January 23, 2008 Budget Update

WWU Colleagues,

As part of our commitment to keep you fully informed about state budget matters, learning what we know as soon as we know it, I am writing to advise you of a letter that I (and the other public university presidents) received yesterday, jointly signed by Senator Derek Kilmer, Chair, Senate Higher Education and Workforce Development Committee and Senator Rodney Tom, Operating Budget Vice Chair of the Senate Ways and Means Committee. In the letter, we are asked to provide the committees with detailed information on "possible institutional consequences of pending budget alternatives."

The State's fiscal situation has seriously worsened since the time in which the Governor's proposal was developed.  Consequently, there are two scenarios we are asked to cover.  The first is defined by the Governor's budget proposal.  That is the proposal I previously wrote to you about and that we have been using as the basis for the budget process now underway.  The second scenario is something new, a budget proposal we have never seen before and that would almost double the size of the cuts we would need to make relative to what the Governor had proposed.

I know that the budget reductions you are currently dealing with -- those flowing from the Governor's budget proposal -- are most daunting. And, to think of doubling them is unimaginable.

We will respond to the Senate, as we must, at aggregate levels and sharing overall impacts upon students and programs in general. As all the universities do so, it will beevident that Washington would be destroying much of its visionary investments in higher education,investments the future of the state critically depends upon. And, that is part of the exercise, I believe: to show just how unacceptable such a step would be.

An accurate picture will be ugly but we must convey the facts.And, ugliness must be obvious if we are to effectively persuade our state of the ongoing damage that would be done to our shared futures. 

Damage will be done merely by having to do this, to have to paint the picture of a train wreck just as young people are deciding where to go to college, just as we are seeking to retain and attract the very best faculty and staff. The six of us who received this letter have asked to meet, immediately, with the two authors of the letter to make sure these consequences are fully understood and to seek their further guidance as we proceed. I want to add that I met individually with Senator Kilmer and Senator Tom while in Olympia on Tuesday and I believe, after good conversations with each, that they do understand the critical importance higher education plays in the future of our state and will work with us to do what is right for the students in Washington.

I do not know how this will further develop. I hesitated to inform you of this latest proposal because some have speculated that this is the kind of political dance that must be done before there is the political will to find realistic solutions. But, I have promised to let you know what we know when we know it.

I should add that my message this morning pertains to the budget for the coming biennium.  As you know, there have been previously announced cuts for the fiscal year we are currently in.  Late yesterday, a group of legislators announced their intention to make further and targeted cuts for the current fiscal year.  We have not seen any specifics so I cannot, at this time, clarify that particular picture.  We will, of course, do so as soon as we are provided with the details of this possible legislative action.

There is a long process that must play out and so I must again counsel patience. And, please remember what I have observed all my life when studying higher ed budgets: when things look positive, they don't turn out that well; when things look really bad, they never turn out that badly.

Thank you for all you do for Western.

Bruce