The 2023 legislative session concluded on Sunday, April 23rd. The final budget deals included funding for WWU priorities in both the capital and operating budgets as well as in higher education generally. Budget details and updates about key legislation WWU has tracked this session are included below.

Budget investments for WWU:

Operating budget investments:

• Compensation:  Includes 70% state support for general government increases over biennium and terms agreed to in classified CBA’s.

• Western on the Peninsulas Expansion: $5.46M for the biennium, increasing in FY25-27
  • $3.19M for 2+2 Degree Programs
  • $694K recurring for Master of Social Work
  • $580K recurring to convert the Human Services Program to State-Supported model
  • $1M recurring for additional student support and outreach on the Peninsulas

• Student Retention and Success: $1.57M funding (the majority of these funds recurring)
  • First Year Math: $366K (half WWU’s request)
  • Writing Instruction: $352K (half WWU’s request)
  • First Year Academic Programs: $507K (half WWU’s request)
  • Disability Accommodation Counselors: $352K (full funding

• IT Infrastructure Replacement: $3.0M in one-time funds over the biennium

• Community Safety and Resilience:
  • SBDC Technical Assistance: $150K
  • Mental Health First Aid Training: $100K

Capital budget investments:

• Student Development and Success Center – $47.9M
• Minor Works Preservation – $4.8M
• Access Control Security Upgrades – $6.25M
• Environmental Studies Renovation – $500K
• Classroom, Lab, and Collaborative Space Upgrades – $1.5M
• Minor Works Program – $3.0M
• Heating Conversion Project – $10M (funded with the Climate Commitment Account)
• Preventative Facility Maintenance and Building System Repairs – $3.6M
• Electrical Engineering/Computer Science Building – $1.8M (funded with the Capital Community Assistance Account)

Other key higher education budget investments:

• Washington College Grant expansion to 65% MFI ($13M)
• Continuation of bridge grants ($55M)
• Funding for dual credit programs ($35M)
• Graduate student loan program ($90M)

Highlights of policy bills passed by the Legislature include:

• HB 1030 – Applied Doctorate Degrees – Authorizes the board of trustees of the regional universities to offer applied, but not research, doctorate degrees.

• SB 5079 – Tuition Establishment Date – Moves up the date by which the Office of Financial Management determines the maximum rate of tuition fee increases to October.

• SB 5593 – Improving Equity in K-12 Data – Builds a process around federal statutes that allow institutions of higher education to access K-12 student data for purposes of informing them of postsecondary educational opportunities.

• HB 1559 – Student Basic Needs – Directs institutions of higher education to establish a Student Basic Needs Task Force to develop a Hunger-Free Campus Strategic Plan, hire benefits navigators, and establish benefits hubs.

• SB 5702 – Students Experiencing Homelessness Pilot – Removes the expiration date for the student’s experiencing homelessness program and expands the program to include a tribal college.

• SB 5238 – Collective Bargaining for Academic Employees – Grants teaching assistants, research assistants, tutors, readers, graders, and other student employees the right to collective bargaining.

• HB 1522 – Sexual Misconduct/Associations – Requires institutions to ask and require applicants to sign statements regarding substantiated findings of sexual misconduct at scholarly or professional associations before an official offer of employment. Requires institutions to request in writing that relevant scholarly or professional associations disclose information about substantiated findings of sexual misconduct before an official offer of employment.

• SB 5512 – Financial Transparency Requirements – Adds new metrics to reporting from public four-year institutions of higher education.