$150,000 allocation moves Tri-Cities nursing forward

TRI-CITIES — While programs and projects at Washington State University Tri-Cities have received extensive support in the just-concluded session of the Legislature, one crucial piece was missing in the final budget.

Now, the central administration of the WSU system has stepped forward to ensure a second group of Bachelor of Science in Nursing students will be able to start classes at the Tri-Cities campus this fall.

In reaching a balanced budget, the Legislature dropped funding for “high demand” academic programs, money that funded the group of 10 nursing students who entered the program last fall.  The WSU provost’s office announced a special allocation of $150,000 to ensure that the second “cohort” of 10 students in the program will begin their studies this August.

“The need for expanded nursing instruction is well documented, and I understand that much would be lost if we failed to complete this planned expansion,” said WSU Provost Robert Bates in making the announcement. “The Bachelor of Science in Nursing program is of high priority and high quality as well as high demand.”

WSU Tri-Cities Chancellor Larry James said the announcement is “really a major boost for this crucial program. There were more than 40 students who applied for the 10 spots that will be available this fall, which points out the continuing educational need here.” The grade point average of those who applied to the program is 3.5 and above, James said.  The Tri-Cities program will be able to admit the planned 10 additional students, as well as expand faculty support with the funds allocated by the provost’s office.

“With the growing statewide and national nursing shortage, it is essential we continue the momentum we began last fall by admitting new BSN students each semester,” said Dorothy Detlor, dean of the WSU Intercollegiate College of Nursing.

WSU’s Intercollegiate College of Nursing educates more than 750 undergraduate and graduate students each year and prepares more entry-level nursing professionals than any other Washington state institution.  In dividing the allocation, $105,000 will come directly to the Richland campus and an additional $45,000 is earmarked for the Intercollegiate College of Nursing in Spokane to provide academic support to the Tri-Cities program.