Nearly five months after passing the biennial operating and capital budgets, the Legislature convened in Olympia last week for Committee Days, and Western was invited to participate in multiple events.
Although the Legislature formally begins the legislative session on the second Monday in January, each fall legislators convene in Olympia to participate in committee work sessions and other legislative meetings. Involvement from Western last week included a panel discussion about college affordability, presentations on a Western-led solar window project and a proactive advising tool used on campus, and participation in a faculty panel discussion before the House Higher Education Committee.
On November 18, Dr. Steven VanderStaay, WWU’s Director of First Year Programs/Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education, joined legislators and higher education experts in the “Legislative and Leadership Panel” at the Washington Student Achievement Council’s Affordability Symposium.
The following day, Western Professor of Chemistry Dr. David Patrick presented to the Senate Energy, Environment and Telecommunications Committee about his work on solar window technology, a nationally award-winning project that uses solar panels within glass to generate clean energy.
On Friday, November 20, Sara Wilson, Special Assistant to the Vice President for Enrollment and Student Services, and Dr. Steven VanderStaay presented to the House Higher Education Committee on Western’s student advising system known as the Student Success Collaborative.
Dr. Bill Lyne, President of the United Faculty of Washington and WWU Professor of English, also spoke before the House Higher Education Committee, participating in a panel discussion about higher education faculty and staff workforce trends.
In short, it was a great week in Olympia for the Western community. Government Relations is looking forward to the upcoming session, which begins January 11, and to continuing to provide updates from Olympia in the WLR Blog.
Until next time, go Vikings!
Western’s Sara Wilson and Steven VanderStaay presenting to the House Higher Education Committee on November 20