WSU operating and capital budget requests to the Legislature were approved by the university Board of Regents last month, just ahead of budget instructions issued by the state’s Office of Financial Management that warn of a souring budget picture.
The state’s budget office issues budget instructions annually to set the table in advance of agency budget request submittals in September. This year’s version issued Friday implored state agencies to avoid making requests for new programs, noting that “a ‘business as usual’ approach will not meet the need of this moment.”
The state is facing an operating budget shortfall of an undetermined amount as anticipated tax collections are projected to fall short of the cost of maintaining existing services. The size of the shortfall will be partly determined by the usual mix of anticipated demand for state services and projected tax collections — the next revenue forecast is June 26. It will also be partly determined by additional costs that arise from state employee collective bargaining and the degree to which state government attempts to backfill federal cuts prescribed by H.R. 1.
To that end, WSU’s operating budget requests reflect these austere times. Included are requests to fund compensation enhancements and collective bargaining agreements that may be reached, with amounts to be determined later to gain alignment with other state agencies and universities. WSU’s submission to the state will also include a $2.2 million biennial request to continue the Native American scholarship program, which to date has been funded on a temporary basis. Another request of a to be determined amount would support the ongoing operations of the College of Medicine and an $816,000 biennial request would fund maintenance and operation to support the new Schweitzer Engineering Hall.
The capital budget request includes the following:
- $40 million for minor works preservation
- $20 million for minor works program — in effect small renovations and such.
- $50 million to construct the Integrated Sciences Building in Pullman to replace Heald Hall.
- $15 million for design and other preparation work for a future renovation of the Fulmer Complex in Pullman.
- $20 million to construct a new Puyallup satellite of the Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic lab.
- $10 million to upgrade heating infrastructure in Holland Library.
- $10,000 million to support infrastructure improvements at the Nuclear Science Center in Pullman.
- $250,000 predesign for a new chemistry research building in Pullman.