|
Beginning Institutional Reserves (Uncommitted Balance)
|
$17,826,006
|
|
Total Recurring Revenues
|
$217,484,811
|
- Tuition Revenues
Tuition revenues are a result of enrollments and of the tuition rate. The impact of COVID-19 on enrollments is an ongoing challenge that will likely take years to fully surmount; approximately $9 M in tuition revenue on a recurring basis. While there are several positive indicators on enrollment at this time, reduced numbers of returning students will not be offset by growth in first year students.
Our budget recommendation includes a 3.0% tuition rate increase for resident undergraduate students based on the allowable increase for in-state undergraduate students set by the state. For all other student types, the recommendation is a 3.5% increase, balancing fixed cost increases (cost of living adjustments, inflation on goods and services) with affordability. Because the state passes budgets for public institutions of higher education with an expectation of split funding between state appropriations and tuition revenues, these rate increases are an important piece of the budget picture.
|
$96,082,210 |
- State Appropriations (Recurring)
The state passed a strong FY 2024-FY 2025 biennial operating budget that included important investments across state government, including in the state’s higher education system. Those investments are detailed in the Uses section under State and Contractually Determined Items, below. This funding included resources to support a 4.0% general wage increase for employees and shifted the funding model to provide a greater share of the cost than in the past.
|
$116,338,000 |
- Administrative Services Assessment
The FY 2024 biennial budget includes a slight increase in ASA revenues based on projections of self-sustaining operations.
|
$5,064,601 |
|
Carryforward Level Expenditures (Base Budget)
|
$206,344,191
|
|
New Recurring Expenditures (Incremental)
|
$21,351,797
|
| New Recurring Expenditures, Prior Commitments |
|
- Replenish Institutional Benefits Fund
Restore funding pool after past year distributions.
|
$300,000 |
- Operating Support for Office of Equity
Ongoing operating support for the newly formed Office of Equity.
|
$110,000 |
- Approved Everett Program Budget
Beginning in FY 2024, set a recurring budget for the Everett program tuition portion to better support financial planning and budgeting. Previously, this tuition revenue was handled through transfers.
|
$378,547 |
- Support for Mandatory Student Advising
Addressing staffing needs to provide mandatory student advising to a pilot cohort, with the goal of expanding the number of students advised in their first two years at WWU.
|
$126,000 |
- Graduate TA Stipends
Continuation of annual funding increases for TA stipends.
|
$100,000 |
- Permanent Funding for Undergraduate Recruitment (previously funded 1x)
Continuation of annual funding increases for TA stipends.
|
$250,000 |
| New Recurring Expenditures, Spring 2023 |
|
- Honors College Stabilization
Current cohort sizes in the Honors College have been funded on a one-time basis for several years. This item converts those one-time transfers into recurring budget, better representing the costs in the budget plan.
|
$400,000 |
- Base funding for prior university commitments in Academic Affairs
This item reflects university contract commitments that have been paid in the Academic Affairs division. Additional shifts of budget to cover university level commitments that occur in Academic Affairs are included in compensation and in one-time items, below.
|
$761,600 |
- Hazardous Waste Removal
Hazardous waste removal is a regular and ongoing cost for a university; this item reflects that cost in the budget plan.
|
$50,000 |
- Software Licenses
The FY 2024 budget includes recurring funding for essential software licenses (Zoom, Microsoft Premier, and Panopto captioning software).
|
$193,280 |
| New Expenditures tied to State Appropriations |
|
- Compensation and Benefits Increases
Western’s FY24 budget includes a placeholder for compensation increases, based on negotiated agreements with the classified unions, the professional staff compensation plan, and general wage increases. The compensation line item also includes benefit rate changes and funding for previously negotiated compensation items. All compensation increases will be in accordance with bargaining agreements (for faculty and classified staff) or the professional staff compensation plan.
|
$13,619,370 |
- Student Retention and Success
State funding is provided to reduce class sizes in remedial and introductory math courses to improve first-year student retention; to expand remedial English 101 courses to improve first-year student retention; for two disability accommodation counselors at the Disability Access Center; and to expand first- year seminars and early start programs to improve first-year student retention, including developing an orientation for students receiving the Washington College Grant, focusing on first-generation and traditionally underrepresented students.
