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News & Updates

That’s a wrap! 2016 session adjourned

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On day 20 of the special session, just before 11:00 p.m., the legislature adjourned sine die, after passing compromise operating and capital budgets earlier in the day.

Over the past two-plus weeks, budget negotiators worked through a number of outstanding revenue and spending issues, entertaining and then abandoning a number of different tools to generate small amounts of revenue.

In the end, the members didn’t reach consensus on any new revenue components, and so the final supplemental budget made very select new investments and swept other fund sources in order to make a 4-year budget outlook pencil following a grim February forecast.

The University of Washington was successful in bringing home its top priority – backfill for the tuition reduction adopted by the legislature in 2015. Throughout session, students, staff, alumni, regents, and leadership reinforced the same message, that backfilling the tuition cut was critical to preserving access to and the quality of education at the UW.

Aside from the tuition backfill, however, the budget brought little else to celebrate. Unfortunately, the backfill was offset in part by a decision to charge state agencies for administrative functions of the Office of Financial Management. And due to overall limited resources, no new investments came to rural dentistry or computer science, the UW’s other top priorities.

In all, it truly was a supplemental budget, and the table is now set for next session, when higher education priorities will face a steep challenge in maintaining and growing the commitment from the state to access, quality, and opportunity for all students.

For more information about how the supplemental budget affects the university, check out the Office of Planning & Budgeting Brief.

 

To keep up with the latest from Olympia, follow us on Facebook and Twitter. If you have any questions about state topics, please call 206-543-7604.

Legislative overtime: Special session enters week two

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Last week, the legislature was unable to pass supplemental budgets and finish their work by day 60. Just hours before midnight, Governor Inslee called the legislature into special session to finish their budget work, starting the up-to-30-day clock on March 10.

At the same time, the governor took action on 37 bills passed earlier in session. Following through on a commitment earlier in the week to veto bills if a budget deal wasn’t reached, he vetoed 27 bills and allowed 10 to be enacted for public health and safety justifications.

The following day, as rank-and-file members began to depart Olympia, the Senate Ways & Means committee held a public hearing on a new Majority Coalition Caucus operating budget offer.

Negotiators remain at the capitol and continue to meet and exchange proposals, but progress is slow going. UW continues to speak with budget writers on all sides, making certain that lawmakers are keenly aware of the most important items for the university.

A side note: There was one bright purple-and-gold spot in the final stretch of legislative session. The UW Huskies men’s rowing team visited Olympia, receiving congratulations from Governor Inslee and several legislators for their 5th consecutive national championship title. So proud of them!

UW Rowing at state legislature
Members of the UW men’s rowing team and coaches on the steps of the state legislative building in Olympia, WA, on March 7, 2016.

Budgets are out! Here’s how they stack up on UW priorities

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The most recent state revenue forecast in mid-February dealt a blow to the state and made negotiating a supplemental budget more challenging. The forecast reduced the current biennium’s revenues by $67 million and the next biennium’s by another $442 million. Read more details on the February 17 state revenue forecast here.

Both the House and the Senate released their opening budget proposals last week, and there were notable differences between the two as they impact higher education. Here are some of the highlights for UW:

Tuition Backfill

The Senate funded the tuition backfill for institutions, by and large, and the House did not provide backfill. The Senate’s budget also includes a limitation on enrollment growth that could potentially suppress the numbers of resident undergraduates—we hope that won’t make it into the final compromise budget. As part of her visit last week, President Cauce met with budget leadership in the House, and urged legislators to include backfill in the go-home budget.

Leasehold Excise Tax (LET) fix

Our LET bills, HB 2523 and SB 6462 were heard early in session. While lawmakers of all stripes indicate support the tax policy of allowing us to once again pay only the same LET as private owners pay in property tax, technically the bills are dead, as they did not move out of committee. We hope there might still be a chance to rectify this unintended consequence of a 2013 assessor bill before the current session is out.

