Rawlins Outlines Challenge WSU Needs Unity, Direction To Face State Budget Cuts, Faculty Told

Washington State University president V. Lane Rawlins talked of trouble and hope for the school Wednesday afternoon, covering student enrollment goals, the high price of natural gas and everything in between.

In his second all-faculty meeting this semester, Rawlins rolled out his plans to guide the university out of its current rough period.

He started with the bad news: The state Legislature wants to cut WSU’s allocation. In fact, the state is looking at handling its budget problems by cutting all state department budgets by as much as 6 percent, he said. The state is also looking at having public employees pay more of their health costs.

“This is an absolutely absurd situation,” said Rawlins, who became WSU’s president in July. “This has long-term and possibly seriously damaging effects.”

But after talking with legislators, Rawlins said he doesn’t believe all this will happen.

“It’s not the situation I was hoping for,” he told about 50 faculty members. “It’s also not hopeless.”

The new challenges come as the university struggles to make faculty salaries competitive with those at peer institutions. WSU hasn’t been able to reach high enrollment goals. And, after having to strip 2 to 3 percent this year, all department budgets could be in for more slicing in 2001.

When one professor asked how the university could have gotten in this condition, Rawlins responded that it’s the school’s own fault.

“We don’t have a plan and we don’t know where we’re going,” he said. “The problem is that we haven’t been pulling together and it’s evident.”

Rawlins introduced his strategic planning process.

“If ever there was a time that we need to be very clear about our direction and our priorities … it is now,” he said.

The plan, which would be completely in place by January 2002, is currently focused on nine design teams covering categories that include school identity, the undergraduate experience, diversity and the fields of information technology and biotechnology. Several hundred WSU employees are involved in writing the plan, he said.

The end product will be a several-page document that guides what money the school requests from the state, how funds will be allocated within WSU and what capital expenditures the school will have, he said.

Rawlins stressed that he doesn’t want a 10-year, step-by-step guide for the university.

“We need a compass not a road map,” he said.

While fighting to get salary increases for faculty and creating a direction for the university, Rawlins is still contending with the unexpected.

Most recently WSU has had to cope with the rising cost of natural gas. Making use of alternatives, WSU will burn coal in a boiler that has been long out of use, and use other fuels as well, Rawlins said.

The former economics professor jokingly left the faculty with one last idea: “When you make your list for Santa Claus, I suggest you ask for a sweater this year.”