Washington State University is advancing to the Legislature three primary priorities to support faculty and staff and workforce needs in cybersecurity and behavioral and mental health. The Legislature is set to convene its mostly virtual 2022 legislative session on Jan. 10th, with a hybrid of in-person and remote activities.
The university’s largest request in the supplemental operating budget is for $9.365 million to provide compensation increases in the fiscal year of 2023. These funds will allow WSU to support existing employees who have experienced budget reductions and increased responsibility during the COVID-19 pandemic but did not receive a cost of living adjustment this year due to the pandemic. Facing increases in inflation, it would allow WSU to retain important staff and faculty who deliver the university’s tripartite mission of teaching, research and public service.
The university is also requesting $4.448 million to establish two new undergraduate programs at three campuses to bolster the cybersecurity workforce in Washington. The first is a Bachelor of Science degree in Cybersecurity Operations that would prepare students to design and create secure networks, methods of transporting data and security measures such as firewalls. This program would be housed within the university’s Voiland College of Engineering. The second degree program, housed in the Carson College of Business that would utilize their Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration degree, is an Information Assurance major that would train students to devise security strategies and policies for their employers, analyze attacks and assess risk tolerance. If funded, these programs would be offered at WSU campuses in Pullman, Tri-Cities and Everett.
The final request WSU is advancing for the supplemental session is for $341,000 to establish a one-year pharmacy residency program that would train two residents each year in Eastern Washington. This request has been brought forward in tandem with a similar request by the University of Washington, as both institutions seek to enhance training and expertise in Washington communities on mental health for pharmacists.
The governor is expected to release his proposed 2022 supplemental budget next week. Leaders in the House and Senate will begin working on their versions in January.
You can find WSU’s 2022 legislative agenda here.