RIDE: Rural dentistry in Spokane

We continue to work with the Spokane delegation, as well as other stakeholders, on our request to establish a simulation lab in Spokane and develop greater service-learning clinical rotations. Despite strong support, it was not funded in either budget. We hope that there may still be a chance to include the $200,000 per year that would expand our rotations and expand the RIDE mission to rural and under-served areas on both sides of the mountains.

Computer Science & Engineering Building

The CSE II building was partially funded in the 2015-17 budget, and our request for $15 million in the supplemental budget (to replace the $15 million appropriation from our building fund) has come up against a meager supplemental capital budget: less than $90 million total statewide in last week’s proposals. CSE II was not funded in either budget. We continue to push for at least partial funding in 2016, critical to keeping private fundraising on track for the remaining $70+ million balance.

That’s where the big stuff stands at this moment in time. Stay tuned for more as budget writers get comfortable in their seats around the negotiating table in this final stretch.

2016 Session: It’s been a whirlwind!

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The past seven weeks have flown by, filled with testimony, legislative agendas, and plenty of policy discussion. Here are a few of the things that have been going on while we’ve been here at the capitol.

President Cauce visits Olympia

President Ana Mari Cauce made three trips to Olympia to thank legislators for historic investments in higher education in 2015 and to discuss the university’s priorities for this year. Here are a few of the pictures and behind the scenes video from President Cauce’s visits.

Regents’ visit coincides with Huskies on the Hill, and Harry the Husky says hi!

On February 8, the capitol campus in Olympia could have been mistaken for UW’s Red Square–purple and gold was the theme of the day. Regents, UW Bothell Chancellor Wolf Yeigh, dozens of undergraduate and graduate students, and even Harry the Husky met with members of the House and Senate to advocate for UW. Check out photos from the day on the State Relations Facebook page.

Faculty experts present to legislators

Much like the testimony an expert witness gives in a courtroom, legislators will call on researchers to present on a wide variety of subjects. Quite often, presenters will include members of the UW community. Here are just a few of the faculty and staff who shared their expertise to assist lawmakers during the 2016 legislative session.

  • Tom DeLuca, School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, in House Capital Budget and Senate Ways & Means
  • Mark Hallenbeck, UW’s Washington State Transportation Center office, in the House Transportation Committee
  • James Dorsey, Washington MESA, in the Senate Higher Education Committee

Budget update – Moving into the final stretch

By its nature–limited time and limited funds–the supplemental session offers modest opportunities for both policy and budget. The most recent state revenue forecast in mid-February dealt a blow to the state’s spending plans, and has made negotiating a supplemental budget more challenging. The forecast reduced the current biennium’s revenues by $67 million and the upcoming biennium’s by another $442 million.

Last week, both the House and the Senate released their opening budget proposals, and passed them off their respective floors. While these are a good indicator of the two majorities’ policy priorities, a lot will change as the budget writers negotiate details toward a final compromise budget. Read more about the contrasting budget proposals here. Stay tuned for details on higher education budget impacts over the next few days.

 

To keep up with the latest from Olympia, follow us on Facebook and Twitter. If you have any questions about state topics, please call 206-543-7604.

UW releases 2016 state legislative agenda

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Today, the University released its legislative priorities for the 2016 session that began yesterday in Olympia. The governor delivered his State of the State address this afternoon, with Board Chair Bill Ayer representing the UW Board of Regents as one of the governor’s guests.

Here is a quick overview of what’s on the agenda:

Make the University Whole – Implementing the state’s new tuition policy

A critical piece of the state’s new tuition policy is its commitment to fully compensate institutions for the tuition revenue they will lose due to the reduction. As the tuition backfill in the adopted 2015-17 budget was based on outdated enrollment numbers, we seek $4.4 million to make the UW whole.

Expanding our Successful Rural Dentistry Program in Spokane

UW requests state funding to expand the UW School of Dentistry’s Regional Initiatives in Dental Education (RIDE) program in Spokane and Eastern Washington with the addition of a simulation lab and expanded clinical rotation opportunities. RIDE trains students to practice in rural and underserved areas, and partners with Eastern Washington University and others in the community to improve oral health across our state.

