.
