Category: 2009 Interim

Remember when President Bush had to duck to avoid a shoe thrown by an angry Iraqi journalist? (If not — here’s a You Tube refresher). At the same time, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Malaki didn’t flinch at all. Why the difference? Turns out that in the split second the shoe was in the air, the President’s brain calculated it as a threat, while the Prime Minister’s brain realized the shoe was not aimed at him, and the two men reacted accordingly.

UW neuroscientists believe we have a “dual vision” system that allows our brain to instantly determine the trajectory of an object, whether it poses peril, and take decisive action — all in a flash. This is the same system that explains how baseball hitters know when to bail out of the batter’s box and when to hang in, even when a pitch is far inside. It all happens in a fraction of a second — faster than the eyes and conscious mind can process.

UW researchers are using the data to better our understanding of how humans process an overwhelming amount of sensory information — and how our brains react — even before a conscious thought is formed — to protect us from harm.

You can read more about the UW research here — perhaps during a sunny afternoon taking in a game at Safeco Field.

Congratulations to the Husky men’s crew for bringing the Intercollegiate Rowing Association national championship home for the purple and gold. The crew overtook Cal with a furious final 500 meters in the varsity eight race, and came home with four gold medals as well as the team title.

Governor Gregoire added her praise as well —

“I congratulate Coach Michael Callahan and the Husky Men’s Crew team for winning their third straight national championship. To compete in such a grueling sport takes determination, perseverance and a lot of heart. Their come-from-behind victory makes this championship even more memorable. This team has so much to be proud of – a strong work ethic, a history of success and the makings of a talented team for years to come. I am incredibly proud of these student athletes, and congratulate them on their outstanding achievement!”

Well done!

A recent study by the American Enterprise Institute (with funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation — “Diplomas and Dropouts” shows the UW’s six-year graduation rate at 75%, well ahead of the state average of 59%. You can read a good story on the study in the Seattle Times. According to the article, researchers tracking graduation rates say better data is needed:

Hilary Pennington, the director of postsecondary success and special initiatives at the Gates Foundation, said federal data sets in higher education are inadequate and need to start accounting for part-time and transfer students.

That said, the report does show you can have similar institutions with “really incredibly different outcomes,” Pennington said.

“We are very interested in the obvious next question: What is it that the good ones are doing, and the poor-performing ones are not doing?” she said.

For Washington public universities, a key question is how budget cuts — which are likely to reduce course options — may make it harder for students to finish their degrees. Expect this issues to gain a higher profile in coming years.

Hearty congratulations to the UW Softball team, who beat the Florida Gators and captured the NCAA National Championship. The victory was also noticed in Olympia where Governor Gregoire issued the following statement:

“I am incredibly proud of our Washington women for their victory. The excellence, determination, and passion they have demonstrated are truly outstanding. It is exciting to see such success enjoyed by students from my Alma Mater. Their record-setting performances and confident ability to upset a top-ranked team are truly commendable.”

“With USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Danielle Lawrie, a new record for hits in a single-season set by Ashley Charters, and a record-setting number of World Series doubles by Morgan Stuart, the Huskies have good reason to celebrate. And I proudly celebrate with them!”

Bow Down to Washington, indeed!

Sorry for the groaner, but the budget cuts being proposed for California’s higher education system are dramatic. Governor Schwarzenegger and lawmakers are having to respond to the failure of several budget measures at the ballot, and proposals include sharp cutbacks in financial aid, higher tuition and fees, and deep cuts in enrollment. Here are two takes on the situation, one from Business Week and a broader story from the LA Times.

Lawmakers are also feeling the pain of the recently passed state budget. Today’s Olympian had a story about budget cuts being implemented in the House and Senate. The measures include layoffs, mandatory furloughs, reduced per-diem for members, and reduced communications budgets. You can read the entire story here.

Speaking to the Association of Washington Business in Spokane, the state’s chief economic forecaster, Dr. Arun Raha, said he saw the recession ending in the third quarter of this year, with the economy “gaining traction” in the middle of 2010. We have learned to be wary of predictions, but Dr. Raha’s timeline would be welcome news to everyone, especially budget-writers who are already worrying about the next two-year cycle. You can read more details on Dr. Raha’s speech here.

Now that the Governor has signed the operating budget (earlier she signed the capital and transportation budgets), just how much do all of the budgets total?  You can find the answer ($69.5 billion) along with a fascinating analysis here. Joe Turner of The News Tribune breaks down how lawmakers plugged holes in the budget, noting that more challenges lie ahead:

Only about half of the $9 billion gap between spending and revenue is being closed by spending cuts. The other half is being plugged by one-time-only money – the $3 billion in federal stimulus funding, the $777 million from money that ordinarily would be used to build water and sewer systems and public school buildings and $700 million from savings.

What happens if the economy does not recover in two to three years?

“We know that 2011-13 will present some significant challenges,” Victor Moore, the governor’s budget director said Monday. “It’s a matter of degrees, of how fast and how well the economy rebounds. I’m gonna need $4 billion in real revenue growth.”

States can’t assume President Barack Obama and Congress will step up with another stimulus package, as they did earlier this year, he said.

The whole article provides some good perspective on what just happened and what budget-writers will be watching in upcoming months.

Our office of Planning and Budgeting has put together a detailed and informative presentation on the recently adopted operating and capital budgets, how they will affect the University, and the challenges we are facing.  It details the shrinking role of state appropriations in funding, how we compare with the global challenge states, how financial aid is being increased to mitigate tuition increases, and the level of permanent cuts that are being taken in various units across campus.

For those wanting a comprehensive, yet clear summary of our budget situation, you can download the entire presentation here.

Congratulations to 1984 UW alumni Randy Pepple who has been named the new chief of staff for Attorney General Rob McKenna.  Most recently Pepple headed Pepple Communications and in the late 1990s he was chief of staff for former Congressman Rick White.  We look forward to working with him in his new position.