2004 Operating Supplemental Budget
Final Budget
March 12, 2004
On the night of March 11, the last scheduled day of the 2004 legislative session, the Senate and the House of Representatives passed a compromise capital budget. The 2004 supplemental budget represents changes to the 2003 – 2005 biennial budget passed by the legislature last spring.
I. Recommendations for Washington State University are as follows:
General Enrollment
$1.0 million to fund 191 additional student FTE @ $5,453. (The Governor had budgeted $1.4 million for 288 for FTE @ $4,906. The House had recommended $1.6 million for 298 FTE @ $5,453. The Senate had recommended no new enrollment.)
A new proviso states the intent of the legislature that universities manage actual enrollments to be within a band of two percent of budgeted enrollments over a period of three years.
Another proviso requires WSU Vancouver to submit to the legislature a plan to phase in lower-division courses at the campus.
Research Funding
· No funding for state match to attract & retain federal grants in high-demand and technology fields. ($1,500,000 had been recommended by the Governor, $850,00 by the House, nothing by the Senate.)
· No funding for BSE (Mad Cow) research. ($270,000 had been recommended by the House, nothing by the Senate.)
· $50,000 for burrowing shrimp control research. ($50,000 had been recommended by the House, nothing by the Senate.)
· $330,000 in on-going funding is provided to the Department of Agriculture to contract with WSU for research and development of asparagus harvesting and automation technology. ($330,000 had been recommended by the House, nothing by the Senate.)
A new proviso requires the university to report on the use of all state research funding.
II. Recommendations that affect WSU but are outside of the WSU budget include the following:
High Demand Enrollment
The budget increases the HECB pool to fund high demand enrollment by $3.6 million to fund additional student 324 FTE @$11,000 per FTE. Public baccalaureate institutions and (for the first time) independent four-year institutions are eligible to apply for funding. WSU will apply for a portion of this pool. (The House had recommended $6.4 million for 582 FTE, the Senate recommended $2.5 million for 227 FTE, and the Governor recommended $10 million for 909 FTE.)
Employee Health Benefits
State funding is increased. The average employee co-premium will remain unchanged. Prior to this action the rate had been scheduled to increase by $30/month.)
Travel, Services Contracts Cuts
State agencies are required to cut expenditures on travel, equipment and personal service contracts. WSU’s cut is $24,000.
State financial aid programs also receive additional funding of $6.8 million.
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2004 Supplemental Capital Budget
Final Budget
March 12, 2004
On the night of March 11, the last scheduled day of the 2004 legislative session, the Senate and the House of Representatives passed a compromise capital budget. Items for WSU include the following:
The budget funds $31.6 million for construction of the Spokane Academic Center building. This building is of great importance to the Spokane community and WSU’s system. Not funded is $5 million needed for land. The Governor is reported to be considering a veto. WSU is working hard to convince the Governor to sign the budget with this project intact.
The budget funds $3.4 million to start construction for the Wastewater Reclamation project to ease the decline of the Pullman aquifer level. A proviso requires identifying any alternative funding sources, identifying water conservation measures and reporting to the legislature.
The budget funds nothing for WSUnet. Washington State University relies heavily on communications network infrastructure to accomplish basic academic and administrative functions.
The bill restricts WSU from selling 22 acres of approximately 40 acres adjacent to WSU Puyallup that is currently earmarked for sale. In exchange the bill provides $500,000 for construction, renovation and repair of agricultural research facilities at locations other than Pullman.
The budget states legislative intent to consider providing funds for operations and maintenance of the new Agricultural Research Facility being built with federal funds on the Pullman campus.
Of interest to WSU, the budget funds $337,000 for concrete repairs at SIRTI. The bill also provides $2 million for Columbia Basin College to begin work on a nursing health sciences facility in Richland. WSU will offer clinical classes in the facility.
