Legislative Session 2021:
Investing in the future
Like the state's other universities, WSU has dramatically increased service levels since the Great Recession on an appropriation that only recently returned to and exceeded 2008 levels. The university educates 5,000 more students in more locations and is providing new services to help first generation college students be successful.
Still, Great Recession cuts land fiscal pressures brought by the COVID-19 pandemic leave higher education highly vulnerable. Legislators need to hear that higher education budgets need to be protected.
2021 Priorities
Expand WSU Spokane health science facilities
WSU is requesting $15 million in the state's 2021-23 capital budget to renovate the WSU Phase One Building on the WSU Spokane Health Sciences campus, which will relieve building pressure amassing on campus as academic programs and research activity swells.
The project will allow expansion of the health science programs associated with the colleges of Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences.
Continue support for higher education
Our state financial aid program is a critical improvement to our state’s education system to better serve Washington students, because earning a credential of some kind after high school helps Washingtonians get family-wage jobs and produces well-rounded, informed citizens who make our communities strong. The investments made in higher education will ensure that our students have the opportunity to succeed here at home.
Tell your legislator you’re in support of investing in our future through financial aid programs.
Increase capacity for the STEM program at WSU Vancouver
WSU is requesting $52.6 million in the state's 2021-23 capital budget for the construction of the Vancouver Life Sciences Building, providing additional learning space, teaching labs and research space.
After converting the only viable space on campus to add a teaching lab in the fall of 2013, no other suitable space exists on campus to serve these needs. Construction of new on-campus facilities is determined to be the best alternative for these programs and the growing student population at WSU Vancouver.