Senate passes Schoesler bill to allow more EWU engineering courses

March 3, 2009

OLYMPIA…The state Senate’s approval of Substitute Senate Bill 5276 this afternoon puts Eastern Washington University a step closer to offering degrees in more engineering fields. Sen. Mark Schoesler, whose legislative district includes the 10,000-student campus in Cheney, is the bill’s prime sponsor. 

“This is about increasing supply to meet demand,” explained Schoesler, R-Ritzville. “Allowing EWU and Washington’s other public baccalaureate institutions to join the state’s two research universities in offering majors like civil and chemical and mechanical engineering would create important new opportunities for students in our state. 

“There was a time when it made sense for these lines of study to be exclusive to Washington State University and the University of Washington,” Schoesler said, “but our state and our higher education system have evolved. Eastern is ready now to make this change with available funds and with available facilities. I don’t see this having a detrimental effect in Pullman – my guess is there’s enough demand for these degrees to go around.” 

EWU already offers degrees in electrical engineering and mechanical engineering technology. 

SSB 5276 now moves to the House of Representatives for consideration. 

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Additional contact: Eric Campbell
at (360) 786-7503 or campbell.eric@leg.wa.gov