Washington State University will discontinue its central graphic design services on Oct. 31.
These cuts are being made as part of broader budget reductions across the university in response to significant funding cuts at the state and federal levels. Design and Printing Services will honor and fulfill any commissioned design projects submitted by Oct. 15.
CougPrints Plus, which offers printing services to students through the student technology fee, as well as university departments across the system, will continue to operate following the discontinuation of design services. The CougPrints Plus storefront on the ground floor of the Compton Union Building on the WSU Pullman campus will remain open. An update to the CougPrints Plus website will follow with a list of services that will continue.
A list of preferred vendors is being put together for those in need of design services after Oct. 15.
University Marketing and Communication is currently putting together a list of preferred vendors for those in need of design services after Oct. 15.
Effective July 1, 2025, Mailing Services has been moved under WSU Facilities Services. Mailing services on campus will not change as a result of this move at this time and will stay in their current location, the Cooper Publications Building.
DPS evolved from a small in-house print shop in 1948 into a full-service design, printing, and copying operation. Initially formed as the Department of Printing, the unit professionalized campus printing, eventually moving into the Cooper Publications Building in 1964.
Over the decades, DPS merged editorial, design, and printing functions. The department enforced campus-wide printing policies to ensure quality, compliance, and cost-effectiveness. The department also oversaw WSU Press until last year when it transitioned to WSU Libraries.
Technological shifts — from traditional presses to desktop publishing — expanded capabilities, while the 1990s saw the introduction of CougarCopies, now known as CougPrints Plus, in the CUB, bringing quick printing and copy services directly to students and faculty.
