Each legislative chamber has unveiled operating budget proposals for the 2025-27 biennium. Facing an estimated $15 billion budget deficit, legislators are looking at both cuts and additional revenue to attempt to write a balanced budget. Proposed investments and cuts for Western Washington University are detailed below.

Operating budget proposals

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Operating Budget Priorities:

Per Student Funding $21,400,000

Western Washington University has consistently received some of the lowest per student funding over the past three decades when compared with other public four-year institutions. Over time, this policy has eroded Western’s base budget causing a serious structural budget deficit. After the fund-split policy pre-spends the vast majority of tuition dollars on compensation dollars, Western is left with very little flexibility to respond to student needs in terms of high-demand programming, critical campus infrastructure, and student support services. Since the state is contributing more dollars per student at every other institution, tuition dollars at Western simply do not go as far to cover these gaps. This implicit disincentivizing of increasing enrollments works against statewide educational attainment goals.

Compensation

Serving students and state educational attainment goals is dependent on attracting and retaining qualified employees. Given the constraints on local funds due to reasonably limited tuition increases, Western requests full funding of cost-of-living adjustments. Reinstating the policy of full funding for compensation increases will allow the university to avoid further erosion of the base budget, avoiding further cuts to academic programming and student services.

Enterprise Resource Planning System $14,917,201

Western is requesting funding to replace our aging enterprise resource planning (ERP) system, in place since early 1991, with modern software built on cloud-based architecture. The first phase will replace modules for human resources, payroll, and finance. As on-premises technology becomes more costly and difficult to maintain, it’s imperative Western begins system modernization to ensure continued support for basic functionality as well as critical patches and security updates. A new ERP system will give Western the administrative foundation for a better customer experience and, ultimately, support our institutional strategic plan.

Capital Budget Priorities:

Poulsbo Instructional Facility $71,600,000

For over 30 years, Western has had a presence on the Kitsap and Olympic peninsulas, this requested funding would allow for design and construction of a Western’s first brick-and-mortar building in this community. The instructional facility will house Western on the Peninsulas programming serve as the administrative hub for all peninsulas academic programs, and house Washington’s only Cyber Range.

Minor Works Preservation $10,000,000

Western is requesting funding for Minor Works Preservation, an omnibus program that includes projects that will prevent system failures and campus infrastructure emergencies, representing the most urgent preservation needs.  Western’s academic facilities have an average age of 46 years. During the past two years, Western has experienced failures to our sewer and stormwater utilities, elevators, and mechanical systems.

Critical Safety, Access Control, and Fiber Optic Network Upgrades $9,100,000

This is the final phase of a project that will install electronic controls on exterior doors of all academic buildings, as well as new hardware on classroom doors to enable locking from the inside in the case of an active shooter or other campus emergency. This project will also replace Western’s existing fiber optic communications system, which is reaching the end of useful life and does not have capacity to accept the additional anticipated load of an expanded and improved access control security system or to meet the increasing needs of faculty, students, and staff.

State Revenue & Caseload Forecast:

Over the summer, the Economic & Revenue Forecast Council has reported lower than expected tax collections with the most recent forecast showing nearly flat revenues. Legislators are talking about budget deficits in the next biennium due to revenues not keeping up with funding needed for state employee contracts and forecasted caseloads. The next forecast will be released in November, which will be the basis for the Governor’s budget due out in mid-December. Legislators will base their 2025-27 budget proposals on the revenue forecast that comes out in March of 2025.

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The 60-day 2024 legislative session ended on March 7^th. In the final days of session, the legislature passed operating and capital budgets with needed investments for Western Washington University. Bill and budget updates are available below.

2024 Legislation

The following legislation has successfully passed the legislature.

Senate Bill 5904 – Extending the terms of eligibility for financial aid programs

• Aligns Washington College Grant eligibility with federal PELL grant eligibility.

House Bill 2214 – Automatic qualification for the Washington College Grant

• Works toward allowing automatic qualification for the Washington College Grant for beneficiaries of other public assistance programs.

House Bill 2112 – Concerning opioid and fentanyl education

• Directs resources and training to higher education campuses.

House Bill 1950 – Concerning the public service loan forgiveness program

• Directs public employers to notify employees about certification renewals and to certify employment through the public service loan forgiveness program at the time of separation.

