When Hurricane Grace collided with a tropical cyclone off the Atlantic Coast in 1991, the result was what experts called “the perfect storm.” It created 70 mph winds and 30-foot waves, and a movie starring George Clooney. Today we are seeing a “perfect storm” of similar proportion building with respect to agricultural research funding the […]
In this last budget missive of the year, there really isn’t much new information to share. The numbers haven’t changed in terms of the cash claw back or the permanent cuts for FY10. It is too early to tell what the next legislative session will bring. So, with the help of our associate deans, department […]
Even though they knew he couldn’t hear them, applause and cheers went up from the 70 or so people watching at the WSU Mount Vernon Northwestern Washington Research and Extension Center as Paul Allen announced his donation.
Dear Colleagues, Chairs and directors within CAHNRS and WSU Extension are in the throes of developing plans to address the two budget reductions I described in my last message to you. We are building 10 percent and 8 percent plans, as requested by the president and provost, to help address a permanent 6.3 percent cut […]
Dear Colleagues, As we work our way through the latest budget reductions, it is critical that we all understand exactly what our charge is. Currently, there are several activities and exercises underway dealing with budget cuts. They all have a deadline of Nov. 15, which adds to the confusion. I am writing today to clearly […]
Dear Colleagues, My last budget communication on September 27 outlined the challenges we as a university and a college face over the coming months. It is quite possible that by the beginning of the next biennium, WSU will have incurred over a three-year period a state budget reduction exceeding 40 percent. It goes without saying […]
Dear Colleagues, I am sure you have seen the headlines and messages from state officials concerning the fiscal crisis that grips our state. Revenue forecasts continue to lag, and Governor Gregoire has called for further “belt tightening” within all state agencies. These additional cuts come in the wake of reductions from the FY 09-11 biennial […]
It is no secret that recent reductions in WSU’s state budget allocations have left us in a challenging position. Despite these reductions, the University leadership has continued to articulate the need to continue to increase extramural funding, particularly from competitive federal sources. CAHNRS and WSU Extension have heeded this call and, with the recent completion […]
One of the key benchmarks in WSU’s quest to become an AAU-like institution is enhancing the quality and enrollment of our graduate programs. In comparing WSU’s profile to those of AAU institutions, this is an area where we fall significantly short. Therefore, the WSU Strategic Plan includes aggressive goals concerning advancement of graduate education over […]
At a time when the state most needs to support its primary and reliable economic engines, a movement is afoot in Olympia which would cripple one of the state’s most economically important industries — agriculture.