OUR WORK
The Office of External Affairs is responsible for influencing public policy and opinion, communicating about the university priorities, challenges and achievements and strengthening the university’s reputation and public perception.
Units include the offices responsible for government and community relations at the federal, state, regional and Spokane/Eastern Washington levels, television production and radio and an executive and administrative staff.
From the VP: Legislative Session Recap
May 16, 2023
The 2023 legislative session ended on April 23 after the House and Senate passed the state’s biennial operating, capital, and transportation budgets. In so many ways, this year’s session was filled with big wins for the UW and a couple of misses discussed later. On the capital budget side, the legislature made a powerful statement…
From the VP: Washington state legislative session underway
February 9, 2023
We are more than a month into this year’s legislative session and already we’re seeing the benefits of returning to an in-person format after two years of remote lawmaking. In just the first month, President Cauce, UW Medicine CEO Tim Dellit and several UW Deans, faculty, students and administrators have already visited Olympia to meet…
From the VP: 2022 legislative session preview
January 10, 2022
In the immortal words of the 70’s rock band Emerson, Lake and Palmer, “Welcome back my friends to the show that never ends.” Yes, the 2022 Washington state legislative session begins this week and like last year, it will again be conducted primarily remotely. A virtual session — like all pandemic pivots — presents its…
From the VP: Exciting opportunities in Spokane
October 29, 2021
When you think about where the University of Washington is making an impact, Spokane might not be the first place that comes to mind. You might instead picture our extensive west side purple and gold presence, particularly on our Seattle, Bothell and Tacoma campuses. However, the UW actually has a long history in the Lilac…
Honoring Indigenous People's Day
October 11, 2021
The University of Washington acknowledges the Coast Salish peoples of this land, the land that touches the shared waters of all tribes and bands within the Suquamish, Tulalip and Muckleshoot nations. To learn more about the land you live on, we recommend consulting Native Land. Indigenous People's Day is a celebration and honoring of the past,…