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(DSHS secretary says agency running $25M short — besides the courts’ $30M mental health mandate_0)
(Baylor alumni magazine issue focuses on split from university)
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Social safety net programs overseen by Washington s biggest state government agency are running in the red, and the hole likely will require a $25 million patch from the Legislature in January.That s the assessment of Department of Social and Health Services Secretary Kevin Quigley, who described the situation as a budget crisis. He said a surge in calls to Child Protective Services hotlines, higher costs in welfare <a href=http://www.alportico.net/page.php?sale=True-Religion-Vancouver>True Religion Jeans On Sale</a>  programs and mental hospitals, and information technology needs are all driving his agency s budget shortfall.Quigley said that shortfall is in addition to the $30 million needed to stop the practice of psychiatric boarding, which the state Supreme Court ruled last month must stop. The high court has given until Dec. 26 to halt the practice of sticking such patients in hospital emergency rooms without appropriate treatment.Beyond the psychiatric boarding issues, the department s shortfall which Quigley estimated at $25 million to $26 million includes a gap in Child Protective Services where calls to hotlines reporting abuse or seeking help have been surging. Quigley thinks he ll need $6 million to $8 million in emergency spending to fix the problem, and he may have to add 50 to 100 more staffers.Calls and investigations have increased by 10 to 15 percent and have led to a backlog of 2,000 cases not handled within the 90-day limit his agency must meet. Quigley said there were about 2,000 cases exceeding that limit when Gov. Jay Inslee took office in early 2013. The agency had since reduced the backlog to about 600 cases, only to see it go back up to 2,000. There should be zero cases open more than 90 days. In fact, there should be zero cases open more than 60 days, in my opinion, he said.One other particular area of concern is the state s mental hospitals, which overspent budgets by about $3 million in the year that ended June 30. These facilities will be $6 million in the hole by the time lawmakers return in January, Quigley said. The big challenge normally is if you don t have funding, you have to close <a href=http://www.avanttravel.com/page.php?sale=Tory-Burch-Moccasins>Tory Burch Moccasins</a>  a ward. But the Legislature has been quite clear they don t want to close wards, Quigley said. He said lawmakers of both parties deserve credit for raising funding for mental hospitals, but he expects them to have concerns about the management of overtime pay as they try to contain costs. Other costs are rising in welfare programs, which have required extra personnel to process claims. A big piece of potentially $8 million in extra expenses is in information technology and includes a fix for the computer program used to determine eligibility for benefits. Other costs are for doing incapacity exams for disabled people who are in transition to being covered by Social Security and to move community-services staffers in Vancouver from a leased building to a state-owned structure.The agency is having more success sticking to the budget in other areas. Budgets for aging and long-term care, developmental disabilities and juvenile rehabilitation seem to be in good shape, according to the secretary.Top House and Senate budget writers could not be reached immediately for comment Monday. But the welfare programs division known as Community Services recently staged from Senate Republican Leader Mark Schoesler of Ritzville, who called it a splurge.  I m very skeptical <a href=http://www.avanttravel.com/page.php?sale=Christian-Louboutin-Purple>Christian Louboutin Purple</a>  of their budgeting. I think they always have slush money tucked away (Agencies) always trot out the most needy or cite a court ruling, Schoesler said Monday. But clearly we re not out of budget difficulties and they ve shown real insensitivity. Quigley defended the trainings, which the agency estimated to have cost $217 for each of the more than 2,100 employees who attended two-day workshops in Tacoma. The state paid $17,500 to a humorist and motivational speaker to address each of three workshops, but Quigley said community service offices have high turnover and it makes sense to spend $217 on boosting a staffer s morale than to spend $25,000 training a new worker.  
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Themed 鈥淭he Real Story,鈥?the newest issue <a href=http://www.cicviseu.net/page.php?sale=Tory-Burch-Logo>Tory Burch Logo</a>  of 鈥淭he Baylor Line鈥?magazine retraces the group鈥檚 tumultuous relationship with Baylor, which culminated last year with a failed attempt to merge its operations with the university. The issue also reiterates BAA鈥檚 stance on the importance of maintaining an independent alumni association.
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  Brad Shannon: 360-753-1688
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The magazine was emailed to members Wednesday, while print copies of the publication were mailed out beginning Thursday.
 +
  鈥淥ne of the most asked questions from our members was, 鈥楬ow did we get to where we are? What has happened in the past that has brought us to this place?鈥?鈥?BAA President George Cowden III said. 鈥淲e have an obligation with the members to be transparent with the decisions that we鈥檙e making and the reasons behind it, and we wanted to have members that are informed about the issues between the parties.鈥?
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September 2013 vote
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BAA last printed 鈥淭he Baylor Line鈥?in September 2013 ahead of a vote on a transition agreement that would have dissolved the organization and consolidated alumni outreach under Baylor. That agreement also would have created a nonvoting alumni position on Baylor鈥檚 Board of Regents and cleared the way for creation of a new nonprofit entity to continue publishing the alumni magazine.
