The Washington House today (Tuesday) approved a bill that symbolizes the growth of higher education statewide during the last quarter century.
That bill removes one word from the titles of campuses such as WSU Spokane. That word is ‘branch’, as in Spokane is a branch campus of WSU.
In 1989, the legislature established five ‘branch’ campuses, three for WSU, two for the University of Washington, as a way for the major universities to provide better service to the rest of the state.
The bill’s prime sponsor, Kennewick Republican Representative Larry Haler, has WSU Tri-Cities in his district. During a recent public hearing, he said those ‘branches’ have matured and developed their own identities and his legislation recognizes that.
“Dropping the term ‘branch’ doesn’t break our campuses away from the main campuses. They still have a reporting relationship, organizational relationship,” Haler said.
WSU also has a campus in Vancouver. The UW’s campuses are in Bothell and Tacoma.
The bill was approved Tuesday by a 91-to-six vote and now moves to the Senate.