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News & Updates

News & Updates

Purple and gold in Spokane

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The University of Washington is hosting a series of events in Spokane this week and next.

UW President Ana Mari Cauce speaking at a kickoff reception for the UW Spokane Center.
UW President Ana Mari Cauce speaking at a kickoff reception for the UW Spokane Center.

On Wednesday (June 17), UW Interim President Ana Mari Cauce hosted a kickoff reception at the new UW Spokane Center (201 W. Main). It was a wonderful gathering of state and local elected officials, business and community leaders, UW faculty and staff, and friends of the University. View photos from the event here.

UW President Ana Mari Cauce speaking at UWAA's Welcome to Washington dinner in Spokane
UW President Ana Mari Cauce speaking at UWAA’s Welcome to Washington dinner in Spokane.

On Wednesday evening, the UW Alumni Association hosted its annual Welcome to Washington dinner at the Spokane Club. Over 200 alumni, parents, incoming students, and UW faculty attended — and had the chance to hear from Pres. Cauce as well as Dean of Undergraduate Academic Affairs Ed Taylor.

Dean Ed Taylor speaking at Welcome to Washington dinner
UW UAA Dean Ed Taylor speaking at Welcome to Washington dinner

Next week, on Wednesday, June 24 the UW Spokane Center will host an Open House from 2PM-5PM.

The afternoon will feature fun for all ages with great music, food and beverages, purple-and-gold prizes, apparel discounts and visits from some of your Husky favorites — including the UW Husky Marching Band, the UW Cheer Team and Harry the Husky!

Learn more about the Open House and the Spokane Center here.

UW Spokane Center located at 201 W. Main in downtown.
UW Spokane Center located at 201 W. Main in downtown.

Governor signs bill expanding computer science education, second special session approaches half-way mark

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Bill Signing HB 1813
Governor Jay Inslee signs HB 1813 into law. Photo: Legislative Support Services

UW State Relations was pleased to attend Governor Jay Inslee‘s signing of HB 1813, a bill that expands computer science education in K-12 schools. The bipartisan bill was sponsored by Reps. Drew Hansen, D-Bainbridge Island, and Chad Magendanz, R-Issaquah, and intends to help prepare more Washington students for jobs in the high-tech industry. Read more about the bill in news releases from the members here and here.

In related news, the Legislature has now turned the corner into the second half of the second special session (today is day 14 of 30).

Stay tuned to the blog and our Twitter and Facebook streams for updates!

Seattle Times Editorial: Legislature should fund UW computer science expansion

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CSE Students and Faculty in the Lab
CSE Students and Faculty in the Lab Photo: Photograph ©2007 Stuart Isett

From today’s Seattle Times:

WHILE computer science and engineering jobs boom in Washington, the state is graduating too few of its own residents in this field, which plays such a crucial role in the state’s fortunes.

The University of Washington argues persuasively that it needs more space to address the demand both from students and employers.

The state Legislature should appropriate funds this year to help pay for a new 130,000-square-foot computer science and engineering building.

The university asked lawmakers for $40 million of the $105 million total, with plans to raise the remaining costs from private donors. So far, the Senate’s capital budget set aside $32 million, while the House budget appropriated only $6 million. The final capital budget should be closer to the Senate’s amount.

Continuing reading here.

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Revenue forecast shows $400 million uptick

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State budget writers received some positive news this week in the form of a modest increase of about $400 million over previous assumptions in the state’s revenue forecast.

From TVW’s Capitol Record:

The Economic and Revenue Forecast Council expects the state to collect $327 million more in the 2015-17 cycle than previously projected. It also projects an additional $79 million more in the current 2013-17 budget cycle.

UW’s Office of Planning & Budget has a blog post with additional highlights.

From OFM’s news release:

Today’s forecast was released a month ahead of schedule to help lawmakers reach agreement on its 2015–17 operating, capital and transportation budgets. Gov. Jay Inslee called lawmakers into special session last month after they were unable to reach final budget agreements during this year’s regular legislative session. The 30-day special session ends May 28.

Watch TVW’s coverage of the Economic & Revenue Update online here.

 

UW Law students help secure passage of SB 5564

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Governor Jay Inslee signed the Youth Equality and Reintegration Act (YEAR) (SB 5564), a bill sponsored by Sen. Steve O’Ban, and authored by a group of five students at the University of Washington School of Law, as well as community partners including Columbia Legal Services.

The new legislation will permit all eligible youth in Washington state the opportunity to seal their juvenile record, not just those from families with the necessary financial resources.

Learn more about the group of UW Law students who helped pass the legislation.