Restoring Fairness for Public Agencies Paying Leasehold Excise Tax

Part of the leasehold excise tax (LET) statute was deleted by a 2013 bill, and as a result the UW now pays additional excess tax out of a fund which otherwise pays for repair and maintenance projects. The UW supports the ability of public property owners to once again pay taxes equal to – not greater than– those of private property owners.

Computer Science & Engineering – Making more degrees a reality

In the 2015 legislative session, the legislature dedicated a total of $32.5 million toward our new Computer Science & Engineering (CSE) building, helping double CSE degree production. However, $15.0 million was taken from the UW’s own building account, which pays for systemwide repairs and maintenance. We ask the legislature to allocate $15.0 million in the state bonds to restore the building account funds to their intended and much-needed purpose.

Click here to view and download the 2016 Legislative Agenda document.

Ramping up toward 2016 session; Governor’s budget release is imminent

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It’s that time of year again! No, not holiday shopping and what some affectionately call “butter season,” but the crescendo toward the opening of the 2016 Washington legislative session!

As a “short” 60-day session, expectations are generally modest, as they usually provide a limited opportunity for both policy-making and funding. Why? Two primary reasons: 1- Because the biennial budget has already been adopted, a supplemental budget typically offers only small changes in terms of funding. 2- With every House member and half of the Senate up for re-election, legislators are often cautious about significant new policy endeavors and are anxious about being held accountable for big changes in the re-election cycle.

Arguably, the release of the governor’s proposed budget is the unofficial kickoff of the session. This year, the budget release is expected on December 17

The outlook for the budget release, however, isn’t terribly rosy. The November 18 state revenue forecast reported an additional $113 million for the 2105-17 biennium, and an additional $30 million in 2017-19. Meanwhile, according to the governor’s budget office, state costs to maintain current services and other mandatory costs for the current biennium have grown by nearly $700 million. This is made up of increased costs to maintain current programs as a result of increasing caseloads, fire suppression costs, lawsuit costs, mental health needs, and other urgent needs.

December 17 is just around the corner, and we’re eager for the governor to unveil his spending proposal. It would be excellent to see some higher education priorities wrapped up with a big red bow. Perhaps we’ll even leave out some milk and cookies on the 16th just for good measure.

External Affairs hosts state, federal staff for Husky for a Day

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Last week, the Office of External Affairs hosted Husky for a Day @ UW. The day took our guests from pre-application through graduation, providing an inside look into the Husky student experience for participants. Guests included state and federal legislative staff and higher education partners.

Participants started the day with a presentation from Associate Vice Provost Philip Ballinger on the holistic application review process. Next, everyone had a chance to stretch their legs while a student guide took the group on a tour of campus. Our final presentation of the morning was from Assistant Vice Provost Kay Lewis with an in-depth look at financial aid.

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Interim Provost Baldasty, Dean Taylor, LeAnne Wiles and students discuss the Husky Experience

During the lunch hour, the group was joined by Interim Provost Gerald Baldasty, Undergraduate Academic Affairs Dean Ed Taylor, First-Year Programs Director LeAnne Jones Wiles, and three Huskies – Thomas Nugyen, Marisol Diaz and Aegron Ethen. The panel discussed and answered questions about the Husky Experience. Topics included the key skills, knowledge and abilities that are transferred from UW classrooms into meaningful student experiences like studying abroad, jobs and internships, research projects and participation in community organizations.

After lunch, it was time for class as participants joined students in Dr. Scott Freeman‘s Biology 180 course for a professional development session where they learned “how to be a Dawg.”

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Learning how to be a Dawg

Finally, the day concluded with a stop at the UW Alumni Association office to hear about the work they do with Huskies post-graduation. The External Affairs team also took a moment to say thank you to participants for their ongoing work in support of higher education and our Husky students.

View more photos from Husky for a Day @ UW on UWGOV’s Facebook.

Closing the gap in engineering

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Meet UW professor Eve Riskin, who along with her colleague, Joyce Yen are closing the gender gap in engineering. They have created the Leadership Excellence for Academic Diversity, or LEAD workshops, to teach other schools to follow the example of the UW with an on-line course LEAD-it-Yourself.