| Governor Vetoes WSU Trust Lands Bill | May 22, 1997 No. 23 |
| Washington State University expressed
disappointment this week that Gov. Gary Locke vetoed House Bill
1418, legislation which was to end the improper practice by the
state Department of Natural Resources of charging management fees
to WSU`s agricultural trust. The veto means that improper
fees will continue to be charged to the trust, fees which in
recent years have totaled well over $1 million per year. Interest
from the trust is used to fund WSU construction projects | |
| Final bill status report for 1997 | May 19, 1997 No. 22 |
| Bills tracked that affect Washington State University. | |
| Legislature Passes Final Budget and Returns Home After Successful Session for WSU | April 28, 1997 No. 21 |
| Legislators Saturday passed a new version of
the state biennial operating budget, House Bill 2259, and
promptly adjourned a scheduled 105-day legislative session Sunday
night that succeeded in making higher education a priority. | |
| It`s not over yet, Governor vetoes the higher education section of the budget | April 23, 1997 No. 20 |
| With just four days remaining in the 1997 regular legislative session, Democratic Gov. Locke vetoed virtually all of the higher education section of the Republican Legislature’s biennial operating budget this afternoon. Sections of Substitute Senate Bill 6062 vetoed include all sections relating to Washington State University. He has sent legislative budget writers back to work on specific issues that he says must be resolved before adjournment. | |
| Legislature approves $90 million WSU capital construction budget | April 23, 1997 No. 19 |
| The Washington Legislature has approved a final version of Senate Bill 6063, the capital construction budget, and sent it to Gov. Gary Locke’s desk. | |
| Conference Committee Adopts 9 percent general fund increase for WSU operating budget | April 17, 1997 No. 18 |
| A compromise 1997-99 operating budget for Washington State University has been adopted by Republican members of a joint conference committee, roughly splitting the difference between original House and Senate proposals. | |
| House Capital Budget in agreement with Senate on $90 million worth of WSU construction | April 3, 1997 No. 17 |
| House Capital Budget Chairman Barry Sehlin, R-Oak Harbor, released a proposed House capital budget Wednesday that virtually agrees with the spending priorities for Washington State University approved last week by the State Senate. | |
| Negotiations to begin on the final operating budget (SB 6062) | April 1, 1997 No. 16 |
| 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. | |
| Senate & House have contrasting views on tuition policy | March 31, 1997 No. 15 |
| Senate Bill 5927 appears to be the legislation that will change Washington`s tuition policy, perhaps for many years to come. But the House and the Senate each have different views of what this legislation should say. | |
| Proposed House operating budget provides less funding to WSU than Governor or Senate | March 26, 1997 No. 14 |
| A proposed House operating budget released this morning by House
Appropriations Chairman Tom Huff, R-Gig Harbor, provides about $6.3 million
less in state funding for Washington State University than the budget which is now being considered by the state Senate and about $7.7 million less than the operating budget recommended by Gov. Gary Locke. | |
| Proposed Senate capital budget is $89.25 million for WSU, more than proposed by Locke | March 25, 1997 No. 13 |
| Sen. Gary Strannigan, R-Everett, unveiled a proposed capital budget for Washington State University Monday. WSU praised the Senate proposal which continue the state’s tradition of providing quality buildings to higher education. There were many similarities with the governor’s budget. Branch campus funding in the WSU Capital budget from the Senate is identical to the budget proposed by Gov. Locke | |
| Assessment & Accountability: Just how good is WSU? | March 20, 1997 No. 12 |
| One of the big issues in the Washington Legislature this year is the issue of higher education "assessment" and "accountability." Lawmakers appear willing to put additional funding into colleges and universities but they want to make sure the institutions are conducting an "assessment" of their own effectiveness. | |
| Sen. West prepares to release operating budget that gives priority to higher education | March 19, 1997 No. 11 |
| The chairman of the Senate Ways and Means
Committee is preparing to release a proposed operating budget
Monday that will provide 766 new enrollments for WSU, raise
