News and Updates

Yesterday, Senator Jean Berkey (D-Everett) introduced a bill (SB 5322) which would require the Office of Financial Management (OFM) to help with the initial development of an independent, four-year higher education institution in the Snohomish-Island-Skagit county region with a polytechnic orientation.  The bill is co-sponsored by Senators Shin, Haugen, Schoesler, Hobbs, Kilmer and Marr.

Reaction to the bill among some House members was mixed.  Rep. Hans Dunshee (D-Snohomish) and Rep. Mike Sells (D-Everett) feel the legislation could be premature and foreclose other options for meeting higher education needs in the region.  In response to a written request from Rep. Dunshee and other legislators, the UW last month prepared and submitted a conceptual proposal for a “two-plus-two” program which could be established in the area to produce baccalaureate degrees with a polytechnic focus.

The House Capital Budget Committee will hold a panel discussion in their committee meeting tomorrow at 8:00 a.m. on this issue.  Participants include Marziah Kiehn-Sanford from the Higher Education Coordinating Board, Everett Mayor Ray Stephenson, Snohomish County Executive Aaron Reardon, Everett Community College President David Beyer, UW State Relations Director Randy Hodgins and Crystal Donner from Perteet Engineering.

Today is Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a holiday for some but a regular workday for the 60th legislature and the beginning of week two of the 2007 legislative session.

At 1:30 p.m. today in the Senate Higher Education Committee, UW President Mark Emmert is scheduled to appear to discuss the findings of our “Meeting the Global Challenge” report which was published in November 2006.  The Washington Student Lobby and Washington State University are also scheduled to appear.

The House Higher Education Committee has scheduled a work session at the same time on “Higher Education Articulation, Transitions, and Transferability.”  The HECB and SBCTC are scheduled to make presentations.

On Tuesday afternoon at 1:30 p.m., the House Capital Budget Committee will begin hearing presentations on higher education capital budget requests.  The regional institutions are scheduled to make 20 to 30 minute presentations.

On Wednesday at 8:00 a.m., the Senate Higher Education Committee will hear presentations from the leaders of the state’s regional four year institutions.  At the same time, the House Higher Education Committee will hold a work session on “Entrance Standards, Testing, and Remediation.”

On Thursday at 8:00 a.m., the House Capital Committee will hear a presentation on capital budget requests from the UW and WSU.  In addition, the committee will hold a panel discussion on the recently completed HECB study on higher education needs in the North Snohomish, Island and Skagit county region.

At 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, the House Higher Education Committee will hold a work session on “Accountability” in higher education.  At the same time, the Senate Higher Education Committee will hear presentations from the Prosperity Partnership, the Washington Business Roundtable, the Technology Alliance and the Washington Biotechnology and Biomedical Association.

Sen. Karen Fraser (D-Olympia), Vice Chair for Capital on the Senate Ways and Means Committee and Rep. Bill Fromhold (D-Vancouver) Chair of the House Capital Budget Committee have agreed to sponsor the UW’s local debt authority bills in their respective chambers.

The legislation would expand the UW and WSU’s ability to issue bonds or other forms of debt for any university purpose to be paid by all locally retained fees and revenues.  If passed, the bill would permit the universities to act with speed when issuing debt and streamline our borrowing process, to reduce the overall cost of funds.  Long term financing of the recently purchased UW Tower would be another benefit of the legislation.

Other sponsors of the bill will be Sen. Paull Shin (D-Edmonds), Chair of the Senate Higher Education Committee and Rep. Deb Wallace (D-Vancouver), Chair of the House Higher Education Committee.  Ranking Republican members on both the Senate and House capital and higher education committees are also expected to co-sponsor the legislation.

Governor Gregoire delivered her “State of the State” address to a packed chamber of legislators, statewide elected officials, Supreme Court justices, three former Governors and a myriad of other dignataries in Olympia this evening.  Among much pomp and circumstance, the Governor was greeted by several minutes of enthusiastic applause and cheers from the assembled Senators and Representatives as well as a packed throng in the upper gallerys.

As advertised, the address was centered around her major budget and policy priority for the 2007 session:  education.  A number of items important to the University of Washington were highlighted in her 45 minute address including funding for high demand enrollments; expansion of medical and dental education in Spokane; and funding to support global health.

