WSU was on the hill Monday and Tuesday to testify on the governor’s proposed operating budget as it was heard in the House Appropriations and the Senate Ways and Means committees.
Chris Mulick, WSU Director of State Relations, briefed both committees on WSU’s negotiations of its first contract with a newly organized academic student employee union. Mulick requested the Legislature fund the agreement once it has been finalized.
In his testimony, he also noted the reliance WSU has on the Legislature for funding to meet its obligations under the Climate Commitment Act. The governor’s budget provided $6 million of WSU’s $19 million request to bolster university competitiveness in carbon allowance auctions.
Finally, Mulick highlighted WSU’s request to add a supply chain management major on the WSU campuses in Vancouver and Everett campuses which was not funded in the governor’s proposed budget released last month. “We’ve all seen in recent years what happens when supply chains break down, we can help provide the workforce our employers need to keep things moving” Mulick told the committees.
You can read more information here on what was included in the Governor’s proposed budgets and view WSU’s testimony on it in the Senate hearing below.