|
$801,000 |
- Western on the Peninsulas Expansion
State funding is provided to establish new 2+2 undergraduate degree programs in engineering, data science, and sociology at Western on the Peninsulas; to establish a Masters of Social Work program at Western on the Peninsulas; to convert the Human Services program at Western on the Peninsulas from self-sustaining to state-supported to reduce tuition rates for students in the program; and for additional student support and outreach services at Western on the Peninsulas.
|
$2,349,000 |
- Dual Language Educators
State funding is provided for the expansion of bilingual educators' education.
|
$1,272,000 |
- Central Services (including Direct Legal Services)
Funding is provided to cover a portion of Western’s contribution to state-provided services.
|
$457,000 |
- Post-secondary Student Needs
Funding is provided to implement Second Substitute House Bill 1559 (Postsecondary student needs) and hire 0.75 FTE benefits navigator per campus.
|
$59,000 |
- Mental Health First Aid Training
Funding is provided for mental health first aid training for faculty.
|
$50,000 |
- Small Business Development Center Technical Assistance Program
Funding is provided for the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) to increase technical assistance to black, indigenous, and other people of color (BIPOC) small business owners in Whatcom County.
|
$75,000 |
|
Additional Recurring Budget Adjustments
|
-$6,302,122
|
| 3% Divisional Budget Reductions |
-$6,302,122 |
|
Ending Gap in Recurring Revenues and Expenditures
(Revenues Less Expenditures and Budget Reductions)
|
-3,909,055
|
|
One-Time Appropriations (FY 2024 only)
|
$1,883,000
|
|
One-Time Expenditures (FY 2024 only)
|
$183,663
|
| WWU Policy Decisions |
|
- Nursing Program Tuition Allocation
This formalizes an agreement to apply a portion of tuition revenues associated with the nursing program to a historic deficit in that program.
|
$280,000 |
- Compass to Campus
Replacing Prior Allocation from Academic Affairs: The Compass to Campus program’s funding has historically come from a combination of sources, including annual allocations from Academic Affairs. This item shifts the annual, one-time funding responsibility from Academic Affairs to the university level.
|
$360,000 |
- Seed funding for Critical Disability Studies Institute
Funding to support current efforts to develop a Critical Disability Studies Institute while alternative funding is pursued.
|
$95,000 |
- Instructional Bridge Funding
Funding is provided to support instructional costs within Academic Affairs that exceed the recurring budget and establish an annual spending authorization.
|
$4,000,000 |
| New Expenditures tied to State Appropriations |
|
- IT Infrastructure Replacement
Funding is provided for the ongoing replacement of critical information technology (IT) infrastructure, including the campus wired and wireless network, campus data center servers and data storage equipment, emergency telephone equipment, and general university classroom audio/video technology.
|
$1,500,000 |
- Student Civic Leaders Initiative
One-time funding is provided to the Student Civic Leaders Initiative which provides opportunities for students to gain work experience focused on addressing critical issues facing communities and campuses.
|
$250,000 |
- Planning Program Stipends
One-time funding is provided for planning program student studios to assist cities and counties with planning projects.
|
$100,000 |
- Academic Employee Bargaining
State funding is provided for implementation of Substitute Senate Bill 5238 (Academic employee bargaining), which expands collective bargaining rights to certain student employees.
|
$10,000 |
- Crime Victims & Witnesses
State funding is provided to implement Second Substitute House Bill 1028 (Crime victims & witnesses).
|
$23,000 |
Temporary Reduction to Contingency Budget and Institutional Budget (Savings):
As a short-term measure to reduce reliance on reserves in FY 2024, reduce the university’s annual contingency budget and the institutional budget. |
-$2,134,338 |
Savings Associated with Implementation Timing for New State Funding:
For new initiatives where planning, recruitment, and coordination must occur prior to expending funds, funding will be held centrally for FY 2024 to capture savings. |
-$4,300,000 |
|
Annual Net Income/Deficit (Use of Resources)
|
-$2,209,718
|
|
Ending Uncommitted Institutional Reserves Balance
|
$15,616,288
|
