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Gov. Inslee, Pres. Young Attend Clean Energy Institute Launch Events

A new University of Washington institute to develop efficient, cost-effective solar power and better energy storage systems launched last week (Dec. 12) with an event attended by UW President Michael K. Young, Gov. Jay Inslee and researchers, industry experts and policy leaders in renewable energy.

Clean Energy Institute Kick-Off
Gov. Jay Inslee (center) shakes hands with Daniel Schwartz, director of the new Clean Energy Institute, with UW President Michael Young (left). Photo: Mary Levin / UW

 

Gov. Inslee made securing $6 million for CEI a priority last session. Lawmakers allocated the funding in the 2013-2015 state budget. The new research center will advance solar energy and electrical energy storage capacities. The institute will better connect and boost existing energy research at the UW as well as attract new partnerships and talent, including new faculty members.

Read more about the launch events in the Seattle Times, or in this news story from KIRO 7.

 

Gov. Inslee discusses STEM education at Summit

This week Washington STEM hosted its second annual summit at Microsoft’s Redmond-campus. Over the lunch hour, the audience heard from Microsoft’s Brad Smith and Governor Jay Inslee on the importance of STEM education, both at the K-12 and post-secondary levels, to the state economy. (Read highlights from the day in this report from the Redmond Reporter)

In an interview with McKinstry CEO Dean Allen, Gov. Inslee noted that one of his leading indicators in the Results Washington program under “World-Class Education” is increasing the number of graduates in STEM and high-demand programs from the state’s public baccalaureate institutions.

The jobs “skills gap” is particularly troubling, the Governor noted, because it means that many high-skilled jobs the state is producing go to workers with degrees recruited from outside the state.

Answering a question about what’s next for the upcoming legislative session, Governor Inslee said he was pleased with investments in the 2013-2015 budget to increase Computer Science & Engineering enrollments at UW, WSU, and WWU — and that he hoped to continue that progress moving forward.

 

Today in Olympia: Day 2 of Special Session

Today is Day 2 of the 2013 3rd Special Session.

This morning, the House Finance Committee approved a proposal (House Bill 2089) to extend tax incentives for Boeing and the aerospace industry.

The proposal’s next stops are in committee meetings this afternoon: Senate Ways & Means (1:30PM), and House Appropriations (3:30PM).

Tune in to watch the sessions online at: http://tvw.org/

More Olympia news:

Sen. Ed Murray has resigned as leader of the Senate Democrats following his election as mayor of Seattle. Sen. David Frockt has been named interim leader (read more at King5.com).

The News Tribune reports on Jan Angel’s victory in the closely watched race for the State Senate seat in the 26th Legislative District.

Earlier in the week, Governor Inslee named a new Chief of Staff — longtime adviser Joby Shimomura.

Governor calls special session for Boeing 777X package

Gov. Jay Inslee announced yesterday (11/5) that he is calling the legislature back for a special session beginning Thursday, Nov. 7, to approve a package aimed at encouraging The Boeing Company to build the 777X airplane in Washington State.

The Governor’s Office released a list of the package elements here.

Reporting on the Governor’s announcement, the Seattle Times outlines some of the challenges expected in passing both an incentive package and a statewide transportation package, in just one week.

Stay tuned to the UW State Relations blog, Twitter, and Facebook for more developments!

Forecast shows revenues up, confidence down

On Friday (Oct. 11), the Washington State Economic Revenue & Forecast Council published it’s monthly economic and revenue update.

Among other news, the report shows that tax collections were again higher than previously forecast, and consumer confidence is down, likely as a byproduct of the federal government shutdown.

A few additional highlights from the update:

  • Washington employment and income continue to grow moderately.
  • Major General Fund-State revenue collections for the September 11 – October 10, 2013 collection period were $32.3 million (2.9%) higher than the September forecast.
  • The forecast included a $22.5 million refund that did not occur this month but will occur at a later date. Had the refund occurred as expected, collections would have been $9.8 million (0.9%) above the forecast.

The ERFC’s revenue review released in November will be the basis for Governor Inslee’s supplemental budget proposal for the 2014 legislative session. Session is set to begin in early January.

Governor Inslee launches Results Washington initiative

Today (Sept. 10), Gov. Jay Inslee launched a new performance management initiative dubbed Results Washington.

The data-driven performance management and continuous improvement system focuses on five goal areas:

Continue reading “Governor Inslee launches Results Washington initiative”

Governor Inslee appoints new UW Regents

Gov. Jay Inslee today announced the appointments of Constance Rice and Rogelio Riojas to the University of Washington Board of Regents.

From the Governor’s statement announcing the appointments:

“Constance and Rogelio are well-suited to the UW Board of Regents. They bring important life and professional experiences that will guide the UW’s vision and work as one of our nation’s premier research institutions while ensuring that quality higher education opportunities are available to meet growing numbers of students,” Inslee said.

Rice is the former vice chancellor and senior chancellor of Seattle Community College and currently is the managing director for Knowledge Management for Casey Family Programs.

“I am honored to be appointed by Governor Inslee,” said Rice. “The University of Washington is one of the finest institutions in the world. As an alum I am proud of being associated with the superior administration staff, students and faculty. The University of Washington represents a strong engine of progress and innovation for our state and nation.”

