Six members of the House Higher Education Committee visited the WSU Tri-Cities campus on Tuesday to learn about the University’s academic programs and research at the urban campus in Richland.
Students thanked the delegation for their efforts to support college affordability, faculty expressed their appreciation for state supported research, and administrators thanked legislators for the $400,000 tucked into the capital budget to fund the pre-design of a new academic building.
The delegation got a first-hand look at the Bioproducts, Sciences and Engineering Laboratory (BSEL), a collaboration between WSU and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. The two institutions jointly operate the lab to pursue new advances in biofuel research and energy efficiency. 
Legislators also spent time talking to students on the campus about issues and solutions surrounding college affordability, student support services, academic behavioral skills and other priorities.
The committee members concluded their tour with a visit to the Ste. Michelle Wine Estates WSU Wine Science Center that opened back in June. The facility is one of the most technologically advanced wine science centers in the world, featuring research labs and classrooms, a Washington wine library, a two-acre vineyard and greenhouses.