Spring semester will see continued efforts across the
WSU system to advance initiatives that simultaneously
strengthen the foundation of the University and enhance
our ability to transform lives and contribute to the
public good.
Below are brief updates about three of these
important initiatives: fiscal health, long‑term
planning, and advocacy for the University in Olympia
during the legislative session. Please don’t hesitate
to reach out to me directly if you have questions,
comments, or concerns about these efforts.
Advancing our fiscal health
We continue to make much progress in restoring our
institutional fiscal health. As I wrote to you
previously, our ongoing goal is to reduce spending by
$10 million per year in order to eliminate a structural
deficit that had reached $30 million annually.
This last fiscal year, we significantly exceeded our
target by reducing the overall deficit from $30 million
to less than $9 million. I am pleased to report that if
mid‑year projections hold, we expect to finish the
current fiscal year at the end of June with something
less than $4 million in deficit spending.
Looking ahead, we anticipate that revenues should
exceed expenses in the next fiscal year (FY 2020)—for
the first time in 5 years.
This outstanding result has been achieved because
most of the campuses, colleges, and administrative
units have continued to reduce spending. I appreciate
the efforts of leadership, faculty, staff, and students
who are all working together to restore our fiscal
health and build financial reserves.
In the coming weeks, look for fiscal health updates
from major units across the WSU system on our Fiscal
Health website. The site will continue to provide
updates going forward.
Launching the long‑term system‑wide planning process
As I interact with faculty, staff, and students at
all 6 of our campuses, I am often reminded that
Washington State University is truly Washington’s
state university.
I have also come to appreciate during the past
few years that each campus is unique and seen as a
linchpin of economic growth and upward mobility for
the community in which it resides. While all of our
faculty, staff, and students are bound together as
members of the Cougar family—regardless of location—it
is important that we continue to look for ways to be
more efficient as a university system while maintaining
the individuality and uniqueness of our campuses.
Thus, as we embark on a new University strategic
planning effort, we must embrace the distinctiveness
of each campus and recognize that we are a complex
system of diverse geographic locations. As a Cougar
family, we will formulate our first‑ever WSU system
strategic plan. We will also need to create a distinct
plan for the Pullman campus as well as for each of our
other campuses.
WSU Vancouver and WSU Everett recently completed
new strategic plans. Planning efforts are underway to
create plans at WSU Tri‑Cities, WSU Spokane, and the
Global Campus.
We must link our next set of strategic plans with
our budget and spending. At virtually any university,
you can track priorities by examining the places the
institution continues to invest discretionary monies
that are either new or non‑designated funds. As we
develop our new strategic plans, it is my goal that
the way we budget and the way we plan our future are
done in concert, and that the process involves
significant engagement with faculty, staff, and
students.
Our strategic plan website is a good way to
track the planning process. The site, which is in
the process of being updated, will provide regular
updates and information about how you can contribute
to the effort.
Advocacy in Olympia
With the beginning of the 2019 legislative session
in Olympia earlier this month, many members of the
University community will visit with elected officials
over the course of the session. We are fortunate to
have one of the most talented government relations
teams in the state, whose members work year‑round to
advance University legislative and funding priorities.
Each year WSU brings a concise list of priorities
to the capitol for consideration by Governor Inslee
and the legislature. As reported previously, our top
priorities this session include base funding for the
Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine to pay for 60 medical
students (years 3 and 4) and a planned increase in the
size of the starting class from 60 to 80 students
beginning fall 2019.
Additionally, in cooperation with the University of
Washington, we are advocating for a 4% salary increase
for faculty and staff in each year of the biennium.
You may read or hear news and information from various
sources about the state budget, our legislative priorities,
and new legislation impacting public higher education.
If you have concerns or would like more information, please
feel free to reach out to Colleen Kerr, vice president for
government relations and external affairs, at any time.
You can find regular updates about progress on WSU’s
priorities and other issues of interest to public higher
education on our government relations website and in
WSU Insider.
