Speech Assignment #2

President Floyd Speech

Julia Connacher

Washington State University cut $24.7 million from its budget and increased tuition by 14 percent at the beginning of this fiscal year, President Floyd announced this afternoon. 

Delivering his most difficult State of the Union Address, President Floyd explained the budget cuts along with his efforts of finding other funding streams to meet the university’s needs.

A 40 percent reduction in potential university research funding had occurred along with the budget cuts and tuition increase.

“At the end of the day, we are going to weather this crisis and come out as a stronger university,” Floyd said.

In December of 2008, Gov. Christine Gregoire proposed a 12 percent reduction in state funding for WSU marking the first steps in a legislative effort to balance state operating budget.

In May of this year, Gregoire signed a 2009-2011 state operating budget bill reducing WSU funding by $54.2 million and raised resident undergraduate tuition by 14 percent.

The governor’s actions leave many hoping that these budget cuts will balance state budget in the middle of this economic downward spiral.

I am not an advocate of across the board reduction, Floyd said. 

Budget cuts will be balanced in a strategic vertical way rather than across the board.

WSU has already taken small steps to fight against budget cuts.

President Floyd has visited 29 out of 39 counties to explain who and what we are and the impact we have as a university to the state.

As a university, we need to find support in other corporations and businesses to make sure WSU has the funding it needs to be successful, Floyd said.

“As a student here at Washington State, it makes me proud to know that the university is doing everything it can due to the budget cuts,” Danielle Ajeto, a freshman, said after listening to the speech.

Even thought the tuition increase and budget cuts are affecting my family and I, I hope that they will help our economy and provide a better education for future students, Ajeto said. 

Funding streams for WSU consist of state legislator, student tuition, grants and contracts, student fees, and auxiliary enterprises.

Grant funding has increased by $218 million and $470 million has been raised for support and benefits for WSU.

Within the next couple months, President Floyd will announce specific plans addressing this fiscal years budget cuts.

“During President Floyd’s speech, he seemed optimistic that the university is strategically planning all of the cuts,” Racheal Epperson, a junior, said.

Listening to the speech almost made me feel better because now I know what's going on and the smart minds that are figuring out what's best for students, the student’s families, faculty, researchers and the university as a whole, Epperson explained.

The students serve as the heart and soul of this university and I have committed to every student to give him or her the best education possible, Floyd expressed.

QUESTIONS FOR THE SPEAKER:

1.     How does the university decide where to spend their money?

2.     How much of an impact will the budget cuts have on our economy?

3.     How long will these budget cuts continue?

SOURCES:

WSU President Floyd (speaker)

Office phone: (509) 335-4200

Racheal Epperson (WSU Junior)

(253) 370-2546

Danielle Ajeto (WSU Freshman)

(206) 817-9389

OUTLINE OF STORY:

What Happened?

a.     Lede- WSU cut $24.7 million from its budget and increased tuition by 14 percent at the beginning of this fiscal year, President Floyd announced this afternoon. 

b.     Delivering his most difficult State of the Union Address, President Floyd explained the budget cuts along with his efforts of finding other funding streams to meet the university’s needs.

c.      Along with the budget cuts and tuition increase, a 40 percent reduction in potential university research funding had occurred.

d.     Quote from Speaker- “At the end of the day, we are going to weather this crisis and come out as a stronger university,” Floyd said.

Background/Why?:

a.     In December of 2008, Gov. Christine Gregoire proposed a 12 percent reduction in state funding for WSU marking the first steps in a legislative effort to balance state operating budget.

b.     In May of this year, Gregoire signed a 2009-2011 state operating budget bill reducing WSU funding by $54.2 million and raised resident undergraduate tuition by 14 percent.

c.      The governor’s actions leave many hoping that these budget cuts will balance state budget in the middle of this economic downward spiral.

Where budget cuts will occur:

a.     I am not an advocate of across the board reduction, Floyd said. 

b.     Budget cuts will be balanced in a strategic vertical way rather than across the board.

University Efforts:

a.     WSU has already taken small steps to fight against budget cuts.

1.     President Floyd has visited 29 out of 39 counties to explain who and what we are and the impact we have as a university to the state.

2.     As a university, we need to find support in other corporations and businesses to make sure WSU has the funding it needs to be successful, Floyd said.

3.     (Danielle Ajeto’s quote) “As a student here at Washington State, it makes me proud to know that the university is doing everything it can due to the budget cuts,” Danielle Ajeto, a freshman, said after listening to the speech.

4.     Even thought the tuition increase and budget cuts are affecting my family and I, I hope that they will help our economy and provide a better education for future students, Ajeto said. 

5.     Funding streams for WSU consist of state legislator, student tuition, grants and contracts, student fees, and auxiliary enterprises.

6.     Grant funding has increased by $218 million and $470 million has been raised for support and benefits of WSU.

7.     Within the next couple months, President Floyd will announce specific plans addresses this fiscal years budget cuts.

Reactions:

a.     (Racheal’s quote) “During President Floyd’s speech, he seemed optimistic that the university is strategically planning all of the cuts,” Racheal Epperson, a junior, said.

b.     Listening to the speech almost made me feel better because now I know what's going on and the smart minds that are figuring out what's best for students, the student’s families, faculty, researchers and the university as a whole, Epperson explained.

c.      The students serve as the heart and soul of this university and I have committed to every student to give him or her the best education possible, Floyd expressed. 

