2025 Legislative Priorities & Preview
Fall quarter is just getting off the ground at Western Washington University! In addition to the reinvigorated campus energy, Western’s legislative agenda has also begun to gain momentum. As we head toward the 2025 legislative session, follow along for updates on Western’s priorities and proposed higher education policies.
Operating Budget Priorities:
Per Student Funding $21,400,000
Western Washington University has consistently received some of the lowest per student funding over the past three decades when compared with other public four-year institutions. Over time, this policy has eroded Western’s base budget causing a serious structural budget deficit. After the fund-split policy pre-spends the vast majority of tuition dollars on compensation dollars, Western is left with very little flexibility to respond to student needs in terms of high-demand programming, critical campus infrastructure, and student support services. Since the state is contributing more dollars per student at every other institution, tuition dollars at Western simply do not go as far to cover these gaps. This implicit disincentivizing of increasing enrollments works against statewide educational attainment goals.
Compensation
Serving students and state educational attainment goals is dependent on attracting and retaining qualified employees. Given the constraints on local funds due to reasonably limited tuition increases, Western requests full funding of cost-of-living adjustments. Reinstating the policy of full funding for compensation increases will allow the university to avoid further erosion of the base budget, avoiding further cuts to academic programming and student services.
Enterprise Resource Planning System $14,917,201
Western is requesting funding to replace our aging enterprise resource planning (ERP) system, in place since early 1991, with modern software built on cloud-based architecture. The first phase will replace modules for human resources, payroll, and finance. As on-premises technology becomes more costly and difficult to maintain, it’s imperative Western begins system modernization to ensure continued support for basic functionality as well as critical patches and security updates. A new ERP system will give Western the administrative foundation for a better customer experience and, ultimately, support our institutional strategic plan.
Capital Budget Priorities:
Poulsbo Instructional Facility $71,600,000
For over 30 years, Western has had a presence on the Kitsap and Olympic peninsulas, this requested funding would allow for design and construction of a Western’s first brick-and-mortar building in this community. The instructional facility will house Western on the Peninsulas programming serve as the administrative hub for all peninsulas academic programs, and house Washington’s only Cyber Range.
Minor Works Preservation $10,000,000
Western is requesting funding for Minor Works Preservation, an omnibus program that includes projects that will prevent system failures and campus infrastructure emergencies, representing the most urgent preservation needs. Western’s academic facilities have an average age of 46 years. During the past two years, Western has experienced failures to our sewer and stormwater utilities, elevators, and mechanical systems.
Critical Safety, Access Control, and Fiber Optic Network Upgrades $9,100,000
This is the final phase of a project that will install electronic controls on exterior doors of all academic buildings, as well as new hardware on classroom doors to enable locking from the inside in the case of an active shooter or other campus emergency. This project will also replace Western’s existing fiber optic communications system, which is reaching the end of useful life and does not have capacity to accept the additional anticipated load of an expanded and improved access control security system or to meet the increasing needs of faculty, students, and staff.
State Revenue & Caseload Forecast:
Over the summer, the Economic & Revenue Forecast Council has reported lower than expected tax collections with the most recent forecast showing nearly flat revenues. Legislators are talking about budget deficits in the next biennium due to revenues not keeping up with funding needed for state employee contracts and forecasted caseloads. The next forecast will be released in November, which will be the basis for the Governor’s budget due out in mid-December. Legislators will base their 2025-27 budget proposals on the revenue forecast that comes out in March of 2025.