Category: Presidential messages

Dear Members of the University of Washington Community:

My favorite time of the year is nearly upon us—the time to celebrate with all those students who have completed the rigors of their degree programs and are about to “commence” the next chapter of their lives. It is exciting and gratifying to share the moment when our students reach their educational goals. To all who are graduating, congratulations. I hope your time at the UW has been challenging and invigorating, and I hope your next stop along the journey is equally so. Congratulations, too, to the many members of the community who helped these students reach these milestones.

I had hoped by this time of the year that my message might include good news about the University’s budget, including funding for our many outstanding programs and for the people who make them so special. As of today, however, our state legislature is still in special session, leaving us uncertain about our budget, our programs, and even our tuition rates. This delay makes it hard for everyone to plan. I can only assure you that as soon as a state budget is passed, we will work feverishly to translate it into a detailed University budget. Stay tuned.

Despite the present uncertainty, this has been an exceptional year for the University. Our incoming students are as good or better than they have ever been, as shown in the continuous rise in entrance qualifications. Once they get here, our students do astonishing things, as we saw recently at our annual Undergraduate Research Symposium in Mary Gates Hall. The level of work exhibited there was impressive, both in its originality and its expertise. Meanwhile, our faculty continue to lead the nation in attracting funding for innovative research, which simultaneously increases human knowledge and helps drive the insatiable curiosity of our undergraduate and graduate students. We’ve seen more UW faculty elected to the rosters of the National Academy of Sciences, to its Institute of Medicine, and to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. The chair of our Department of Global Health, Dr. King Holmes, received the prestigious Gairdner Award, one of the top scientific awards in the world. As impressive as these individual accolades are, we also know that thousands of other UW faculty members are doing amazing work every day in our classrooms and laboratories, working with students and mentoring them along their ambitious intellectual paths. It is always worthwhile to reflect on the great enterprise we are part of. Even for those of us who have been at it awhile, it never loses its luster.

Besides their teaching and research, our faculty also help govern this institution, and I want to say a special word of appreciation for the elected leadership of our faculty this past year. Faculty Senate Chair Jim Gregory and Vice Chair Jack Lee have been remarkable partners. They, along with many others in the Senate, have helped shape institutional policy and approved a number of important innovations, including new online degree completion programs and a new diversity requirement for undergraduates. These were difficult, complicated issues, with important principles at stake. The questions, criticisms, and ideas the faculty brought to bear on these proposals made the policies stronger and more sustainable for the long-term. Their contributions also reinforced the critical importance of shared governance at this or any university. Similarly, the elected and appointed leaders of our student organizations have consistently presented ideas and solutions, rather than just identifying problems.

I also want to express a special thanks to the staff who work with such diligence and dedication at their many and various jobs throughout the University. We would not be able to educate our students or conduct our research without you. You play a vital role in the life of the UW and, as a result of reductions in our budget, you have been asked to do more than ever. We’ve found some ways to streamline and gain efficiencies, but there is simply no question the staff of this University have stepped up and done superb work in the face of diminishing resources.

Like few other endeavors, university life follows an annual rhythm that creates seasonal moments to record achievements, take stock, and refresh plans. I hope you can take these opportunities, even if the coming weeks find you back in the classroom, the lab, or the office. And to those who may be temporarily dispersing for the summer, I wish you a happy and productive time away. It is a good chance to recharge those batteries and come back in the fall for another great year of discovery and growth.

Sincerely,

Michael K. Young

Dear Members of the University Community:

Today, the long-expected and much talked-about automatic federal budget reductions—otherwise known as “sequestration”—take effect. While many areas of federal spending in our state will be affected, resulting in reductions in services and jobs, the major impact to the University will be in our research program, with a smaller impact on student financial aid. The overall cut in the federal budget for 2013 is estimated to be around 5.1 percent for “nonmilitary discretionary” spending, the category much of our research funding falls into. But because the cuts are starting now, at the midway point of the federal fiscal year, and must be taken in the remainder of 2013, the actual amount of the cut is estimated to be much higher, more in the 9 percent range. Unless Congress does something to alter what it has set in motion today, we estimate that our research program will lose somewhere between $75 million and $100 million of the $1.05 billion we receive in federally funded research.

On the student aid side, we estimate that next year we will lose about $33,000 in federal work-study funds, but we intend to patch this with other money. In this first year of sequestration, the need-based Pell Grants are protected from cuts, but we do not know what future years will bring. Because this relates so closely to our commitment to keep UW education affordable for low-income families, we will be watching this area very closely.