Riojas is President and CEO of Sea Mar Community Health Centers. He has led Sea Mar since its inception in 1978, growing it from a single Seattle clinic to a comprehensive health and human services organization in 10 Washington counties.

“I am honored and humbled by the Governor’s appointment. I am looking forward to working with the other Regents and I plan to work very hard to help the UW with its mission to educate our students,” Riojas said.

In a statement to campus, President Michael K. Young said:

“I am delighted to have the opportunity to work with these two outstanding alumni who are so passionate about improving higher education opportunities for the citizens of the state of Washington.  I would also like to thank former Regent Jewell and Regent Cole for their extraordinary service as University of Washington Regents.  This institution is much stronger today because of their dedicated work and leadership.”

Earlier this week, Governor Inslee selected Kiana Scott as the 2013-2014 student regent.

The Daily has more on Scott’s appointment:

Scott, who will replace previous student regent Christopher Jordan, is only the second doctoral candidate to be selected as the student regent since 2000. She holds a master’s degree in public administration from the Evans School of Public Affairs and is currently pursuing a doctorate degree in political communication. She also works as a graduate teaching assistant in the communications department.

“UW students who serve as board members provide the Board of Regents with important information and perspective,” 2012-2013 board chair Joanne Harrell said in a statement. “We know that Kiana will help in our deliberations in the coming year.”

This week in Olympia news: Maxwell leaving House for Inslee Admin., state revenue collections tick up, Kip Tokuda remembered

The News Tribune’s Political Buzz reported last week that State Rep. Marcie Maxwell (D-41st Legislative District) is leaving the State House this month to join Governor Jay Inslee’s administration. According to a statement obtained by the TNT, Maxwell will join Governor Inslee’s Legislative Affairs and Policy Office as Senior Education Policy Advisor. Maxwell was elected to three terms in the legislature, and previously served on the Renton School Board for eight years.

The Olympian’s Brad Shannon has the story on the monthly Economic & Revenue Update from the state’s Economic and Forecast Research Council. According to the EFRC, revenue collections for the last month ticked up $7.5 million (0.6% higher than the June forecast). However, the state forecaster also notes that first quarter U.S. GDP growth was revised down from 2.4% to 1.8%.

Today (July 16), Governor Inslee and lawmakers on both sides of the aisle recognized the recent passing of former state legislator Kip Tokuda. KUOW has more on the legacy of the South Seattle Democrat.

The Olympian: Higher education a smart investment in state’s future

The Olympian published an editorial today supporting reinvestment in higher education, and noting recent remarks given by President Young:

[W]e hope lawmakers will consider the remarks made by University of Washington President Michael Young at the Thurston County Chamber luncheon Wednesday. Young, who met earlier with The Olympian’s editorial board, laid out a convincing argument for increasing, not decreasing, the state’s investment in affordable higher education.

 

During a recent tour of countries in Asia, the UW president said he saw an urgency building in Korea, Japan and Taiwan to invest heavily in their higher education systems. Those countries see education and university-based research as the keys to America’s innovative and entrepreneurial advantages. In the long run, it’s the only model that works.

 

To retain our position as the world’s leader in innovation and science we must not let our investment in higher education stagnate. Investing in Washington’s higher education system today makes sense if we value sustained prosperity for all.

Read more.

Governor Inslee announces new appointments to Student Achievement Council

Governor Jay Inslee today made four new appointments to the Student Achievement Council.

The cabinet-level agency was formed last year to oversee the state’s higher education system, provide strategic planning and advocacy for increased student success and to align pre-K-12 and postsecondary education opportunities.

According to the Governor’s news release, the four new appointees are:

Jeff Charbonneau is a teacher at Zillah High School. He was Washington state’s teacher of the year and was recently honored by President Barack Obama as National Teacher of the Year because of his innovative focus and teaching success in math and science. He is a National Board Certified STEM teacher and created a statewide robotics competition in which nearly 1,000 students have participated.

 

Maud Daudon is president and CEO of the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and former president and CEO of Seattle-Northwest Securities. She serves on the boards for a range of organizations including the Bullitt Foundation and Seattle Biomedical Research Institution. She served as deputy mayor and chief of staff for the City of Seattle from 1998 to 2001 and spent six years serving as the chief financial officer for the Port of Seattle. She served on Inslee’s transition team and former Governor Chris Gregoire’s Higher Education Funding Task Force.

 

Karen Lee is the CEO of Pioneer Human Services, a social enterprise organization recognized as a national model for providing employment services, job training, counseling and services for people overcoming chemical dependency, mental illness and criminal histories. Lee was appointed to Western Washington University’s Board of Trustees in 2010 and served five years as Commissioner of the Washington State Employment Security Department.

 

Dr. Susana Reyes has served as Assistant Superintendent in the Pullman School District since 2006, providing leadership and oversight for district-wide instruction, curriculum development and assessment.  She also administers all state and federal programs including Special Education, Title I/LAP, Title II, Title III, ELL and Highly Capable. She will be joining the Mead School District on July 1, 2013 as the Assistant Superintendent of Special Programs.  Dr. Reyes is a first generation college graduate, earning her B.A., Ed.M. and Ed.D. at Washington State University.