HOUSE BILL REPORT

HB 362

BYRepresentatives Basich, K. Wilson, Jacobsen, Nelson, Prince, Heavey, Allen, Unsoeld, Jesernig, Miller, Grant, R. King, Wang, P. King, Todd and Wineberry

Establishing the Washington community college instructional improvement program.

House Committe on Higher Education

Majority Report:     The substitute be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  (11)

     Signed by Representatives Jacobsen, Chair; Heavey, Vice Chair; Allen, Barnes, Basich, Jesernig, Nelson, Prince, Silver, Unsoeld and K. Wilson.

House Staff:Susan Hosch (786-7120)

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION JANUARY 27, 1987

BACKGROUND:

The state's public universities and college have had a difficult time in recent years in recruiting and retaining outstanding faculty.  These institutions have been at a disadvantage with some other educational institutions and private organizations which are able to offer higher salaries, more research support and better opportunities for professional development.  The major reason for Washington's inadequate competitive position: a lack of available state funds.

In 1985, Washington instituted an innovative program to attract and retain outstanding faculty.  The distinguished professorship program was designed to match public and private funds in support of preeminent scholars at the public four-year universities and college.  The community colleges have requested that a similar program be created for outstanding community college faculty.

SUMMARY:

SUBSTITUTE BILL: The Washington community college instructional improvement program is established to help community colleges create endowments for funding distinguished professorships.  The program will be administered by the State Board for Community College Education, which will set priorities and evaluate requests for matching funds.  All community colleges will be eligible to receive matching funds, but none may receive more than two professorships in any one biennium.  Colleges may apply for grants of $50,000 to $100,000 when they can match the state funds with equal cash donations from private sources.  Once granted, the professorship becomes the property of the individual college which shall designate the recipient annually, and may name the professorship in honor of a donor, benefactor or honoree.  Each college is responsible for soliciting private donations, investing and maintaining all endowment funds, administering the professorship and reporting on the program.  Each college may augment the endowment fund with additional, unrestricted private donations, but none shall reduce the principal of the invested endowment fund.

Interest income from the endowment fund may be used either to supplement the salary of the holder of the professorship, to pay salaries for the professor's assistants, and to pay expenses associated with the professor's program area, or to enable a professor to be relieved of teaching duties for up to one year to pursue scholarly work or enhance his or her instructional skills.

Funds appropriated for the community college instructional improvement program shall be administered and invested by the state treasurer.  Monies deposited in the trust fund or any local endowment fund for the professorship program are not subject to professional negotiations.

SUBSTITUTE BILL COMPARED TO ORIGINAL:  Interest income from the trust fund and the local endowment funds is not subject to professional negotiations.

Fiscal Note:    Not Requested.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:     Carl Opgaard, President, Tacoma Community College; Pam Brown, SBCCE.

House Committee - Testified Against: None Presented.

House Committee - Testimony For:     This program virtually parallels the successful distinguished professorship program for the state's four year universities and college.  However, it is tailored to fit the needs of the community college system.  The program will challenge the schools to expand their outside fund raising efforts, and will provide an important incentive for community supporters who wish to enhance their college's instructional programs.  It will also act as a tool in helping community colleges retain outstanding faculty members who teach in highly competitive fields or who need some release time for augmenting their instructional skills.

House Committee - Testimony Against: None Presented.