UW News

December 31, 2003

Randy Hodgins, Washington senate staffer, appointed UW Director of State Relations

News and Information

John F. “Randy” Hodgins, who has served as senior staff coordinator in the Washington State Senate Ways and Means Committee since 1996, has been appointed Director of State Relations at the University of Washington, effective Jan. 9, 2004.

“Randy Hodgins is a well-respected and extremely knowledgeable Olympia insider, and the University is fortunate to be able to benefit from his experience and political acumen,” said UW President Lee L. Huntsman. “Important discussions are underway in Olympia about the future of higher education in this state, and Randy will contribute a great deal to the conversation. We’re very pleased to put him to work in the service of our citizens’ higher education needs.”

Hodgins supervised a staff of 16 who were responsible for preparing the senate’s version of the state operating and capital budgets, as well as developing tax policy and pension policy proposals, and analyzing legislation for its fiscal impact. As senior staff coordinator, Hodgins advised the committee chair and senate leadership on fiscal policy matters and conferred with fiscal staff in the House of Representatives and senior staff in the Governor’s office. Hodgins was the first senior staff coordinator for the Ways and Means Committee ever to serve and advise both Republican and Democratic committee chairs.

Hodgins has worked on the Ways and Means Committee staff since 1988, serving first as a senior fiscal analyst (1988-1991) and as budget coordinator (1991-1996).

Hodgins holds a bachelor’s degree in general studies and a master in public administration degree, both from the UW. His previous employment includes one year as a management analyst in the personnel office for the Environmental Protection Agency, Region 10, and five years as a program analyst for the California State Legislature.

Hodgins is the co-author of two books on regional popular culture, “Seattle on Film” and “Wet and Wired: A Pop Culture Encyclopedia of the Pacific Northwest.”

As UW’s Director of State Relations, Hodgins will be the university’s chief representative in Olympia to both the executive and legislative branches. He will also be a key member of the administrative team advising the university president on legislative strategy and communicating to the university community about higher education issues in Olympia.

Hodgins replaces Dick Thompson, who has served in this capacity for the past four years and is retiring Jan. 31, 2004. Hodgins’s salary will be $144,000.