Greetings,
As we begin the new year, I'll be focusing on reports that explore a new theme for the president's column which I've entitled "Here's Where We Stand." For this column on that theme, I want to describe to you what we know about our economic impact on the region and the state.
As some of you may recall, I commissioned a study by ECONorthwest in 2006 to examine the university's economic impact. I did so for several reasons. First, the results strengthen our argument to state and local policy makers that the university is a good investment. Second, they also remind local businesses that their economic well being derives, at least in part, from the university's presence in the community.
The first study, which focused on the 2005-06 fiscal year (FY 2006), was published and distributed this past year. It is also available online at www.cwu.edu/president/cwu-econ-impact-fy06.pdf.
Because of the importance of keeping our data as current as possible, we asked ECONorthwest to update the study for the FY 2007. (Because such studies depend on a complete data set for the fiscal year, the actual reports are not available for several months after the fiscal year ends.).
The study describes CWU's direct, indirect, and induced economic impact in three categories—output, personal income, and jobs—for both Kittitas County and the state as a whole. Here's where we stand:
The university's total economic activity (output) for the county grew from $251,168,300 in FY 2006 to $308,031,500 in FY 2007, an increase of 22.7 percent. The total output for the state was $408,726,500 in FY 2007, up from $369,896,000 in FY 2006.
CWU accounted for $152,926,400 in personal income in Kittitas County in FY 2007, up from $127,124,900 in FY 2006, an increase of 20.3 percent. For the state, the university accounted for $170,164,400 in personal income in FY 2006 compared to $191,355,500 in FY 2007.
The university generated 3,083 jobs in Kittitas County in FY 2006 compared to 3,420 in FY 2007, an increase of 10.9 percent. Statewide, jobs generated grew from 3,758 to 4,000 in the same period.
The university's FY 2007 economic multiplier for Kittitas County is 1.83. What that means is that for every million dollars in economic activity (output) directly associated with CWU, another $830,000 in output is generated in Kittitas County. Multipliers for personal income and jobs in Kittitas County are 1.59 and 1.76 respectively. For every million dollars in personal income (payroll) at CWU, another $590,000 in wages and business income are generated elsewhere in Kittitas County. Every ten jobs at the university supports or is associated with another 7.6 jobs elsewhere in Kittitas County. Slightly larger multipliers describe our statewide impact (2.18 for output; 1.84 for personal income, and 1.91 for jobs.)
There are other impacts as well. In FY 2007, CWU's expenditures and activities directly and indirectly generated approximately $56.8 million in tax revenues for state and local taxing jurisdictions in Washington. This is $5.4 million more than the $51.4 million in state appropriations the university received. Further, CWU generated approximately $1,113,000 in local sales and use tax revenues and $3,127,000 in local property tax revenues. To put this into context, this represents approximately 21.5 and 8.6 percent, respectively, of total county collections for these types of taxes.
These figures describe short-term economic impact, but the long-term impact of an institution of higher education is equally if not more impressive. According to ECONorthwest, CWU's 2007 entering class will earn approximately $1.411 billion more over their lifetimes as a result of their university education. They will contribute an additional $372.2 million in taxes and fees to Washington state and local governments. The present value of that future flow is $63.6 million compared to the $39.9 million the state of Washington is expected to spend to educate this year's entering class. As a result of the increased earning power attributed to CWU's 2007 entering class, the expected tax and fee revenues to state and local governments is 59 percent greater than the state's expected expenditures on the class.
That's a good return on investment!
Stay warm,
Jerilyn S. McIntyre
President
CWU TOP STORIES
YOUR THOUGHTS SOUGHT FOR ACCREDITATION REVIEW
Central is now preparing for a full accreditation review in October 2009. It is a two-year process that culminates in a self study that documents the university's programs and services, its strengths, and the areas in which it could improve.
Recently, about one-hundred members of the campus community took time to provide feedback to the executive committee of the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU) self study. That group, in conjunction with the Office of the President, held an "Ice cream and dream" social, during which the committee sought input on four questions:
- What do you like about the university?;
- What would you change?;
- How would you change it? and;
- What qualities would you like to see in a new president and why are these important?
While the committee is now distilling common themes, it is not too late to contribute thoughts and opinions. To do so, visit www.cwu.edu/~nwccu/ survey.html.
The next step is to take these responses and develop a more focused survey for campuswide distribution, which is expected to take place around the middle of February.
SYMPOSIUM WITHOUT BOUNDARIES SPEAKER SAYS RACE STILL MATTERS
Dr. Cornel West, described as one of America's most gifted, provocative, and important public intellectuals, will make the next presentation in the Symposium Without Boundaries series. West's address, Race Still Matters, is scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 20, at 7 p.m. in the Student Union and Recreation Center (SURC) Ballroom.
While the presentation is free and open to the public, tickets are required. For students, faculty, and staff, tickets will be available beginning on Feb. 11, and then on Feb. 14 for anyone interested in attending West's presentation. Those tickets will be available at the SURC ticket counter.
A noted philosopher and Professor of Religion and African American Studies at Princeton University, West has authored a number of groundbreaking books that have changed the course of discussions pertaining to race, justice, and democracy. He also crossed over into pop culture by appearing in the movies The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions, where he portrayed one of the elders.
The Symposium Without Boundaries series is sponsored by The Symposium Group, an interdivisional and interdisciplinary campus alliance that seeks to "collectively engage the most critical and transformative ideas of our times."
The series is loosely based on the "Symposium on American Values," hosted by Central Washington State College from 1962 to 1970, which featured such speakers as Stokely Carmichael, Timothy Leary, and Margaret Mead.
ONE-ACT FESTIVAL UP NEXT FOR CENTRAL THEATRE ENSEMBLE
The Central Theatre Ensemble will highlight the work of young playwrights during the Dr. Betty Evans Original One-Act Festival on Feb. 10 at 2p.m. and Feb. 12-14 at 7p.m. in the Milo Smith Tower Theatre. This season the work of four CWU students has been selected for presentation in the festival.
- In Split Seconds, by Josh Darby, past and present converge in an airport waiting area when three stranger's lives are changed forever by one split second decision;
- Noise in the Attic, by Brady Dundas, is about an aspiring writer who barricades himself in an attic in hopes of finishing a decent draft of a story only to find himself held captive by his own characters;
- Dying to Forgive, by Kacie Prather, follows the turmoil of a troubled young woman who struggles to forgive herself and her family after a wrenching personal tragedy; and
- In Grounded for Death, by Jaryl Allen Draper, the Grim Reaper is forced to take a holiday and unexpectedly encounters the girl of his dreams, begging all sorts of questions and complications about love, death, free will, fate and the nature of pure evil.
Tickets are $7 general admission and $4 for CWU students with a valid ID. Tickets can be purchased online at www.cwu.edu/~theatre/tix or at the door. The box office opens one hour prior to each performance. Programming varies, but is generally intended for mature audiences.
For additional information call ext. 1774.
THURSDAYS IN BLACK PROMOTES AWARENESS
During February, Sexual Assault Facts and Education (SAFE) and the Wildcat Wellness Center are again sponsoring "Thursdays in Black" to promote sexual assault awareness on campus. Thursdays in Black (TIB) is an international campaign that began as a grassroots response to rape and violence against women in Argentina in the 1970s. More recently, TIB was adopted by college campuses throughout the U.S. to organize local efforts in ending sexual violence. This is the third year CWU has participated in TIB.
On Feb. 6, The Wildcat Wellness Center will distribute black t-shirts displaying "Unified in Ending Sexual Violence."
In addition, several TIB events are planned for the month. On Feb. 7, at 4 p.m., a Sexual Assault Forum will be held. Then, on Feb. 28, at 7 p.m., the documentary, Searching for Angela Shelton, will be shown. Both presentations will take place in the Student Union and Recreation Center (SURC) Theatre. The Wildcat Shop, in the SURC, will also feature a book display pertaining to some suggested books about sexual assault.
Additionally, each Thursday throughout February, the coffee sleeves offered through the SURC espresso stand will containing facts and myths and facts associated with sexual assault, and bookmarks provided in the Brooks Library will be imprinted with resources available to sexual assault victims and survivors.
ANNUAL CWU ORCHESTRA FESTIVAL COMING UP THIS MONTH
Each year, Central hosts a two-day Orchestra Festival, designed to provide high school orchestra programs with opportunities to perform in Central's state-of-the-art Music Building, collaborate with other high school orchestra programs, and attend a clinics and master classes. In addition, it serves as a showcase for the music department and CWU.
"It serves as a way to introduce potential CWU students to Central faculty," says Dr. Nikolas Caoile, director of orchestral studies. "It also shows off our wonderful facilities, which have proven to be an excellent recruiting tool."
This year's festival will take place Wednesday and Thursday, Feb. 13 and 14. Caoile said that twenty-six orchestras from Seattle to Yakima, and Olympia to Wenatchee would participate in it.
"EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH" FOR NOVEMBER, DECEMBER RECOGNIZED
Suzanne Laub, medical transcriptionist at the Student Health, Counseling, and Wellness Services Center; and Joanne Perez, fiscal specialist for the Center for Student Empowerment, have been named by the university's Civil Service Employee Council as the "Employee of the Month" for November and December 2007, respectively. During recent surprise ceremonies, they each received a certificate and $125 from the president's discretionary fund, through the CWU civil service employee recognition program.
Those nominating Laub noted:
- Suzanne consistently goes beyond her job requirements to assure that a patient's chart is professional;
- She brings a new perspective to the table with new ideas and follows through on suggestions and changes; and
- Her versatility and broad range of business and clerical skills result in exceptional customer service at the reception desk as well as in correct billing of medical services; and
Those nominating Perez pointed out:
- She is often described as the "glue" that keeps the department together both fiscally and organizationally;
- Joanne is completely customer service oriented by taking extra time with those who have special needs. She goes the extra mile to ensure that she is understood and the students have all the information they need in order to move forward on a particular task; an
- She has implemented numerous polices and procedures that assist all staff with timelines and accountability.
University students, faculty and staff, and members of the Ellensburg community, are encouraged to make nominations for the Employee of the Month award. Nomination forms are available at the CWU human resources office, employee council representatives, and online at: www.cwu.edu/~hr/ec/.
NOMINATIONS SOUGHT FOR 2008-09 "ONE BOOK, ONE CAMPUS" PROJECT
The One Book, One Campus Project has adopted the 2008-09 Performing Arts and Presidential Speaker Series theme of "A Life in Balance," which encompasses health in mind and body as well as harmony and peace.
With that in mind, nominations are now being sought for the 2008-09 One Book, One Campus Project, which allows for joint exploration of issues and ideas important to the campus community and world. Those nominating a particular work should keep in mind that it needs to be relevant to the theme, be readable, accessible, enjoyable, and literary, and appeal to a broad cross-section of students, faculty, and staff. Directions for nominating a book are available at www.cwu.edu/~provost/one_book/.
Several years ago, a CWU faculty committee proposed the shared reading concept, as a means to emphasize the importance of reading and discussion as significant elements of CWU's academic life.
PHONE REPLACEMENT PLANNED FOR ELLENSBURG CAMPUS
The replacement of 300 older campus digital phones is now underway. Qualifying departments will be notified when and what type of phones will be replaced.
To view the new models of phones being purchased, visit the Telecom Web site at www.cwu.edu/~its/telecom/its_phone_style.html. Necessary telephone switch upgrades require replacement of these old phones and will be made at no cost to the departments that are having phones replaced.
PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE STILL CLOSED
The pedestrian bridge spanning the irrigation canal northeast of Dean Hall will remain closed until early March and the area has been fenced off. The closure is aiding work on the $23.2 million state-funded renovation of Dean, which has been closed since 1998.
When remodeling is completed later this year, Dean will house the departments of anthropology and museum studies, geography and land studies, and the graduate program in resource management. It will also accommodate the Office of the Dean of the College of the Sciences and provide additional classroom space.
In addition, it will be a certified Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) building.
FORMS DIRECTORY UPDATE
It's frustrating to attempt to access a broken on unsupported Web link. To ensure that does not happen on the CWU Web site, Terri Covey, Web support specialist, will be updating the CWU Forms Directory
starting Feb. 4.
University departments that have added, deleted, or updated forms on their departmental Web sites since last summer that might affect the Forms Directory link are asked to contact Covey with their updated URLs. She can be reached at ext. 2183, or by e-mail at coveyte@cwu.edu.
SHARED LEAVE DONATIONS ARE NEEDED
Nancy Jo Tutino, accounting, is in need of shared leave. CWU employees may donate leave to a fellow employee: 1) who is suffering from or has a relative or household member who is suffering from an extraordinary or severe illness, injury, impairment, or physical or mental condition; or, 2) who has been called to service in the uniformed services; and, where the fact of either 1) or 2) has caused or is likely to cause the employee to take leave without pay or terminate his or her employment.
You may donate annual (vacation) and sick leave in eight-hour blocks. A minimum balance of eighty hours of annual leave must be maintained. Excess annual leave (that over 240 hours) that will otherwise be lost may not be donated. A minimum balance of 176 hours of sick leave must be maintained. All or a portion of your personal holiday may also be donated.
Shared leave donation forms can be downloaded from the forms section of the Human Resources home page at www.cwu.edu/~hr/forms/shared_leave_donation_form.doc. Forms may also be requested from the HR office at ext. 1202. Requests to donate leave must be approved by your supervisor before forwarding to HR and are subject to approval by your department head and Human Resources.
"The Future of the U.S. Postal Service," an article written by Robert CARBAUGH, economics, was published in the Fall 2007 Cato Journal (Vol. 27, No. 3).
After 18 months as Associate Vice President for Human Resources at Southern Oregon University, Dennis DEFA has returned to Central to assume the post of Assistant Vice President for Faculty Relations. From 2001 to 2006, Defa served first as Central's Director of Staff and Employee Labor Relations and then Assistant Director and Labor Relations Manager in the Office of Human Resources. His responsibilities now include contract negotiations, interpretation and implementation; coordinating faculty personnel processes; co-chairing the Labor Management Council; and contributing to maintaining a productive and collegial campus environment.
Teresa FRANCIS, law and justice, has had a book review accepted for publication. Titled "Locked Out: Felon Disenfranchisement and American Democracy," it will be published in an upcoming edition of the Criminal Justice Review.
Beginning Feb. 15, Jen GRAY, Senior Director of Gift and Estate Planning, will assume the role of interim Assistant Vice President for Development. She replaces Julie CLONINGER, who has decided to step down from that post after successfully leading the Transforming Lives comprehensive capital campaign -the first such effort in Central history- which will be officially completed on June 30. Cloninger will now concentrate on special projects, along with assuming the development officer position in the College of Education and Professional Studies. Gray also served as the interim Vice President for University Relations from 1999 through 2002.
In addition, GRAY has been elected as the president of the Washington Planned Giving Council for 2008. The council aims to increase the quality and quantity of charitable planned gifts by serving as the voice and professional resource for the gift planning community of Washington state. Its membership includes development professionals, trust officers, attorneys, financial planners, insurance professionals, accountants, and other professionals whose work includes developing, marketing, and administering charitable planned gifts. The council is affiliated with the National Committee on Planned Giving, which is the leading nationwide organization for gift planning professionals.
Lila HARPER, English and graduate studies, presented a paper titled "Issues of Dress in Women's Travel Narratives," at the 2007 Modern Language Association national meeting in Chicago, which was held between Dec. 27 and 30.
Mike JACKSON, physics, and two CWU physics students, Travis PETERSEN and Evan MASTERS, performed nine kaleidoscope outreach programs at Valley View Elementary School (Dec. 13), Lincoln Elementary School (Dec. 17), Mt. Stuart Elementary School (Dec. 18.), and Kittitas Elementary School (Jan. 8). A total of 285 third grade students, teachers, and volunteers saw those presentations.
Charles REASONS, law and justice, presented the paper "A Tale of Two Cities: Homicide in Seattle, Washington and Vancouver, British Columbia," last October at the International Association of Law Enforcement Planners Conference in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
Mary Ellen REIMUND and Robert MOORE, law and justice, have been named to the Washington State Board on Correctional Training Standards and Education.
Peter SAUNDERS and Koushik GHOSH, economics, had an article, titled "Stock Prices and Economic Growth: Are They Related?" published last September in a special issue of the Indian Journal of Economics and Business.
Key SUN, law and justice, has written a new book, Correctional Counseling. It shows students how to address a correctional client's needs during imprisonment and how to prepare clients for release into the community. Sun also presented his paper, "Teaching Psychology in Criminal Justice Curriculum at the National Institute on the Teaching of Psychology," in January at St. Pete Beach, Florida. In addition, he presented his paper, "The Chinese "Tong" Principle and Its Use in the Field of Mental Health," in October at the World Federation for Mental Health, which was held in Minneapolis.
CWU EMPLOYEES
Civil Service new hires: Stephen Stein, Research Analyst 1, College of Education and Professional Studies; Joanna Rois, Secretary Senior, President's Office; Melynda Holliday, Program Support Supervisor 1, Publicity Center; Amy Alder, Building Coordinator 2, Student Union Operations; Michele Graaff, Office Assistant 3, The Bridges Project; Sarah Sainsbury, Secretary, Undergraduate Studies.
Civil Service job changes: Andy Jackson, Information Technology Specialist 3, Computer Support Services; Karen Hill, Office Assistant 2, University English as a Second Language; Uriel Hernandez, Information Technology Specialist 3, Enrollment Management.
Exempt new hires: Joseph Bryant, Residence Hall Coordinator, Student Conduct and Responsible Citizenship, University Housing and New Student Programs; Justyn Bell, Coordinator Access Technology Resource Center, Disability Support Services; Timothy Chumley, Postdoctoral Research Associate, Biology; Kevin Camarillo, Executive Chef, Dining Services.
To view current job openings at CWU, go to www.cwu.edu/~hr/jobs/index.html.