WSU’s new collective bargaining agreement with academic student employees is partially funded under an operating budget proposal introduced in the state House on Monday but not funded in a Senate proposal released over the weekend.
The budgets were austere given modest tax collections in recent months, increasing caseloads on current state programs like the Washington College Grant and the College Bound Scholarship, and the usual reduced levels of new spending common to supplemental budgets. WSU requested $4.873 million to fund the state component of the new collective bargaining agreement reached last month. Affected employees are teaching assistants, research assistants and other graduate and undergraduate personnel who are central to WSU’s teaching and research mission. The House proposal includes almost $2.7 million of that request, while the Senate’s proposal doesn’t include any funding. WSU is obligated to fund the contract regardless of what, if any, state support is provided.
Like the governor’s budget, the Senate and House budgets provide $6 million in one-time funds to help WSU compete in carbon allowance auctions to support compliance with the state’s new cap and invest decarbonization law. The Senate budget included $6.8 million. WSU originally requested $19 million to bid in the state-run auctions to remain compliant with the Climate Commitment Act.
Neither chamber funded WSU’s request to establish a new supply chain management major at the Vancouver and Everett campuses.
Both budgets provided funding for legislators’ requests of WSU, providing $190,000 for a broadband coordinator within WSU Extension. The House also provided $500,000 to expand the Native Coug Scholars financial aid program at WSU and $353,000 to enhance the WSU Complex Social Interactions Lab on the Pullman campus.
The two chambers will now pass their respective budgets and begin working toward finalizing a budget to advance to the governor before adjournment on March 7th. WSU’s Office of State Relations will continue to monitor the state budget process.
You can find WSU’s testimony on the Senate’s proposed operating budget below:
You can find WSU’s testimony on the House’s proposed operating budget below: