March 11, 2004
Legislature goes down to the wire; budget looks favorable to higher ed
Negotiators from the state House and Senate were working feverishly to forge a compromise on important legislation as the March 11 deadline for adjournment approached.
Because University Week had to go to press March 10, Randy Hodgins, the UW’s director of state relations, agreed to report what he had been able to glean on the gist of these negotiations, and what it might mean for the UW. “The situation is very fluid and is likely to continue changing until adjournment,” he cautioned. But here is the best intelligence as of press time.
The Senate and House have reached agreement on the overall framework of the state’s supplemental budget. Higher education is likely to fare pretty well in this budget. Increased enrollments in two- and four-year institutions are likely to be closer to the numbers proposed by the House — 3,200 additional full time equivalents (FTE), plus 1,541 additional FTE in high-demand fields — as opposed to the Senate budget, which called for only 227 additional FTE in high-demand fields.
Performance contracts are probably going to be included in the supplemental budget as a proviso. “We’re hopeful that the substance of the earlier bill will be in there,” Hodgins said, “and that the UW will be named to participate in the pilot program. We’re cautiously optimistic about this.”
The two houses have reached agreement on a capital budget, and it appears to be closer to the more generous Senate version.
The fate of the transportation budget was in doubt, as the two houses have not yet reached any agreement and the passage of a supplemental transportation budget is not viewed as essential. This means that the fate of an exit ramp from I-405 that would serve UW Bothell and Cascadia Community College could rest in the capital budget.
“If it is included [in the capital budget], we’re hopeful that the governor will sign it,” Hodgins said. In the last legislative session, the governor vetoed the portion of the capital budget that contained funding for the ramp, arguing that the funds properly should be part of the transportation budget.
Efforts to expand the student conduct code to areas off campus appear to be dead for this year.
The issue of expanding some of the newer two-year campuses to become four-year institutions is likely to be the subject of studies that could influence decisions in the next legislative session. One study, to be conducted by the UW, will examine the feasibility of creating a four-year university at UW Bothell. Another study, to be conducted by the Higher Education Coordinating Board, will look at overall demand in higher education in the state and the options for meeting that demand. Washington is predicted to have the largest high school graduating class in the state’s history in 2008. Both studies are likely to be included as provisos in the supplemental budget.
