AN ACT Relating to community college faculty; adding new sections to chapter 28B.50 RCW; and creating a new section.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature intends to provide for the recognition of community college faculty who exceed the normal requirements of their positions. The legislature finds that many community college instructors provide excellent service to their college, community, students, and to their chosen field and that such service deserves recognition.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 28B.50 RCW to read as follows:

(1) The state board for community college education shall establish a policy for a ranking system for community college faculty. The policy for the ranking system shall provide for: (a) Not more than twenty percent of the full-time faculty members with continuing contracts in a community college district to be designated with the rank of professor; (b) not more than twenty percent of the full-time faculty members with continuing contracts in a community college district to be designated with the rank of associate professor; (c) not more than twenty percent of the full-time faculty members with continuing contracts in a community college district to be designated with the rank of assistant professor; and (d) all faculty not receiving the designations in (a), (b), or (c) of this subsection, and including part-time faculty, to be designated as instructors. The policy shall include the standards to be used in determining the ranking of each faculty member. The standards shall be based on factors including but not limited to teaching excellence, subject area competence, recognition by peers, community service, education, experience, service to a chosen profession or field, service to students, service to the college, and advancement and knowledge in applicable fields.

(2) The state board for community college education shall submit the policy to the higher education coordinating board for approval or disapproval not later than December 15, 1987. The higher education coordinating board shall approve or disapprove the policy by March 1, 1988. Any revisions of the initial policy shall be resubmitted to the higher education coordinating board in a timely fashion and the board shall complete its review so that the policy can be implemented no later than June 1, 1988. If the state board for community college education cannot submit a policy to the higher education coordinating board that can be approved by June 1, 1988, then the higher education coordinating board shall devise a policy and approve it no later than September 1, 1988.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. A new section is added to chapter 28B.50 RCW to read as follows:

(1) Each community college board of trustees shall develop a plan to implement the policy on ranking under section 1 of this act. The district's plan shall include: (a) Procedures for implementing the standards adopted under section 1 of this act and for designating the appropriate rank of each faculty member; (b) procedures for reevaluating all faculty ranked as professor, associate professor, or assistant professor every three years; (c) procedures for notifying faculty members about problems, establishing probationary periods consistent with the notice, hearing, and review provisions of RCW 28B.50.851 through 28B.50.869, and changing the rank of persons not fulfilling the conditions of the probationary period; and (d) other procedures necessary to implement the policy.

(2) Each community college district board of trustees shall develop a salary schedule that recognizes the rank of the faculty members. The salary for the rank of professor shall begin at five percent higher than the maximum salary for associate professor. The salary for the rank of associate professor shall begin at five percent higher than the maximum salary for assistant professor. The salary for the rank of associate professor shall begin at five percent higher than the maximum salary for instructor. The salary schedule shall provide that the maximum salary rate for instructor shall be the maximum rate paid for part-time instructors and extra assignments for full-time faculty. (3) The ranking system adopted by the board of trustees of a community college district and the actual rank given a particular individual are not subjects for negotiations under chapter 28B.52 RCW.

(4) Provisions of any contract in force as of the effective date of this section which conflict with the requirements of this section or section 1 of this act shall continue in effect until contract expiration. After expiration, any new contract executed between the parties shall be consistent with this section.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. 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.