HOUSE BILL REPORT

SB 5429

BYSenators Rinehart, Saling, Gaspard and Stratton

Establishing the Washington community college instructional improvement program.

House Committe on Higher Education

Majority Report:  Do pass with amendments.  (12)

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

House Staff:Susan Hosch (786-7120)

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION MARCH 23, 1987

BACKGROUND:

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:

BILL AS AMENDED:  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.  A recommendation on the professorship will be made to the governing board by a faculty committee composed of elected representatives of each of the major divisions or departments within the community college.

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, and released at the request of the State Board for Community College Education.  Money deposited in the trust fund or any local endowment fund for the professorship program is not subject to professional negotiations.

AMENDED BILL COMPARED TO ORIGINAL:  Investment income in the trust or the local endowment fund is not subject to professional negotiations; and a faculty committee will provide advice on the professorship.

Fiscal Note:      Attached.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    Pam Brown, State Board for Community College Education; and Carl Opgaard, Tacoma Community College.

House Committee - Testified Against:      None Presented.

House Committee - Testimony For:    This program will provide a tool to assist community colleges in recruiting and retaining outstanding faculty, especially in highly competitive specialty areas.  The community college system recommended an amendment to provide a mechanism for faculty input into the program.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      None Presented.