AN ACT Relating to higher education financial aid; and amending RCW 28B.10.802, 28B.10.804, 28B.10.810, and 28B.15.065.

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

Sec. 1. Section 8, chapter 222, Laws of 1969 ex. sess. as last amended by section 56, chapter 370, Laws of 1985 and RCW 28B.10.802 are each amended to read as follows:

As used in RCW 28B.10.800 through 28B.10.824:

(1) "Institutions of higher education" shall mean (1) any public university, college, community college, or vocational-technical institute operated by the state of Washington or any political subdivision thereof or (2) any other university, college, school, or institute in the state of Washington offering instruction beyond the high school level which is a member institution of an accrediting association recognized by rule of the board for the purposes of this section: PROVIDED, That any institution, branch, extension or facility operating within the state of Washington which is affiliated with an institution operating in another state must be a separately accredited member institution of any such accrediting association: PROVIDED FURTHER, That no institution of higher education shall be eligible to participate in a student financial aid program unless it agrees to and complies with program rules and regulations adopted pursuant to RCW 28B.10.822.

(2) The term "financial aid" shall mean loans and/or grants to needy students enrolled or accepted for enrollment as a part time or full time student at institutions of higher education.

(3) The term "needy student" shall mean a post high school student of an institution of higher learning as defined in subsection (1) of this section who demonstrates to the board the financial inability, either through the student's parents, family and/or personally, to meet the total cost of board, room, books, and tuition and incidental fees for any semester or quarter.

(4) The term "disadvantaged student" shall mean a post high school student who by reason of adverse cultural, educational, environmental, experiential, familial or other circumstances is unable to qualify for enrollment as a full time student in an institution of higher learning, who would otherwise qualify as a needy student, and who is attending an institution of higher learning under an established program designed to qualify the student for enrollment as a full time student.

(5) "Commission" or "board" shall mean the higher education coordinating board.

Sec. 2. Section 10, chapter 222, Laws of 1969 ex. sess. and RCW 28B.10.804 are each amended to read as follows:

The commission shall be cognizant of the following guidelines in the performance of its duties:

(1) The commission shall be research oriented, not only at its inception but continually through its existence.

(2) The commission shall coordinate all existing programs of financial aid except those specifically dedicated to a particular institution by the donor.

(3) The commission shall take the initiative and responsibility for coordinating all federal student financial aid programs to insure that the state recognizes the maximum potential effect of these programs, and shall design the state program which complements existing federal, state and institutional programs.

(4) Counseling is a paramount function of student financial aid, and in most cases could only be properly implemented at the institutional levels; therefore, state student financial aid programs shall be concerned with the attainment of those goals which, in the judgment of the commission, are the reasons for the existence of a student financial aid program, and not solely with administration of the program on an individual basis.

(5) In the development of any new program, the commission shall give equal consideration to part time students in the awarding of financial aid and shall seek advice from and consultation with the institutions of higher learning, state agencies, industry, labor, and such other interested groups as may be able to contribute to the effectiveness of program development and implementation.

(6) The "package" approach of combining loans, grants and employment for student financial aid shall be the conceptional element of the state's involvement.

Sec. 3. Section 13, chapter 222, Laws of 1969 ex. sess. and RCW 28B.10.810 are each amended to read as follows:

For a student to be eligible for financial aid he must:

(1) Be a "needy student" or "disadvantaged student" as determined by the commission in accordance with RCW 28B.10.802 (3) and (4).

(2) Have been domiciled within the state of Washington for at least one year.

(3) Be enrolled or accepted for enrollment as a part time or full time student or as a student under an established program designed to qualify him for enrollment as a part time or full time student at an institution of higher education in Washington.

(4) Have complied with all the rules and regulations adopted by the commission for the administration of RCW 28B.10.800 through 28B.10.824.

Sec. 4. Section 6, chapter 322, Laws of 1977 ex. sess. and RCW 28B.15.065 are each amended to read as follows:

It is the intent of the legislature that needy students not be deprived of access to higher education due to increases in educational costs or consequent increases in tuition and fees. It is the sense of the legislature that state appropriations for student financial aid be adjusted in an amount which together with funds estimated to be available in the form of basic educational opportunity grants as authorized under Section 411 of the federal Higher Education Act of 1965 as now or hereafter amended will equal ((~~twenty-four~~)) forty percent of any change in revenue estimated to occur as a result of revisions in tuition and fee levels under the provisions of this 1977 amendatory act.