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• Mark A. Emmert
  President
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• Carol S. Niccolls
  Special Counsel to the President
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• Thelma Rodriguez
  Executive Assistant to the President
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• Janis Marks
  Scheduler
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  Address: 301 Gerberding Hall
  Box 351230
  Seattle, WA 98195
  Phone: 206-543-5010
• 
  Campus event planners: For procedures on working with the President's Office, Click Here.

Dear Students, Faculty, and Staff:

As you have likely heard, the Washington State Senate and House of Representatives earlier this week released their operating budget proposals for the 2009-2011 biennium. While we expected significant new cuts, the Legislative budget reductions are dramatic and disturbing. All of higher education will be severely impacted should these proposals pass. For the University of Washington, the Senate has proposed a state budget cut of nearly 23 percent, or $189 million, while the House has proposed even deeper cuts of 31 percent, or $260 million. These cuts are worse than we had anticipated, and although they could be mitigated somewhat with federal stimulus funds and tuition increases, they still represent a serious challenge to our ability to serve our state.

If the Senate and House proposals were passed in their present forms, we would see severe impacts across our University community. We would have to significantly reduce the number of students admitted to the University just when we have the highest demand in history. Likewise, because there would be fewer course offerings and fewer staff to provide students services, it would take students longer to complete their degrees. On the research front, our longstanding success in competing for research dollars would be jeopardized, resulting in further losses of jobs and the ensuing detrimental effect on the state’s economy. Also, the only way to manage such large budget cuts would be to eliminate jobs across the University. Notably, these are all consequences that would not just be felt now, but would reverberate long into our state’s future. This makes our efforts to preserve higher education funding all the more important.

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The budget presented today by the state Senate is deeply disturbing. Cuts of this magnitude would seriously damage the UW’s ability to serve the state. The Senate’s budget would reduce the number of students admitted to the university at a time when we have the largest demand in history. The budget cuts would also force students to take longer to graduate because many fewer courses would be available for them. They would also mean a large number of layoffs and job eliminations, probably impacting more than 1,000 UW staff.

It is particularly disappointing that the Senate budget does not include greater increases in tuition to help offset some of the cuts. Higher tuition levels would allow the UW and the rest of higher education to avoid cutting admissions and courses. Federal increases in Pell grants and tuition tax credits make higher tuition affordable for many students and families. By not allowing more flexibility on tuition the Senate proposal blocks the UW, and the rest of higher education, from helping students and the State. When combined with these very deep budget cuts, the result is a huge step backward for Washington.

In the coming weeks as the legislature debates the budget, we will be working hard to reduce the level of the budget cuts and convince legislators that higher tuition is affordable and essential. This is a task that will demand all of our collective efforts.

Dear Faculty, Staff, and Students:

All members of the University of Washington Tacoma community are invited to join me on Friday, April 3, for a town hall meeting on the University’s current budget situation. This meeting is an opportunity to discuss where we are in the state budget process, the implications of pending budget cuts, and our priorities and strategies as we move into the next biennium.

The meeting begins at 11 a.m. and will include a question-and-answer session. For those of you unable to attend, you may submit your questions in advance.

• When: Friday, April 3, 2009
• Where: Milgard Assembly Room, William W. Philip Hall (Map)
• Time: 11 a.m.

I hope you will join me and participate in this important conversation.

Sincerely yours,

Mark A. Emmert
President

Below are excerpts taken from the March 3rd President’s Town Hall discussion held on the UW campus. Click on the “read more” link on this post for more video responses.

1. How are the University’s budget decisions made?

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UW President Mark Emmert discusses the status of the University’s budget, the implications of pending budget cuts, and University priorities and strategies for the next biennium. Watch an archived Webcast of the event.