Western had a major presence in Olympia during the second week of the 2016 session with students, faculty and staff at the state capitol meeting with legislators on a variety of issues.

On Monday, January 18 more than 100 Western students poured into Olympia for Viking Lobby Day to meet with legislators and Governor Inslee about Western students’ legislative priorities.

WWU President Bruce Shepard and Steve Swan, VP for University Relations and Community Development, were in Olympia on January 18 and 19  for meetings with legislators that were largely centered around Western’s legislative request for student support services and Western’s other legislative priorities.

Tuesday, January 19 was also Regents and Trustees Day in Olympia, when the Governor-appointed regents and trustees of the six public baccalaureate institutions meet with legislative leaders to discuss higher education issues. Western Trustees Mo West and Seth Brickey, along with former Trustee Ralph Munro participated in this year’s activities in Olympia.

With the February 5 cutoff just around the corner for bills to be voted out of policy committees in the house of origin, many public hearings and executive sessions regarding legislation will be held over the next week and a half. Stay tuned to the Western Legislative Review for updates from Olympia as the 2016 session continues to progress.