While I am very pleased to see that the Senate budget not only provides most of the state funding needed to pay for its tuition reduction bill, and makes additional investments for the next biennium, there are some troubling aspects to the proposal. Rejection of our collective bargaining agreements means that thousands of our employees will not receive the wage increases they deserve. There are other troubling aspects to the proposal as well, including provisions dealing with health care benefits.
I am also disappointed in the Senate’s approach to funding our medical school in Spokane. The $2.5 million appropriation is insufficient to support our existing 40 students much less increasing enrollment by another 20 students as we hope to do this fall to address the physician shortage in our state.
Ana Mari Cauce
Interim President
Professor of Psychology and American Ethnic Studies