WSU's 103rd Homecoming

This years homecoming will not announce a king and queen this year for the first time since 1907.
 “Students just aren’t interested in the homecoming royalty anymore," said Susan J. Wells, Panhellenic Vice President of Programming and Development. "It’s time for a new tradition.”
Dozens of other universities across the country have canceled homecoming in recent years due to "student apathy," according to 2010 report by the U.S. Department of Education.

Fabulist Quotation

Journalist Jonathan Fabulist admitted to fabricating parts of his autobiography on Wednesday.

Edit Your Peers

1. Washington state provided a subsidy of more than $2,000 for in-state students.

2. "The $13.5 million is the tip of a larger iceberg." coordinator of arts and culture Jerry McCollum said.

3. What I know is the system is broken right now,"President Floyd said." We can't live in a world with 14 percent tuition increases."

4. The co-presidents announced a club to meet more people who are interested in hiking.

5. "There are still new things to say with art music," said Williams. "It's is hard to stop and listen, but when you do it can be an extremely pleasant surprise."

6. In September, the wine tasting endorsement will be available in stores, according to Jane Westman, culinary coordinator for Metropolitan Market.

7. He died of a heart attack in September 1996.

8. The club has their own engineer.

9. When the cannon blasted off, it added to the emotion of the game.

Shorten the following sentences:

1. Sleep becomes less of a priority for many students.

2. A new workout routine is sweeping the country.

Does this need attribution:

1. When you tell somebody not to do something they are going to want to do it even more.
YES

2. YES

3. Organized crime has nearly all control over unions and the concrete industry in New York.
YES

4. This new trend is taking hold in many areas across the nation, especially high population areas and college campuses.
YES

5. Students do not stop and think of the consequences that might occur after a night of drinking.
YES

Two Speech Ledes

1. Higher eduaction will remain at risk until the economy improves, said District 9 Sen. Mark Schoesler when speaking about the WSU budget cuts and tuition increase.

2. The planets rising temperature has lead to a dramatic decrease in the amphibian population, said associate professor Andrew Storfer.

City Budget Plan

City of Seattle plans to close its libraries for a week during the summer and layoff  30 city workers.
Nickels announced his plans to cut $13.3 million out of the 2009 general-fund budget.
"It's no secret that we are in the worst economic crisis in decades here in Seattle," Nickels said during a news conference.
The cuts the mayor announced Friday, along with money left over from 2008, will cover this year's $29.5 million shortfall.
Most city departments will take between a 1 and 3 percent cut.
A group of city employees is planning an "informational picket" outside City Hall on Monday morning from 7 to 8:30 a.m. to protest the mayor's cuts.
The city's budget cuts won't be over then. Budget director Dwight Dively projects the city will be about $40 million short in 2010. There is still $25 million in the rainy-day fund to help close that gap.

Tragedy on Ice

4. Four boys age 7 to 11 drowned when a group of seven boys plunged through thin ice.

8. It was the worst local Merrimack River tragedy in nearly a century.

1. As seven boys finished their snack run from the Lawrence Boys & Girls Club to Hanson's Market yesterday afternoon, a sudden urge to slide around prompted 11-year-old William Rodriguez to dash for the serene expanse of river ice.

15. "Willie said he wanted to go down to the river, to slide on the Ice," Ivan said. “We tried to stop him.”

2. The ice was one to two inches thick where they ventured off the river bank. Four inches is considered the minimum to support more than one person, and river ice may not be safe even at that thickness because of currents and other factors.

6. Because of the steep embankment, rescuers were forced to use ladders to bring the children up off the river to the waiting ambulances.

10. The catastrophe left four boys dead, their families crushed and rescue workers shaken following an afternoon of fighting a river of broken ice, the steep mud-covered bank and driving rain.

11. Dead are William Rodriguez, 11, of 292 Howard St.; Christopher Casado, 7, of 18 Jasper Court; Mackendy Constant, 8, of 7 Clinton St.; and Victor Baez, 9, 46 Bernard Ave.

12. Surviving the incident were Francis Spraus, 9, 14 School St.; Christopher's brother Ivan Casado, 9, 18 Jasper Court; Jaycob Morales, 10, 4 Winslow Place.

13. Ivan and Francis were released from the hospital last night, and recalled the story from its quiet start.

14. "I threw the rope out once and it landed too far away, so I threw it out again, and again it was too far for them to reach," said Jacques Fournier, a retired maintenance worker.

5. Lawrence and Andover firefighters equipped with ice rescue suits arrived and after a search of the area where the boys went in, found the four remaining boys under the ice, 25 feet from shore in 15-20 feet of water.

7. Members of the state police, Lawrence Police and Merrimack Valley dive teams entered the 38-degree water and conducted an area search to be sure no one was left behind.

18. "My legs started to get stiff, and I had a freezing headache," Francis said. "I was hanging on to Christopher, but he started to slip under. I tried holding on to his hand, but it was like he let go."

H1N1 Vaccine

Whitman County withholds 360 doses of H1N1 vaccines from the public.

Editing Passive Voice

1. Police in riot gear fired rubber coated bullets into the crowd.

2. Later in the day, the boss himself informed the employees of the layoffs

3. Lebron James missed a three-point shot with five-seconds left.

4. Jim avoided tall buildings and mountain roads because he had such a fear of heights.

5. The Legislature is considering the bill.

6. The government persues the practice of covering up mistakes.

7. The officer reported the the car crash at 1:30 am Monday.

8. The earthquake destroyed the tiny island.

9. The senator enacted a new law to fight crime

10. Julia abandoned the candidate.