It is only the third week of the legislative session in Olympia, and Western students have already been very engaged in the process.  Last week on MLK Day, nearly 100 Western students traveled to Olympia to advocate for the Associated Students of Western Washington University’s (ASWWU) 2019 legislative priorities, which include support for increased need-based financial aid, support for undocumented students, environmental protections, support for survivors of sexual assault, and expansion of sex education and ethnic studies curricula in K-12 education.  AS Lobby Day and the AS legislative agenda are organized and developed entirely through the offices of the AS Vice President for Government Affairs and the ASWWU Director of Legislative Affairs.

Western’s Student Trustee, Citlaly Ramirez, also testified before the Senate Higher Education and Workforce Development Committee last week as part of the Senate’s gubernatorial appointment confirmation process, which includes the governor’s appointments to Western’s Board of Trustees.  The Senate Gubernatorial Appointment (SGA) for Trustee Ramirez (SGA 9176) passed out of the Senate Higher Education and Workforce Development Committee with unanimous support and will now head to the Senate Floor for a final vote.