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While 55 percent of the 1,499 members who voted in-person at Waco Hall were in favor of the agreement, that did not meet the two-thirds majority required for the measure to pass in accordance with BAA鈥檚 bylaws.
 +
Baylor then announced its intentions to sever licensing agreements that allowed BAA to function, and all but one of the alumni association鈥檚 staff members resigned, most of whom took positions at the university.
 +
The cover story of the latest issue points to disagreements with former Baylor President Robert Sloan, who took issue with stories in 鈥淭he Line鈥?he believed were unnecessarily critical of his leadership, as the beginning of the contentious relationship.
 +
It further charges that wealthy alumni who supported Sloan and have since served on Baylor鈥檚 Board of Regents orchestrated efforts to force the group to dissolve its charter.
 +
The cover story does not have a byline.
 +
Baylor Spokeswoman Lori Fogleman said the university would not comment on the magazine鈥檚 publication or content, but she said BAA has not informed the university of its future plans since the vote.
 +
鈥淲e remain profoundly disappointed (that) the time frame now spans two years and the association apparently has not made any progress at all deciding how in the future they might be helpful to the university and our students,鈥?Fogleman said, referencing an initial period of negotiations between BAA leaders and members of the Board of Regents that lead to the proposal of the transition agreement.
 +
鈥淲e鈥檙e in the midst of a period of historic success that鈥檚 being celebrated by Baylor Nation, and it affects every area of our university, so the inability and unwillingness of the association to fulfill its purpose to support Baylor University perplexes and saddens us.鈥?
 +
Action timeline
 +
The magazine also includes a timeline of actions taken by Baylor to diminish BAA鈥檚 effectiveness, including:
 +
Sloan鈥檚 decision to revoke BAA鈥檚 funding in 2002 after the organization said it would not merge with Baylor or give up its name to be used by Baylor鈥檚 newly created Office of Alumni Services, now named Office of Constituent Engagement;
 +
Blocking BAA from using an on-campus call center to solicit memberships and donations in 2009;
 +
Banning BAA from addressing new graduates at commencement or having an alumni tent outside of the graduation exercises;
 +
Barring the organization from receiving <a href=http://www.cicviseu.net/page.php?sale=Tory-Burch-T-Shirt>Tory Burch Flat Sale</a>  graduates鈥?contact information;
 +
Tearing down the Hughes-Dillard Alumni Center that served as BAA鈥檚 headquarters since 1978 last summer to create a grassy plaza for a pedestrian bridge across the Brazos River, connecting McLane Stadium to the main Baylor campus.
 +
The university previously gave BAA until last December to cease using Baylor鈥檚 name and trademarks, including 鈥淭he Baylor Line鈥?title. Fogleman declined to say whether Baylor plans to take any action against BAA for continuing to use the trademarks, but added that the university is concerned about protecting the proper authorized use of its name.
 +
Office space
 +
The university in December locked the remaining BAA staff members out of offices the organization had been using in Baylor鈥檚 Clifton Robinson administrative tower, which forced the alumni group to rent office space off campus for the first time in its history.
 +
Cowden said BAA disagrees that Baylor has the authority to impose such an order, based on the organization鈥檚 interpretation of licensing agreements it signed with Baylor in 1993 and 1994, which were a point of contention among members during the vote on the transition agreement.
 +
Those documents also are reprinted in the magazine.
 +
The future of both the alumni association and the magazine remains undecided. BAA is holding a board of directors meeting and annual membership gathering May 31 at the Waco Hilton Hotel to elect new officers and discuss general business.
 +
  An agenda has not been set, but Cowden said he <a href=http://architectscanterbury.co.uk/page.php?sale=True-Religion-Bubble-Vest>True Religion Bubble Vest</a>  expects the group will decide whether to resume printing 鈥淭he Line鈥?on a quarterly basis as it had been published in the past as well as options for the association鈥檚 future direction.
 +
The group is considering at least three options to continue operating, including:
 +
Keeping the name 鈥淏aylor Alumni Association鈥?and picking up its traditional programming,
 +
Changing the name but still functioning as an alumni outreach group,
 +
Or changing its charter to become a foundation that would focus on raising money for scholarships.
 +
Cowden said the group is still hopeful for a reconciliation with Baylor that will allow the group to support the university while maintaining its independence.
 +
  鈥淲e鈥檙e committed to having the members decide the direction of the alumni association,鈥?Cowden said.

Revision as of 13:28, 13 September 2014

@@@ Themed 鈥淭he Real Story,鈥?the newest issue <a href=http://www.cicviseu.net/page.php?sale=Tory-Burch-Logo>Tory Burch Logo</a> of 鈥淭he Baylor Line鈥?magazine retraces the group鈥檚 tumultuous relationship with Baylor, which culminated last year with a failed attempt to merge its operations with the university. The issue also reiterates BAA鈥檚 stance on the importance of maintaining an independent alumni association. 