undergraduate resident tuition by 4 percent per year to fund
institutional priorities, provide 3 percent salary increases for
state employees, and allow for additional faculty and
administrative professionals salary increases. | |
| Status of Bills At The End of The 1997 Session | March 16, 1997 |
| Status of 1997 Bills | |
| Economic Development chair makes plea for advanced technology research | March 10, 1997 No. 10 |
| The industry-sponsored "Advanced Technology Research Initiative" bill ranks among the two most important pieces of legislation that House Trade & Economic Development Chairman Steve Van Luven said he has ever been involved with. Van Luven, in an emotional appeal to the House Appropriations Committee, testified that the branch campus legislation of the late 1980s was "the most important," but he added that the ATRI proposal, now before the Washington Legislature, is second. | |
| Locke proposes $88.2 million capital construction budget for WSU next biennium | March 5, 1997 No. 9 |
| The addition of branch campus
projects in Vancouver and Tri-Cities, and more money for renovation
of Pullman`s Thompson Hall, were the major differences between
the 1997-99 WSU capital budget proposed by Gov. Locke Tuesday
and a similar capital budget request by former Gov. Mike Lowry. | |
| Locke proposes 11 percent net increase in funding for WSU; No changes to Initiative 601 | March 3, 1997 No. 8 |
| Details of an operating budget
proposal that would increase 1997-99 Washington State University
funding by about $49.4 million over this current biennium and
raise tuition 4 percent per year were released today by Gov. Gary
Locke. The larger budget is primarily spent by adding students
at all WSU campuses and salary increases. | |
| Tuition legislation introduced to promote interstate distance learning programs | February 17, 1997 No. 7 |
| Don Carlson, R-Vancouver, dropped a WSU request bill into the
hopper Friday which will expand technology-based distance learning
higher education programs for Washington residents through consortium
arrangements with other states. WSU requested the legislation
on behalf of President Sam Smith, who is Washington State`s representative
to the Western Governor`s University. | |
| WSU, Washington Student Lobby, work for low tuition policy | February 10, 1997 No. 6 |
| With the introduction of many bills
that would substantially raise tuition, WSU and the Washington
Student Lobby, which represents students from five four-year institutions (except The Evergreen State College) are working on a plan for an affordable, predictable tuition proposal. | |
| Gov. Gary Locke orders 5 percent operating budget cut exercise to stay under Initiative 601 limits | January 27, 1997 No. 5 |
| In one of his first actions as governor, Gary Locke
has directed state agencies including Washington State University
to prepare options for 5 percent budget cuts to existing programs
within seven days. | |
| Gov. Mike Lowry announces 1997-99 WSU biennial budgets | December 19, 1996 No. 4 |
| Gov. Mike Lowry announced Wednesday a $19.5 billion
1997-99 operating budget for the state with most enhancements
for higher education tied to two amendments in Initiative 601,
the voter-approved state spending limit. The proposed amendments
would eliminate provisions which the governor says artificially
reduces the spending limit whenever state agencies do not spend
up to the maximum. | |
| WSU`s Pullman capital construction budget proposal seeks buildings for a changing university | December 13, 1996 No. 3 |
| Now under consideration by the Governor`s
Office of Financial Management is WSU`s construction budget for
the 1997-99 biennium, a proposal dominated by projects to renovate
existing buildings and improve infrastructure. The recommendations
of Governors Lowry and Locke will each be forwarded to the 1997
Legislature.< | |
| WSU proposes a budget to the 97 Legislature, Changing the delivery of higher education | October 29, 1996 No. 2 |
| An innovative plan to expand and enhance student
learning through technology has been submitted for legislative
consideration by Washington State University. The proposal is
now under review by the Governor`s Office of Financial Management.
Outgoing Gov. Mike Lowry will make recommendations to the Legislature
later this year. | |
| WSU reports a smaller-than-expected entering freshman class | October 14, 1996 No. 1 |
| Despite a smaller than expected entering freshman class, Washington State University has increased its total enrollment by nearly 3 percent this fall for a total of 20,169 students. | |
