News and Updates

U.S. Surgeon General Jerome M. Adams visited the University of Washington to meet with students in the School of Public Health. He also took a few selfies.

Dr. Adams met with students to talk about the nation’s opioid crisis. Opioids and addiction are among his priorities as the “Nation’s Doctor.” A dozen undergraduate and graduate students shared how their individual research and practice projects relate to national efforts and challenges in addressing the opioid crisis. Topics of discussion ranged from addiction risk factors such as childhood trauma and mental health to the criminal justice system, homelessness and health equity. Read more and see photos from the School of Public Health.

The last two FY2020 spending bills– the Homeland Security and Financial Services measures– were cleared by the House Appropriations Committee earlier this week. The homeland security legislation was adopted 29 – 20 while the financial services bill was approved 30 – 21. The House is now slated to bring its first spending package to the floor this week after executing the committee process on all 12 bills. Read more from Federal Relations.

Commencement season is about to kick off and the UW campuses and UW Video will be capturing and live streaming several UW department commencement events. Many will be available for viewing online live and after the event. Events available for streaming include the UW Commencement, UW Bothell Commencement, College of Education Graduation and Foster School of Business Undergraduate Graduation and more. UW Video has a full list available on their website. 

The University of Washington hosted a community concert and barbecue to thank the first responders, school district officials, businesses and community members who went above and beyond for UW students and staff following the November bus crash. UW President Ana Mari Cauce, the Husky Marching Band and additional staff and representatives of the UW traveled to central Washington on Sunday to say thank you to the Grant County community for giving aid after a bus crash there last Thanksgiving. Read more from UW News.

Late Sunday evening, the state legislature passed the 2019-21 operating and capital budgets, marking the end of the 105-day legislative session. The budgets provide funding for student financial aid and critical foundational budgetary needs for the UW. Both the operating and capital budgets also include key funding to support UW Medicine and the state’s behavioral health system. Read more from State Relations.