Despite a systemwide $30 million deficit at Washington State University, Chancellor Mel Netzhammer offered a rosy picture of what’s happening at WSU Vancouver at his State of the Campus address Wednesday.
To a crowded auditorium, Netzhammer addressed university growth, plans for future construction on the Salmon Creek campus and how the college is addressing 2.5 percent cuts.
The university has classified the 2.5 percent trim across the board as a spending reduction — avoiding the phrase “budget cuts” — and blaming longtime deficit spending on major projects like the Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine, WSU Everett and a new art museum for driving down reserves.
Programs have been advised to spend about 2.5 percent less than they normally would with the intent of restoring $30 million to the university’s reserve within three years.
“Those dollars are still yours,” University President Kirk Schulz told The Spokesman-Review in December. “It’s just, instead of you being able to spend them, we’re forcing you to put them in your savings account.”
Unlike WSU Pullman, which eliminated its performing arts program as part of its efforts to address the deficit, WSU Vancouver will see no cuts of programs or departments, Netzhammer said. The local campus has not “ever had the practice of deficit spending to any significant degree,” he said.
Still, the university is asking departments to save money through attrition and decreased travel. WSU Vancouver, which has a state budget of about $39 million, is expected to carry $1.2 million in reserve funds into next year, up from last year’s $500,000.
“Even though we may not have contributed to the problem WSU is facing, healthy reserves are important to us,” Netzhammer said.
Among bright spots for the university, Netzhammer said, enrollment continues to grow. There are about 3,321 enrolled this summer, 2,711 of whom are full time. Of those, 265 are veterans, an 11 percent increase from last spring.
And after long delays with the state’s capital budget, WSU Vancouver received $500,000 for a preliminary design of a new Life Sciences building on campus. The building, when completed, is slated to cost about $55 million. At least some of that building will be financed through fundraising, Netzhammer said.
“Barring any unforeseen budgetary issues, we have a really excellent shot of this continuing,” Netzhammer said.
Campus officials will also discuss adding housing to its master plan, bringing dormitories or apartments to what’s traditionally been a commuter campus.
That housing, however, is still years out. The campus property isn’t yet zoned for housing.