There is a great deal that is not known about how federal agencies intend to implement their cuts. We may see, for instance, revisions to existing research grants, fewer new grants being awarded, delays in funding and receipt of award notices and contracts, less frequent requests for funding applications and proposals, and possible reductions in approvals of carry-forward requests. As a result, for the immediate future, principal investigators are advised to be cautious and conservative in spending federal awards and in planning for future federal funding. While most of our attention is currently focused on 2013, it is important to note that sequestration is mandated through 2021. So, even if Congress protects some programs from drastic cuts, an overall reduction in federal spending will surely occur over the next decade. Planning ahead will be crucial to our success.

Our Office of Research under Vice Provost Mary Lidstrom and the deans of our schools and colleges have been preparing for this eventuality for quite some time to minimize any immediate disruptions to our programs. But there will no doubt be impacts, and some labs will not be able to fill positions or may have to reduce employment. While we must prepare to deal with these impacts, I want you to know that we remain firmly opposed to these reductions and, working with our fellow institutions in the Association of American Universities, will continue our advocacy efforts in the nation’s capital to implore the President and Congress to reach agreement on a long-term budget deal that will protect the country’s investments in research and innovation.

Whatever Congress may do this month to adjust the cuts or to adopt a budget for the remainder of the fiscal year, it is clear we have entered a new era for which we need to plan and be nimble and creative. As a university, we are in a strong position to respond and adjust because of the people we have here and the entrepreneurial spirit that infuses what you do.

Sincerely,

Michael K. Young

“Sally Jewell is an inspired choice to lead the U.S. Department of the Interior. Few people can match Sally’s deep passion for the conservation issues facing our nation. At the same time, she has a profound understanding of the importance of the land and its use for the people of America. Her strong leadership and management skills, combined with her unwavering commitment to future generations, make her exceptionally well suited for the challenges of the position. An alumna of our College of Engineering, Sally has served on the University of Washington Board of Regents for over a decade. We have been a very grateful beneficiary of her tremendous talents, and we are so proud that she has this opportunity to put those talents to work on the national stage.”

Dear Members of the University Community:

In recent days, we have all received notifications of crimes that have occurred on or near the Seattle campus. As the notifications indicate, these are sent in compliance with federal law—the Clery Act—and also as a way to caution all of us that the incidents are occurring and that we should be watchful and especially aware of our surroundings.

Some of the events have occurred on campus and others have taken place in the community surrounding the University, where many of our students reside. In the minds of those intent on committing a crime, we represent an attractive target for robbery—of personal belongings, especially smartphones—and other property. Fortunately, thus far we have not had serious injury occur, though two of the incidents were frightful armed robberies.

I know that the frequency of these incidents over the past week can be a source of anxiety. It also raises questions about what we are doing to try to prevent such incidents from happening. Your safety is of the utmost importance to the University, and there are things we are doing to respond. We are significantly increasing our UW police presence and patrols in west campus and the surrounding areas. UWPD continues to partner with the Seattle Police Department in and around the University District to provide safety and regular patrol operations and is in regular communication with them about ways to work together. We can all be more aware of and sensitive to our surroundings and circumstances and take common sense steps to enhance our safety, such as traveling together after dark and exercising caution in using our phones in public. And we can enhance our security and well-being by looking out for each other as we move about the University District.

Sincerely,

Michael K. Young

Yesterday the Governor released her 2013-15 biennial budget proposal. This marks the final budget proposal of Governor Gregoire’s eight-year term, and the first step in preparation for the 2013 legislative session. I first want to thank Governor Gregoire for her exemplary service to the state, and particularly commend her leadership as we navigated the last four years of extraordinary budget challenges.

While it appears Washington’s economy is slowly recovering from the Great Recession, significant state budget challenges, including a $970 million budget deficit over the next two years and a court mandate to fully fund basic education, remain. Higher education is not exempt from these challenges. Since 2009, the University of Washington’s state funding has been cut by nearly 50 percent. Despite significant tuition increases to help mitigate these reductions, funding per student at the University of Washington is still $3,000 less than it was before the recession started.

Last year, the legislature passed the first ‘no new cuts’ education budget since 2008. The governor’s proposed 2013-15 budget would continue to hold the university harmless from further reductions, with targeted new investments in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education and student financial aid. This is a good step forward and we commend the governor for recognizing the role that higher education has in fueling our economic recovery.

However, more is needed to address the real financial pressures facing higher education. If Washington truly wants to grow and sustain a 21^st century economy, we must re-commit to an accessible and affordable public higher education system for Washington’s next generation by re-investing in public higher education.

