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News and Updates

EA Update: June 2011 – Results of the best worst legislative session

The 2011 session of the Washington State Legislature was arguably one of the most difficult in recent memory. The $5 billion deficit in the state budget left everyone with challenging decisions at every turn. For the UW, those decisions resulted in our state funding being cut by another $209 million over the next two years—a 50% drop in three short years. Read the full message from Randy Hodgins ›

Update from Olympia

Highlights from the 2011 Legislative Session
Photo of Washington State Capitol building in Olympia
Affectionately termed the “best worst” session for the UW, the 2011 Legislative session resulted in three significant policy bills directly impacting Higher Education:

  • The most noteworthy higher education–related legislation passed this session was the Higher Education Opportunity Act (HB 1795). The bill grants public universities the ability to set tuition rates for the next eight years, requires new financial aid resources for low and middle-income families struggling to pay for college, and sets up stronger performance outcome requirements recommended by the Governor’s Task Force on Higher Education.
  • Championed by the local business community, HB 2088 sets up a public-private partnership to fund scholarships for low- and middle-income students and high-demand four-year degree programs that support Washington’s economy. Both Boeing and Microsoft have pledged contributions of $25 million each over the next five years, which will be matched by contributions from the state.
  • SB 5182 re-envisions higher education governance in Washington and replaces the Higher Education Coordinating board with a new Council on Higher Education. The composition and charge for the new council will be crafted over the next year and becomes effective July 1, 2012.

While these were the three major pieces of higher-education legislation, there were many other policies debated this session that impact you and the University. If you want to learn more about legislative decisions from this session affecting the UW—from pay freezes to pension—visit the Office of Planning and Budgeting website.

If you have questions, contact State Relations Director Margaret Shepherd at mshep@uw.edu or x37604.

Update from Washington, D.C.

Photo of Federal US building
The Office of Federal Relations is working diligently to protect the University’s priorities, including advocating for healthy funding for National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, and Department of Defense research.

There are several bills and topics our office is monitoring and weighing in on:

  • Natural Hazards Risk Reduction Act and the National Volcano Early Warning and Monitoring Program Act
  • The Marine and Hydrokinetic Renewable Energy Promotion Act of 2011, which, if approved, could help to fund our efforts to develop tidal energy in Puget Sound.
  • Tyler Clementi Higher Education Anti-Harassment Act of 2011, which requires higher education institutions to implement strict policies regarding harassment on campus, including activity initiated through digital and technological means, and the Campus SaVE Act, which aims to prevent and provide education on sexual violence, domestic violence and stalking. The UW already complies with the provisions in these bills and would like to see other institutions take the same measures to protect students.
  • Pell Grant Program, which is currently facing an $11 billion shortfall. As Congress looks to dramatically cut spending, changes to the Pell program have become a topic of discussion. Possible changes include implementing a minimum graduation or loan default rate requirement, which would largely target for-profit schools; changing the income eligibility; and moving the Pell program from a mandatory/discretionary program to a 100% discretionary program.

If you have questions about these any other federal topics, please contact Office of Federal Relations Director Christy Gullion at cgullion@uw.edu or 202-624-1424.

Update from Our Local Community

UW Front Porch community newsletter logo

The spring edition of Front Porch was mailed in mid-May to residents and businesses in the neighborhoods surrounding our Seattle campus. This issue featured:

  • A local family learning to navigate an autism diagnosis thanks to resources and knowhow at the UW Autism Center.
  • Students living in the majestic Greek Row houses near campus and their dedication to philanthropy.
  • The many camp opportunities available to kids this summer.
  • Matt Harris, assistant director of a student mentoring program called the Dream Project that is helping more high school students in the Puget Sound area go to college.

UWTV

In April, UWTV launched a completely updated website, powered by their new MediaAMP service. Among the terrific upgrades you’ll find are:

  • The option to view videos on the UWTV site instead of in an external video player.
  • The ability to easily embed UWTV-produced videos on other websites.
  • Improved search capability, allowing you to find programming based on series, subject or speaker.
  • Easier access to UWTV’s podcasts, Husky classic sports broadcasts, featured series, giving opportunities and more.
  • A completely updated, visually compelling design.
  • On-site access to UWTV’s live Twitter feed.

A New Service for Units

MediaAMP logoUWTV is now offering a new online video management and publishing service to distribute online video and other digital assets. The fee-based service, MediaAMP, provides a central storage and management hub and a feature-rich media player, plus tools to display your video and syndicate it to external media sites including your unit’s site, YouTube or mobile devices. Contact MediaAMP to get started.

What’s New on UWTV

Backstory player thumbnail
Here are a couple of programming updates:

  • UWTV recently debuted a new series on filmmaking and independent movies called “Backstory,” produced in collaboration with the Seattle International Film Festival. Each week, host Andrew Tsao, associate professor at the UW School of Drama (and a director himself), interviews filmmakers to get the real story behind their work and the filmmaking process and then shows the films, uncut and uninterrupted.
  • The June edition of “UW 360” is now available online. It features pieces on Commencement, the Burke Museum’s “Wolves and Wildlands in the 21st Century” exhibit, Husky volleyball and more.
  • When Michael Young visited campus to give his first news conference as the UW’s new president, UWTV sat down with him for an exclusive interview.

Marketing the UW

UW's 150th Anniversary logo
Throughout the 2011–2012 academic year, the UW will be celebrating its 150th anniversary. UW Marketing and partners across campus are preparing a variety of activities and materials to mark this special occasion. The goals of these efforts are to:

  • Raise positive awareness of the University
  • Demonstrate the UW’s vital impact and public partnerships
  • Reinforce the UW’s commitment to service
  • Engage UW faculty, staff, students, alumni and donors

Tools and activities now available and coming soon include:

  • Photo collection
  • Virtual timeline
  • Visual identity system
  • Story bank
  • Traveling timeline exhibit
  • Street banners
  • Videos
  • Website
  • W Day, a celebration of the day the University was founded: November 4
  • HuskyFest, a multi-day celebration on the UW’s Seattle campus in spring 2012.

If you have questions about the UW’s plans for the 150th, please contact Key Nuttall at keyn@uw.edu or x56410.

Trademarks & Licensing

The Office of Trademarks & Licensing is now part of the External Affairs team. Here are a few highlights from the 2010–2011 academic year:

  • They have seen the highest growth in sales of licensed products since the Husky football team’s 2001 Rose Bowl appearance. This represents a 27.3% growth in royalties.
  • They are in the midst of a campaign to promote Husky License Plates to parents of incoming freshmen. Currently they are averaging 16 applications each day from the parents of new Huskies. For each license plate sold, $28 is donated to the UW General Scholarship Fund.
  • Trademarks & Licensing Director Kathy Hoggan has been elected to the Fair Labor Association‘s board of directors. The association is a collaborative effort of companies, colleges and universities, and civil society organizations to improve working conditions in factories around the world. In addition to the UW, representatives from Notre Dame, Penn State, Princeton, the University of Texas and Washington University sit on this board. This is the first time the UW has been represented.

If you have questions about trademarks and licensing, contact Kathy Hoggan at khoggan@uw.edu or x30775.

The UW in the News

Below are a few noteworthy examples of recent media coverage of the UW: