Gov. Chris Gregoire and legislative leaders have decided to convene a special session this Saturday morning. See the governor’s statement about the special session and read her special session proclamation.
News & Updates
Governor calls special session
Gov. Chris Gregoire has called a special session of the Legislature to deal with the budget crisis. A date hasn’t been set, but she said it’ll be before Christmas.
Local news coverage: Seattle Times | SeattlePI.com | KOMONews.com | KING5.com | Q13fox.com
Suzan DelBene named revenue director
In news from Olympia, Gov. Chris Gregoire appointed Suzan DelBene to be the state’s next revenue director. Here’s the news release from the governor’s office. (Opens in a new window.)
Another gloomy state revenue forecast
Officials are now saying the state is expected to take in $1.2 billion less in tax revenue than projected between now and June 2013, according to The Seattle Times. (Read the article.)
Gov. Chris Gregoire said that would mean a loss of $385 million for the current biennium. She added in a prepared statement that “the Legislature will need to act quickly” to address the situation.
According to The Times, Gregoire’s office said she wants to hear from legislative leaders to see if there’s any chance for quick agreement on a solution before deciding on a possible special session.
UW enrollment at all-time high
At its October meeting, the UW Board of Regents heard a student enrollment presentation that provided a sense of the size and scope of the UW’s instructional enterprise. The UW Office of Planning and Budgeting posted highlights of the presentation on its blog.
Presidential Transition
President Mark A. Emmert left the UW on Oct. 1, 2010, to become president of the NCAA. Provost Phyllis Wise is serving as interim president. See our Presidential Search page for more information.
UW budget office launches blog
The UW Office of Planning and Budgeting has launched a new blog called OPBlog: Higher Ed Junction. It will be a source for up-to-date information, including updates, analysis and links to the many things we work on such topics as the state budget and higher education policy news and trends. We invite you to check it out.
UW leadership addresses budget issues
In a joint memo, outgoing President Mark Emmert and incoming Interim President Phyllis Wise briefed students, faculty and staff about the worsening condition of the state’s budget. Read their memo, which was posted to the president’s blog.
Economic and Societal Impact of the UW
The economic, employment and government revenue impact of operations and research at the University of Washington is measured in a new report prepared by Tripp Umbach, a nationally recognized consulting firm.
Among the key findings: $9.1 billion in total economic impact is generated by the UW in the state of Washington, and every $1 that the state invests in the UW generates $22.56 in the total state economy.
Our economic impact on Washington state
In the June edition of Columns magazine, President Mark Emmert wrote:
“The UW is a vitally important economic engine for the state of Washington and plays a crucial role in keeping our region competitive in the global economy. Yet many Washingtonians don’t realize the full extent of the impact our University has on their own financial well-being and quality of life.”