Welcome to Session 2023
Welcome to the 2023 Washington State legislative session. From January 9th until April 24, lawmakers will decide how they will support public higher education and other key priorities.
This session, you can help the UW secure state resources to provide opportunities for the next generation of students and to produce the skilled workers and services needed for our communities to flourish. Alumni and community members like you helped identify the following priorities for the session:
Championing Washington’s Medical Safety Net
UW Medicine serves as the primary medical safety net and trainer of medical professionals for the state of Washington. UW providers, hospitals, and behavioral health specialists have served their communities throughout the pandemic to meet the need for COVID relief and increased demand for mental health services. They need continued state support to provide this critical care.
Standing Up for Compensation
The UW shares one legislative request with all public post-secondary institutions in the state: funding for compensation. Institutions are requesting a 2/3 “fund split” with the state, meaning the state would fund 2/3 of the cost of a modest wage increase of 3-4%.
With inflation and cost of living increases, corresponding wage increases are crucial for recruitment and retention. UW’s excellent faculty and staff are integral to the high-quality educational experience all students deserve.
Supporting Degree Programs and Services for Students
Washington students and employers agree on the need for more degree opportunities in the fields of computer science and engineering. The expansion of these high-demand degree programs and facilities keeps our economy strong and provides students with exceptional learning opportunities.
In addition, providing students with academic, mental health, and disability services helps with degree attainment and success at the college level. Due to lingering effects from the pandemic, the need for these services is greater than ever.
Ready to Help? Contact Your Lawmakers Today (NOTE: This campaign is now archived. Look for an end-of-session update and campaign shortly!)
The Governor’s proposed budget supports many of these requests. Now advocates can ask their lawmakers to do the same. Click the button above and fill out the fields to welcome your legislators to session and to ask them to support higher education. Remember: you can send our pre-written email in just seconds but personalizing it with your own UW story has a greater impact!
In addition, keep an eye out for UW Impact communications throughout the session. We will reach out at key times so that you know when your communications will be most effective. Thank you for your advocacy!
UW Impact