AN ACT Relating to the organization of the regional universities and The Evergreen State College; adding a new chapter to Title 28B RCW; adding new sections to chapter 43.131 RCW; repealing section 1 of this act and RCW 28B.___.___; repealing section 2 of this act and RCW 28B.___.___; repealing section 3 of this act and RCW 28B.___.___; repealing section 4 of this act and RCW 28B.___.___; and repealing section 5 of this act and RCW 28B.___.___; making an appropriation; providing an effective date; and declaring an emergency.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. There is hereby created a board of regents for the regional universities and The Evergreen State College. The board shall consist of nine members: One from the board of trustees for each of the institutions and five public members. The governor shall appoint, with the consent of the senate, the five public members of the board of regents and shall appoint one of the public members to be the chairperson of the board. The institutions shall select on an annual basis one of their board of trustee members to serve on the board. Public members shall serve terms of six years, except that initial appointments shall be staggered so that no more than one member has a term expiring in the same year.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter.

(1) "Board" means the state board of regents for the regional universities and The Evergreen State College.

(2) "Institutions" means the regional universities and The Evergreen State College.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. In addition to any other powers and duties prescribed by law, the board of regents:

(1) Shall prepare a consolidated budget from the individual operating and capital budgets submitted to it by each of the institutions. The board may receive, administer, and allot appropriated funds to the institutions, and shall be the allotting agency for the institutions for the purposes of chapter 43.88 RCW;

(2) Shall administer enrollment policies established by the legislature and may establish other enrollment policies which are consistent with those established by law. On or before the last day of July of each odd-numbered year, the board shall adopt an enrollment policy which designates enrollment levels for each of the institutions for the current and ensuing biennia;

(3) Shall establish admission standards and policies for the institutions and shall have the authority, at its discretion, to directly administer the admission of students to any or all of the institutions;

(4) May designate which courses, programs, and exclusive program areas shall be offered at each of the institutions, provided that such policies are consistent with other statutory provisions;

(5) Shall develop policies and operating allocations for the conduct of all off-campus programs of the institutions. The policies shall provide that off-campus programs shall be provided by the institution closest to the program site unless circumstances justify an exception to this requirement. Faculty involved in an off-campus program shall meet the hiring, retention, and promotion standards of the sponsoring institution's home campus faculty and shall be compensated at the same rate as equivalent campus faculty if state supported faculty are used. Off-campus students shall meet the standards for admission and matriculation of the home campus; and

(6) May make purchases and enter into contracts for goods and services for the institutions or group of institutions when cost advantages or enhanced operations would thereby be accomplished.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. The board of regents shall employ an executive director and such additional staff as may be necessary to carry out their duties and responsibilities.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. The board shall cooperate with the council for postsecondary education or its successor agency to coordinate its planning activities, including but not limited to planning for programs, enrollment policies, and off-campus activities, with such planning at the state level for public and independent institutions of higher education.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. There is hereby appropriated from the state general fund to the board of regents of the Washington state regional universities and The Evergreen State College six hundred thousand dollars, or so much thereof as may be necessary, for the 1985-87 biennium to begin operations. Such savings as may be realized by the regional universities and The Evergreen State College due to their coordinated administration by the board of regents shall be returned by the respective institutions to the operating fund of the board and shall replace this appropriation for the 1985-87 biennium.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 7. Sections 1 through 5 of this act shall constitute a new chapter in Title 28B RCW.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 8. A new section is added to chapter 43.131 RCW to read as follows:

The state board of regents for the regional universities and The Evergreen State College and its powers and duties shall be terminated June 30, 1990.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 9. A new section is added to chapter 43.131 RCW to read as follows:

The following acts or parts of acts, as now existing or hereafter amended, are each repealed effective June 30, 1991:

(1) Section 1 of this act and RCW 28B.___.___;

(2) Section 2 of this act and RCW 28B.___.___;

(3) Section 3 of this act and RCW 28B.___.___;

(4) Section 4 of this act and RCW 28B.___.___; and

(5) Section 5 of this act and RCW 28B.___.___.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 10. If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 11. Sections 1 through 6 of this act are necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, and safety, the support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and shall take effect July 1, 1985.