Legislative leaders adjourned their 2026 legislative session Thursday night after approving supplemental operating and capital budget agreements that yield a $3.3 million operating reduction for WSU while making investments in a handful of capital improvements for the university. The operating budget compromise agreed to by Senate and House budget writers makes a $1.4 million general […]
Senate and House leaders aired their respective capital budget proposals Monday afternoon with the Senate proposing $17.9 million for investments in WSU’s infrastructure and the House proposing $4 million. Those funds provided to WSU in the House version are allocated for minor works projects to help address the university’s list of deferred maintenance backlog that […]
Operating budget proposals released by Legislative leadership on Sunday afternoon would result in net reductions of $1.4 million for the Senate proposal and $2.6 million for the House proposal for Washington State University. The reductions amount to a cut of less than one percent of WSU’s state appropriation, compared to the 5.2 percent reduction proposed […]
President Cantwell hit the wet and at times snowy ground running in Olympia this week. She spent the last two days advocating for the University – bringing WSU’s priorities straight to state lawmakers. Conversations with legislators again centered on the collective budget challenges facing the university and the state. The recent revenue forecast, which added $827 million to […]
The state’s Economic and Revenue Forecast Council on Monday adopted a new forecast of tax collections that adds $827 million to the current biennium, reducing a projected $2.3 billion shortfall. That’s a 1.1 percent increase. The new forecast also assumes in increase of just over $1 billion, or 1.3 percent, for the coming 2027-29 biennium. […]
The Washington State Senate on Friday unanimously confirmed Washington State University student Amina Hussein to the university’s Board of Regents. Hussein has been serving as student regent on WSU’s governing board since her appointment by Gov. Bob Ferguson last summer. Earlier this month, she spoke before the Senate Higher Education & Workforce Development Committee to […]
WSU Student Regent Amina Hussein told lawmakers presiding over her confirmation hearing this morning how, for her, “leadership isn’t about position, it’s about passion of bettering the experiences of those around you.” The Senate Higher Education and Workforce Development Committee later voted to advance her confirmation to the Senate floor. Born in Kenya, and a proud immigrant, Amina Hussein […]
WSU is opposing legislation which would require schools of medicine in Washington to assess students on a tiered system or letter grades. The Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine is already in compliance with the bills for third- and fourth-year clinical rotations but grades on a pass/fail basis in years one and two to promote collaboration among […]
WSU is opposing proposed bills to permit wagering on collegiate athletics contests involving Washington-based universities, fearing harassment of student athletes. WSU State Relations Director Chris Mulick noted earlier this session that “unfortunately there is nothing in this bill but trouble for WSU and our student athletes who are incredibly accessible both on campus and online.” […]
A bill making technical changes to a law passed last year that expanded the state’s retail sales and use tax may also subject a number of currently excluded activities – including the naming rights of facilities like many of those at WSU – to the existing tax. Enacted last July, Senate Bill 5814 expanded the number […]