House and Senate budget proposals unveiled
Budget leaders in the House and Senate released supplemental operating and capital budget proposals this week following last week’s positive state revenue forecast.
Both operating proposals include funding for WWU’s top priority, employee compensation increases. The Senate proposal would also increase the state’s share of compensation funding from 49% state/51% tuition to 66% state/ 34% tuition. The Senate budget also provides $1.8 million per year for WWU’s Student Retention and Success request, while the House budget provides $720K per year.
The House and Senate operating budget proposals both fully fund Western’s request to align tuition rates in the BSN nursing program with other state-supported undergraduate programs and to establish a new Master’s in Nursing program. Additionally, both budgets fund upgrades to the WWU Cyber Range in Poulsbo, and the Senate budget also provides funding to expand the current cybersecurity certificate program as a standalone certificate at the Bellingham and Poulsbo campuses and online.
The House and Senate capital budgets include approximately half a million dollars for Minor Works – Programmatic construction projects on campus, as well as authority to use $1.5 million in local funds for existing state-approved projects that are impacted by inflation and supply chain challenges. The Senate capital budget also includes $1.5 million in bond funding for classroom and lab upgrades.
Budget leaders will spend the remaining weeks of the 2022 Legislative Session negotiating the final supplemental operating and capital budgets. Session is scheduled to end on Thursday, March 10th.