WWU Budget Investments

The final budget includes critical investments for academic programming and outreach initiatives!

 

Operating Budget

Capital Budget

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Western continues to closely track higher education policy bills that are up for consideration, bills of note cover various topics including financial aid, increased student support services, and access to higher education.

Higher Education Policy Bills:

Senate Bill 5999 – Expanding financial aid eligibility.

• Adjusts the median family income (MFI) calculation to increase Washington College Grant award amounts.
• Update: This bill did not move past fiscal cutoff, legislators could decide to adjust the MFI calculation and grant award amounts in the budget.

Senate Bill 5904 – Extending the terms of eligibility for financial aid programs.

• Aligns Washington College Grant eligibility with federal PELL grant eligibility.
• Update: This bill is still moving and needs to be voted off the Senate floor by 2/13 to remain viable.

House Bill 2214 – Automatic qualification for the Washington College Grant.

• Works toward allowing automatic qualification for the Washington College Grant for beneficiaries of other public assistance programs.
• Update: This bill is still moving and needs to be voted off the Senate floor by 2/13 to remain viable.

House Bill 2112 – Concerning opioid and fentanyl education.

• Directs resources and training to higher education campuses.
• Update: This bill is still moving and needs to be voted off the House floor by 2/13 to remain viable.

House Bill 2242 – Supporting sexual assault survivors

• Increases support services available on higher education campuses.
• Update: This bill did not move past fiscal cutoff, the bill sponsor is likely to continue this conversation in interim and into the 2025-27 biennium.

House Bill 2077 – Concerning participation in the Washington guaranteed admissions program

• Codifies the existence of the Washington Guaranteed Admission program which automatically admits Washington high school students to institutions of higher education. 
• Update: This bill did not move past fiscal cutoff, the bill sponsor is likely to continue this conversation in interim and into the 2025-27 biennium.

House Bill 1950 – Concerning the public service loan forgiveness program

• Directs public employers to notify employees about certification renewals and to certify employment through the public service loan forgiveness program at the time of separation.
• Update: This bill is still moving and needs to be voted off the House floor by 2/13 to remain viable.

Other updates:

• The next cutoff is House of Origin cutoff which will occur at 5pm on Tuesday, February 15^th.
• House and Senate budget proposals are expected to be released in the next two weeks.
• The 2024 legislative session is set to adjourn on March 7^th, 2024.

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The following bills are some of the high priority bills that are being closely tracked and received public hearings this week:

• House Bill 1030 – Concerning applied doctorate degrees
  • WWU along with CWU and EWU requested this legislation to allow for blanket legislative approval of applied doctorate offerings. It had a public hearing on 1/11 and is scheduled for executive session on 1/17.
• House Bill 1142 – Increasing tenure track faculty
  • WWU testified in support of this measure at a public hearing on 1/11 and the bill is now scheduled for executive session on 1/18.
• House Bill 1156 – Extending eligibility for the Washington college grant program
  • At the request of the Washington Student Achievement Council, this bill aligns Washington college grant eligibility with the federal PELL grant program, extending the amount of time that students can utilize the grant. The bill had a public hearing on 1/11 and is schedule for executive session on 1/18.
• Senate Bill 5079 – Concerning the date by which tuition is established
  • The public four-year sector requested this technical change to allow for more timely communication of tuition costs to students. This bill had a public hearing on 1/11 and is not yet scheduled for executive action.
• SGA 9240 – Student Trustee Keara Ryan
  • Western’s student trustee for the 2022-23 academic year joined the Senate Higher Education committee to provide sworn testimony as the first step in the confirmation process. Trustee Ryan spoke to experiences as a transfer student and getting involved on campus. The committee took executive action and next the confirmation will go to the Senate floor for a full vote of the Senate.

Other updates:

Western Lobby Day will take place on Monday, January 16^th. This annual tradition brings dozens of WWU students to the Capitol to advocate for their priorities.

In this early stage of session, many bills are introduced each day. This blog will provide updates on legislation and budget priorities that Western is working on this session.

The first major cutoff of this session is policy committee cutoff is Friday, February 17^th. This is the day by which bills must be passed out of the committee they were referred to in order to remain viable this session.

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