There is still much work to be done. I look forward to working with Governor-elect Inslee and the state legislature in the coming months as budget conversations progress.

Dear Members of the University Community:

The news today about the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut is devastating and incomprehensible. Our hearts go out to all the families who lost loved ones in this horrible, tragic shooting. It is especially disturbing at this time of year when families gather to celebrate the joy in their lives. As our community disperses for the holidays, I know today’s events will weigh heavily on all of us, and I hope we will all take a moment to think of those who were killed today and the suffering of their families and friends.

Sincerely,

Michael K. Young

Dear Members of the University of Washington Community:

We have so much to be grateful for at the University of Washington. We are all fortunate to be part of a community with the ability—and determination—to make a positive difference in our world, whether through teaching, research, artistic expression, collaboration, service or other means.

Reflecting on the past year, I’m proud of the UW’s outstanding work and achievements. And I’m also proud of the generous spirit that continues to characterize our university.

Our 2012 year-end video, which I invite you to view and share, celebrates that spirit.

Thank you for making a difference as part of our community. I wish you all the best this holiday season.

Warm regards,

Michael K. Young
President

Dear Members of the University of Washington Community:

Yesterday afternoon, many of you joined me at my annual address for a look at how we are working together as a university to address key 21st century challenges. Thank you for attending or watching on UWTV or online.

As I said in my remarks, everything you do here at the UW — whether you are a faculty or staff member or a student — has the potential to make a difference in people’s lives in the Pacific Northwest and around the globe. As a public university, we are committed to addressing the world’s most pressing challenges, as we have done throughout much of our 150-year history.

As we look to the future, I believe we can do even more. And that is what Tomorrow’s University Today, the initiative I introduced yesterday, is all about. The challenges we face in the world are large and complex and require multi-dimensional, integrative solutions. The UW, with our history of collaborative, multidisciplinary research, is poised to deliver them.

Tomorrow’s University Today is an effort to broaden and deepen our impact on societal issues in three key areas:

• Leading change in public higher education
• Turning the UW inside out to apply expertise to K–12 education, environmental sustainability, and health care
• Driving our economic future

I encourage you to visit tomorrow.uw.edu to learn more about Tomorrow’s University Today. You can also watch a number of videos showing some of the great work already under way in these critical areas.

I hope you’re as excited as I am about the many ways the UW can propel ideas from our classrooms and labs out into the community to continue creating positive change.

Sincerely,

Michael K. Young

Dear Members of the University of Washington Community:

Welcome to those of you who are new to the University this fall, and welcome back to those who are returning for another academic year. I hope all of you have had productive and rewarding summers and are ready to continue the work that makes the University such a special place.

The start of a new academic year in many ways represents a fresh beginning. We have new classmates, new professors, new colleagues, and new subjects and ideas to engage and explore. We also have a number of new facilities opening this fall, including a newly renovated HUB, a new molecular engineering and sciences building, a new wing of the UW Medical Center, a new library addition in Tacoma, and two new student residence halls in Seattle’s west campus. These wonderful facilities will add immeasurably to the academic and student experiences at the University and provide much needed research, study, and living spaces for many years to come.

Students in particular I hope will also notice some new resources devoted to their instructional programs. Thanks to many in our University and alumni community and beyond, the state Legislature passed a supplemental budget in the spring that halted the erosion of the University’s state appropriation. This meant that we could begin the arduous task of restoring some of the resources that we had lost in previous years. We increased faculty and teaching assistant positions to add more sections of critical courses students need to progress in a timely way through their programs. We also were able to shore up advising positions so that students can better access the guidance they need as they navigate their way through their academic programs. And we were able to provide additional financial aid funding so that students could better afford the increased tuition that resulted from the past several years’ cuts in our state budget. Virtually all of the new expenditures were targeted to enhance our students’ learning experience.

Students will also see this fall an increased use of technology in their courses. More faculty are experimenting with ways to incorporate the use of new technologies in their classrooms to intensify the learning experience and broaden their ability to interact with students in even more meaningful ways. In some cases, students will be asked to do more advance work online before coming to class, all in an effort to make better use of class time and squeeze even more learning into the course. We expect these innovations to continue as we become more adept at exploring ways to take advantage of the rapid changes in technology.

There is much to look forward to this year and much to accomplish. I intend to describe some of what I hope we can accomplish as an institution at my annual address to the University community on Thursday, October 18, at 3 p.m. in Meany Hall. I hope you will be able to join me. In the meantime, explore and enjoy this exceptional university.

Sincerely,

Michael K. Young