The state House of Representatives released its operating and capital budgets yesterday, which were heard in their respective committees on Monday evening and Tuesday morning.
Connor Haggerty, WSU Assistant Director of State Relations testified before the House Appropriations committee in support of the operating budget proposal, highlighting the funding it provided for the university’s health care workforce requests. “Whether that be through new programs in social work in the Tri-Cities and behavioral health in Spokane and Vancouver, or by supporting our statewide nursing program,” he said.
On the university’s top priority, cost of living adjustments, Haggerty emphasized to the committee that the budget funds raises of just 2.2 and 1.6 percent for faculty, professional staff, and graduate students in the next two years compared to the university’s requested 4 and 3 percent. You can watch Haggerty’s remarks on the operating budget below.
When the capital budget was heard in the House Capital Budget committee, Haggerty testified expressing the university’s appreciation for the sizeable investment made towards the university’s deferred maintenance backlog. He also thanked lawmakers for the funding provided to construct a new engineering building in Pullman, which leverages philanthropic support.
Haggerty also identified projects that did not receive funding in their proposal which include designing a new Team Health Education Building in Spokane as well as renovating the Knott Dairy Center and Bustad Hall. “We implore you to make greater investments in higher education, as a series of important projects in our streamlined request were omitted,” said Haggerty. His full remarks from the capital budget hearing are below.
The House will vote their budgets off the floor later this week before they begin final negotiations with the Senate chamber ahead of Sine Die on April 23rd.