She also touted her proposed Washington Learns tuition policy which would cap undergraduate tuition rates at 7% at the UW and WSU, at 5% at the regional institutions and freezing tuition rates at current levels for the community and technical colleges.  She also stressed the critical role the UW and WSU play in driving the state economy.

It’s only the first week of the legislative session, but UW faculty are already making their mark in the state capital.

Tomorrow, Oceanography professor Miles Logsdon will make a presentation to the Select Committee on Puget Sound titled “Introduction to the Puget Sound and Its Environment.”  The hearing is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. in House Hearing Room E.

Later that evening, the new House Appropriations Subcommittee on Education will hear from Pat Kuhl, co-director of the UW Institute for the Study of the Brain and professor in Speech and Hearing Sciences.  The meeting will begin at 6:00 p.m. in House Hearing Room A.

Today is January 8 and the first day of the 2007 legislative session.  On a personal note, this is my 20th legislative session, fourth with the UW.  It’s really my 24th session if you count my four and a half years in the state of California.

Every year on the first day of session, I’m always reminded of the words to Karn Evil 9 First Impression Part 2 by Emerson, Lake and Palmer: “Welcome back my friends to the show that never ends, we’re so glad you could attend come inside, come inside …..

There is a “carnival like” atmosphere to the first few days of session as both members and staff wander around searching above and around the heads of staffers, reporters and lobbyists looking for offices, committee rooms and yes, for many freshman legislators, the bathrooms.

House and Senate higher education committee hearings this week will focus on broad agendas and goals for various organizations such as the Higher Education Coordinating Board, the Council of Presidents, the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges, etc.

The House and Senate fiscal committees will both hear presentations on the Governor’s 2007-09 proposed operating budget and the House Appropriations committee will delve into detail on Washington Learns recommendations contained in the Governor’s budget in hearings scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday.

The new House Appropriations Subcomittee on Education will hold three hearings this week on early learning.

Governor Gregoire will deliver her State of the State address tomorrow at 5:00 p.m.  You can expect to hear a very strong emphasis on education in her remarks.

Yes session has begun, and it’s a session that holds great promise for all of us in higher education.  As the song says “Come and see the show!”

Yakima County commissioners agreed with local Republican precinct committee officers today and appointed Rep. Jim Clements (R-Selah) to replace Sen. Alex Deccio (R-Yakima) in the Washington State Senate.  Clements, who announced earlier this year he would not run for re-election to his House seat served in the legislature from the 14th district for 12 years.

Deccio announced in November he would resign his senate seat two years before his next election due to health reasons.  He has served the Yakima community for more than three decades as a local or state elected official.

Clements was sworn in to office in Yakima in a private ceremony and will be in Olympia next week when the session begins on Monday.  His committee assignments have not yet been announced.

Yesterday, Governor Gregoire and key state legislative leaders met with state capital reporters at the annual Associated Press “pre-session” forum in Olympia.  The 105-day session begins next Monday January 8, and most of the discussion at yesterday’s gathering focused on writing the $30 billion biennial operating budget.

Democratic leaders Rep. Frank Chopp (D-Seattle) and Sen. Lisa Brown (D-Spokane) predicted passage of a strong budget that invests in schools, health care, Puget Sound clean-up, economic development, anti-crime efforts and salary increases for teachers and state employees.  Governor Gregoire emphasized the importance of seizing the moment and investing in education at all levels.

Republican leaders Sen. Mike Hewitt (R-Walla Walla) and Rep. Richard DeBolt (R-Chehalis) expressed concerns about the Governor’s spending levels and that her budget would leave the state with huge deficits in future years.  They both pledged to work with Democrats on key issues where common ground can be found.

Possible state funding for a new Sonics arena and a NASCAR track in Kitsap County were discussed but legislative leaders expressed little enthusiasm for public subsidies for eithr projects at this time.

Happy New Year to all Capitol Update blog readers.  It’s cold, wet and rainy in Olympia today which can mean only one thing — the legislative session is just around the corner.

Here’s an interesting story from David Ammons of the Associated Press and the dean of Olympia political reporters that stems from a new ranking from the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University which pegs Washington State as No. 3 in the country for the percentage of women in the state Legislature.

I will be away from the State Relations Blog for several days over the holidays.  Have a wonderful holiday season and we’ll see you after the New Year.