The magazine was emailed to members Wednesday, while print copies of the publication were mailed out beginning Thursday.
鈥淥ne of the most asked questions from our members was, 鈥楬ow did we get to where we are? What has happened in the past that has brought us to this place?鈥?鈥?BAA President George Cowden III said. 鈥淲e have an obligation with the members to be transparent with the decisions that we鈥檙e making and the reasons behind it, and we wanted to have members that are informed about the issues between the parties.鈥?
September 2013 vote
BAA last printed 鈥淭he Baylor Line鈥?in September 2013 ahead of a vote on a transition agreement that would have dissolved the organization and consolidated alumni outreach under Baylor. That agreement also would have created a nonvoting alumni position on Baylor鈥檚 Board of Regents and cleared the way for creation of a new nonprofit entity to continue publishing the alumni magazine.
While 55 percent of the 1,499 members who voted in-person at Waco Hall were in favor of the agreement, that did not meet the two-thirds majority required for the measure to pass in accordance with BAA鈥檚 bylaws.
Baylor then announced its intentions to sever licensing agreements that allowed BAA to function, and all but one of the alumni association鈥檚 staff members resigned, most of whom took positions at the university.
The cover story of the latest issue points to disagreements with former Baylor President Robert Sloan, who took issue with stories in 鈥淭he Line鈥?he believed were unnecessarily critical of his leadership, as the beginning of the contentious relationship.
It further charges that wealthy alumni who supported Sloan and have since served on Baylor鈥檚 Board of Regents orchestrated efforts to force the group to dissolve its charter.
The cover story does not have a byline.
Baylor Spokeswoman Lori Fogleman said the university would not comment on the magazine鈥檚 publication or content, but she said BAA has not informed the university of its future plans since the vote.
鈥淲e remain profoundly disappointed (that) the time frame now spans two years and the association apparently has not made any progress at all deciding how in the future they might be helpful to the university and our students,鈥?Fogleman said, referencing an initial period of negotiations between BAA leaders and members of the Board of Regents that lead to the proposal of the transition agreement.
鈥淲e鈥檙e in the midst of a period of historic success that鈥檚 being celebrated by Baylor Nation, and it affects every area of our university, so the inability and unwillingness of the association to fulfill its purpose to support Baylor University perplexes and saddens us.鈥?
Action timeline
The magazine also includes a timeline of actions taken by Baylor to diminish BAA鈥檚 effectiveness, including:
Sloan鈥檚 decision to revoke BAA鈥檚 funding in 2002 after the organization said it would not merge with Baylor or give up its name to be used by Baylor鈥檚 newly created Office of Alumni Services, now named Office of Constituent Engagement;
Blocking BAA from using an on-campus call center to solicit memberships and donations in 2009;
Banning BAA from addressing new graduates at commencement or having an alumni tent outside of the graduation exercises;
Barring the organization from receiving <a href=http://www.cicviseu.net/page.php?sale=Tory-Burch-T-Shirt>Tory Burch Flat Sale</a>  graduates鈥?contact information;
Tearing down the Hughes-Dillard Alumni Center that served as BAA鈥檚 headquarters since 1978 last summer to create a grassy plaza for a pedestrian bridge across the Brazos River, connecting McLane Stadium to the main Baylor campus.
The university previously gave BAA until last December to cease using Baylor鈥檚 name and trademarks, including 鈥淭he Baylor Line鈥?title. Fogleman declined to say whether Baylor plans to take any action against BAA for continuing to use the trademarks, but added that the university is concerned about protecting the proper authorized use of its name.
Office space
The university in December locked the remaining BAA staff members out of offices the organization had been using in Baylor鈥檚 Clifton Robinson administrative tower, which forced the alumni group to rent office space off campus for the first time in its history.
Cowden said BAA disagrees that Baylor has the authority to impose such an order, based on the organization鈥檚 interpretation of licensing agreements it signed with Baylor in 1993 and 1994, which were a point of contention among members during the vote on the transition agreement.
Those documents also are reprinted in the magazine.
The future of both the alumni association and the magazine remains undecided. BAA is holding a board of directors meeting and annual membership gathering May 31 at the Waco Hilton Hotel to elect new officers and discuss general business.
An agenda has not been set, but Cowden said he <a href=http://architectscanterbury.co.uk/page.php?sale=True-Religion-Bubble-Vest>True Religion Bubble Vest</a>  expects the group will decide whether to resume printing 鈥淭he Line鈥?on a quarterly basis as it had been published in the past as well as options for the association鈥檚 future direction.
The group is considering at least three options to continue operating, including:
Keeping the name 鈥淏aylor Alumni Association鈥?and picking up its traditional programming,
Changing the name but still functioning as an alumni outreach group,
Or changing its charter to become a foundation that would focus on raising money for scholarships.
Cowden said the group is still hopeful for a reconciliation with Baylor that will allow the group to support the university while maintaining its independence.
鈥淲e鈥檙e committed to having the members decide the direction of the alumni association,鈥?Cowden said.
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