How Faculty and Staff Build Our Communities

Image via WSU Tri-Cities Flickr

If you went to WSU you have fond memories of life in Washington. From Vancouver to Pullman, the towns that are home to our campuses are some of the prettiest in the state. Gorgeous sunrises that are somehow sunny and misty at the same time. Gameday weekends where “Go Cougs!” seems to become the default greeting. And of course, the roar of the crowd on a Saturday afternoon, whether in person at the stadium or at a favorite sports bar.

But our cities aren’t always paradise. As the people who make WSU feel squeezed by rising costs, it’s important to remember that the faculty and staff at WSU are a vital part of the city’s culture and economy. Ensuring that our WSU workforce is able to live and thrive in a growing college town must be a priority.

As the Tri-City Herald recently reported, sharp rent increases have made it harder to call Pullman home. These increases don’t just impact students - the cost of living for our staff and faculty is also on the rise. The folks who call Pullman home all year round, every year, for years at a time, are such an essential piece of the WSU puzzle. According to an economic model from the years 2018-2019, close to 80% of WSU’s almost 6,500 full- and part-time employees live in or around Pullman.

Together, they contributed millions of dollars to the local economy. In fact, most of WSU’s payroll is spent directly back into the community where the workforce lives which, in turn, provides work opportunities for students.

Additionally, our WSU faculty provide services directly into the community. The College of Veterinary Medicine has saved hundreds of pets of all sizes while WSU’s Nursing and Pharmacy students were on the front lines of vaccinating against COVID-19. Growers rely in WSU faculty in areas like grains, soil health, and pest management.

That’s why WSU is asking the Washington State Legislature to invest in our people. These cost-of-living adjustments for WSU faculty, staff, and graduate students would represent a small increase to the budget, but a huge impact to the people who live in Pullman. This is an investment of public dollars not just in WSU, but in the entire community.

Anyone who has ever been to one of our WSU campuses knows that the magic of the WSU is built on two important factors: The place and the people. This year, we’re asking the Legislature to help us invest in both.