AN ACT Relating to international education and
cultural exchanges; creating new sections; and providing an expiration date.
BE
IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.
The Washington task force on international education and cultural exchanges is
established. The task force shall be administered by the higher education
coordinating board, with the assistance and support of the superintendent of
public instruction, institutions of higher education, the department of trade
and economic development, and other appropriate state agencies. The members of
the task force may include but need not be limited to: Legislators; executives
from business and agriculture; labor leaders; native American tribal
representatives; officials from local government; regents and trustees;
administrators from schools, community and technical colleges, colleges, and
universities; faculty; and representatives from cultural and cultural exchange
organizations. To the extent possible when selecting members for the task
force, the board shall select members from diverse cultural backgrounds and
shall strive to promote geographic balance.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.
The purposes of the task force shall include but need not be limited to:
(1) Recommending policy, programs, and
activities that will help to ensure that universities, colleges, community and
technical colleges, and the common schools are providing all students with an
education that includes an understanding of the languages, culture, traditions,
history, and government of peoples of and from other lands and other indigenous
cultures;
(2) Recommending ways to enhance and promote
student, faculty, and cultural exchanges with people from other lands and other
indigenous cultures and to provide every college student with an opportunity to
study abroad or to study other cultures indigenous to this area;
(3) Recommending the desirability of
integrating an international and multicultural perspective into courses in
history, political science, education, sociology, business, and other academic
programs;
(4) Recommending the feasibility of requiring
coursework in the language and the culture, history, or government of another
country or region, or of native American peoples, as a condition of graduation
from a public school, college, or university;
(5) Recommending, as a condition of teacher
certification, the desirability of requiring coursework in multicultural and
international perspectives and understanding students from other lands and
cultures;
(6) Completing and disseminating a survey of
all Washington community and technical colleges, colleges, and universities
that shall include but need not be limited to information on: The international
and multicultural issues, relationships, and activities underway or
contemplated at each institution; formal and informal relationships with
institutions in other lands, or institutions serving native American peoples;
the number of Washington's students studying abroad; and the number of
international students enrolled in each institution of higher education;
(7) Gathering information on sister city and
other formal and informal relationships between the state's local governments
and cities, states, provinces, and regions in other lands and native American
tribes;
(8) Recommending ways to enrich the experience
of international students and students from other indigenous cultures at
Washington's community and technical colleges, colleges, universities, and high
schools;
(9) Identifying ways that international
students and students from other indigenous cultures enrich the state's economy
and the academic culture of the state's schools and colleges;
(10) Recommending ways to enhance the coordination
of cultural exchange opportunities;
(11) Recommending collaborative structures and
programs to facilitate the development and assessment of international and
multicultural education and cultural exchanges; and
(12) Identifying private and public funding
methods to ensure a sustained investment in international and multicultural
education in Washington state.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.
The board may accept gifts, grants, donations, devises, and bequests to
facilitate the work of the task force.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. By
December 30, 1993, with the assistance of the higher education coordinating
board, the task force shall provide a preliminary report to the governor and
the legislature. The report shall include recommendations of the task force
for any legislation needed to facilitate its work and implement its findings
and recommendations. By October 1, 1994, the board shall report additional
findings and recommendations of the task force to the governor, the house of
representatives and senate higher education committees, the superintendent of
public instruction, and to the presidents of each college and university in the
state.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 5.
This act shall expire June 30, 1995.
