The operating budget proposal released Wednesday would add state appropriation to backfill tuition cuts and one time money to conduct research on developing marijuana breathalyzer technology.
The Legislature last year approved legislation cutting tuition at WSU by 5 percent this academic year and by another 10 percent for the academic year starting in August. To compensate, it provided the university with state appropriation, effectively reversing recession-era trends of dramatically cutting appropriation and increasing tuition.
This year’s Senate proposal provides an additional $2 million in backfill to account for enrollment growth over the course of the current two year budget cycle that runs through June, 2017.
It also provides $250,000 in one time funds to aid the university’s research efforts to develop a hand held device that could be used by law enforcement to determine if drivers are under the influence of marijuana.
The House budget released Monday would fund neither but would partially fund WSU’s request to establish as Western Washington agriculture program. Once both chambers approve their budgets, negotiators will work to develop a compromise to send to the governor in time to adjourn as scheduled on March 10.