Legislative Support Services Photo Department: Senate Bill No. 5564 &emdash; 20150514_115307ab

Governor Inslee signs bill addressing sexual violence on college campuses

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Sen. Barbara Bailey and Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles both introduced legislation this session to assess and address sexual assault on college campuses in our state.

Governor Inslee signed Sen. Kohl-Welles’ SB 5518 last week, which charges institutions of higher education with developing procedures to address sexual assault.

Sen. Bailey’s SB 5719, which creates a sexual assault task force, will be headed to the Governor’s desk soon.

For more background on this topic, read this Seattle Times story that ran over the weekend.

 

SB 518, Relating to campus sexual violence.
Governor Inslee signs SB 5518 into law. Photo: LSS

LSS

 

Legislature heads into overtime

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On Friday (April 24), the Legislature adjourned from its regular session. With several critical items left undone, including a 2015-2017 operating budget, Governor Inslee announced he will call the Legislature back into session this Wednesday (April 29). Meanwhile, the Senate Majority Leader Mark Schoesler has called for the Legislature to finish its work by May 15. For more background on where things stand with higher education budgets, be sure to read this Seattle Times article.

Stay tuned to the blog for more updates as we head into special session!

In other news, Governor Inslee recently signed two bills related to higher education (and offered by UW alums!) into law.

SB 5638 sponsored by Sen. Bob Hasegawa expands access to the State Need Grant.

HB 1138 sponsored by Rep. Tina Orwall creates a task force on mental health and suicide prevention.

You’re invited: Talk and book signing with Boys in the Boat author at State Capitol this Friday

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Please join us for an intimate talk this week at the State Capitol with Daniel James Brown, author of “The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Olympics.”

Boys in the Boat Talk in Olympia

Brown’s best-selling book tells the story of the University of Washington rowing crew and their path to gold. It was an unlikely quest from the start. With a team composed of the sons of loggers, shipyard workers, and farmers, the University of Washington’s crew team was never expected to defeat the elite teams of the East Coast and Great Britain, yet they did, going on to shock the world by defeating the German team rowing for Adolf Hitler.

Come hear directly from the author about this inspiring and iconic story!

EVENT DETAILS

WHO: Daniel James Brown, Author of “The Boys in the Boat”

WHAT: Talk by Author & Book Signing

WHERE & WHEN:

Talk with Daniel James Brown – 12:30PM-1:30PM in State Reception Room, Legislative Building, Third Floor

Book-Signing – 1:30PM-2:30PM in Columbia Room, Legislative Building, First Floor

The talk is hosted by Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles, sponsor of Senate Bill 6027, which is aimed at making Washington state’s film industry more competitive. This best-selling book is widely expected to be made into a motion picture in next few years.

We hope to see you there!

RSVPs are welcome to: staterel@uw.edu, but please note the event(s) are first come, first serve.

UW Bothell, Tacoma campuses honored in Olympia

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On Monday (April 13), Chancellors from UW Bothell and Tacoma campuses, joined by Regent Herb Simon and Interim President Ana Mari Cauce, were on hand for a proclamation signed by Gov. Jay Inslee and a resolution offered in the state Senate to acknowledge the 25th anniversary of the state’s newest public university campuses. UW Tacoma’s Hendrix the Husky was able to make the trip as well.

UW leaders with Gov. Jay Inslee
UW leaders with Gov. Jay Inslee Photo: Office of the Governor

 

Read more at UW Today.

UW weighs in on State House and Senate budgets

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HOUSE OPERATING & CAPITAL BUDGETS

On Monday (March 30), UW testified in House Appropriations on the Chair’s operating budget proposal, and in House Capital Budget on the Chair’s capital budget proposal.

View the testimony on behalf of the University by Director of State Relations Genesee Adkins in House Appropriations via TVW  here.

You can also watch testimony by Ian Goodhew on behalf of the UW School of Medicine via TVW here.

Read Interim President Ana Mari Cauce’s statement on the House budget here.

For a more detailed analysis on how the House operating and capital budget impacts UW, read the UW Office of Planning & Budgeting’s brief.

SENATE OPERATING BUDGET

On Tuesday (March 31), UW testified in Senate Ways & Means on the Chair’s budget proposal.

View the testimony on behalf of the University by Director of State Relations Genesee Adkins via TVW here.

Read Interim President Ana Mari Cauce’s statement on the Senate budget here.

For a more detailed analysis on how the Senate budget impacts UW, read the UW Office of Planning & Budgeting’s brief here.

WHAT’S NEXT?

Both chambers will pass their respective budgets out from committee to the floor. We anticipate that once both chambers pass their budgets off the floor, negotiations will begin to find compromise operating and capital budgets for the 2015-2017.

As a reminder, several weeks remain until the 2015 regular legislative session adjourns on Friday, April 24. Stay tuned to the blog for more updates!