STF Tech Initiatives

I. Tech Initiatives Timeline
   (Academic Year 2025-2026)

Tech Initiatives is the process used to allocate the annual proposals portion of the Student Tech Fee ($4.35 out of the $35.00 quarterly fee). These initiatives can be technology ideas from any Western student, faculty, or staff. Submittals are reviewed by the STF Tech Initiatives Committee. If approved, initiatives are funded by the STF and implemented on campus. Successful initiatives must meet one or more objectives of the Student Technology Fee mission. The Tech Initiatives process has two distinct phases: the abstract phase and the proposal phase.

Dates may be subject to change

Phase One: January-February 2026
DateItems Due
Dec 3All students and employees receive an email regarding the annual Student Technology Fee (STF) and requesting Tech Initiatives abstracts.
Jan 12Due to STF Tech Initiatives Committee: one-page Tech Initiatives abstracts.
Jan 13-
Jan 30
STF Tech initiatives Committee reviews abstracts received by the deadline; selects abstracts to continue to Phase Two.
Jan 30STF Tech Initiatives Committee invites (by email) selected abstract applicants to submit proposals.
Phase Two: March-May 2026
DateItems Due
Mar 2Due to STF Tech Initiatives Committee: all Tech Initiatives proposals.
 
Mar 3STF Tech Initiatives Committee shares Tech Initiatives proposals with Academic Technology Committee (ATC) for ATC review.
Mar 3 - 
Apr 10
STF Tech Initiatives Committee reviews Tech Initiatives proposals (to include site visits as needed); reviews ATC comments and votes on recommendations.
Apr 24STF Tech Initiatives Committee sends Tech Initiatives project recommendations to AS Senate.
May
1-8
AS Senate and Western President approve recommendations.
by
May 16
Award recipients receive award memos via email. (Applicants not receiving awards also receive emails.)

II. Tech Initiatives Instructions and Forms
    (AY 2025)
 

General Instructions / References

Form for Phase One: Abstracts

Form for Phase Two: Proposals

 

III. Approved Tech Initiatives Projects
     (AY 2025)

A list of approved projects will be posted in the table below in June 2025. 
Project
Number
Project Title                                                                                                                                               Award          
2Digital Drawing Tools for Design Students$8,000
3Music Library CD Players$1,190
4Biomedical Imaging Equipment to Enhance Student Hands-on Experience & Build Digital Literacy $34,998
6Expanding student access to CNC Router Technology$14,153
7Expanding Engineering's Presence and Impact Using Immersive Virtual, Augmented, and Mixed-Reality Environments$25,897
8WWU MakerMobile Upfit Project$31,088
9Camera Systems to Enhance Student Learning and Experience with Electron Microscopes$18,798
10Modern Elemental Analysis for Students - Acquiring ICP-OES Instrument for Teaching & Research$82,913
11Enhancing Literacy with Tech-Driven Wonderbooks - A Resource for Future Educators$1,500
123D Printer Purchase Proposal$4,930

Go to STF History: Tech Initiatives and Projects for projects and Tech Initiatives funded in previous years.