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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Campaign to name new med school for Elson Floyd

More than 5,000 people have shown support for naming the new Washington State University medical school for Elson Floyd, who died Saturday of complications from colon cancer. A Facebook page set up for the effort has already attracted more than 5,300 likes and Spokane Sen. Mike Baumgartner said he may introduce a bill to do just that later this week, although buildings are usually named by a university’s board of regents. Floyd was the driving force behind WSU’s effort to start the second state-funded medical school in Washington and a tireless champion of the idea in legislative hearings all year, even as he was battling health problems ultimately revealed as colon cancer. To pave the way for a WSU medical school, the Legislature had to repeal a 1917 law that gave sole authority for physician education to the University of Washington. Floyd was an eloquent advocate for changing what he called an antiquated law and expanding the number of family practice and rural doctors for under-served areas of the state. His family has asked that memorial gifts be made to the Elson S. Floyd Founders Fund for the WSU College of Medicine in lieu of flowers. On Monday, a possible glitch arose in WSU’s efforts to start its own medical school when the 2015-17 operating budget announced by House Democrats did not have money needed for the university to seek the needed accreditation. That money, instead, would only be available if the Legislature passes an “investment package” that pays for additional programs with money generated by closing tax exemptions. Previous versions of the House Democratic budget, and the current Senate Republican budget, would provide money for both the WSU medical school and expansion of the UW medical school program in Spokane. The two chambers must agree on a single spending plan for the next two years before the new fiscal year starts on July 1.