Date: April 14th 2009

Dear Colleagues,

By now you are surely tired of hearing about the state budget debates in Olympia and just as tired of me bugging you to write to your representatives.

But our efforts are having an effect. So far, the United Faculty of Washington State has sent almost 1,000 emails. And in the last couple of weeks, our elected leaders have heard us. Governor Gregoire and legislative leaders have come out in support of 14% tuition increases that would help alleviate some of our budget problems.

But of course tuition increases are not the best solution, and the proposed increases will not bring us back to the budgetary surface. Now that there is momentum behind the tuition increases, our legislators cannot be allowed to think that the higher education problem has been solved. They must still commit to minimizing the cuts to Washington’s universities as much as possible.

So, take a minute, go to the following link, tell them their work is not done and remind them that our universities are the key to Washington’s future.

https://secure3.convio.net/wea/site/Advocacy?id=161&pagename=homepage

If you haven’t done this at least once already, then it’s high time. If you have done it before, do it again—legislators are always happy to hear from their constituents.

Sincerely,

Bill Lyne