HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  HB 1419

             As Reported By House Committee on:

                      Higher Education

Title:  An act relating to community college faculty.

Brief Description:  Stopping the conversion of full‑time community college faculty positions to part‑time positions.

Sponsor(s):  Representatives Spanel, Jacobsen, Sheldon, Wood, Van Luven, Miller, Brekke, Fraser, R. King, Prentice, R. Johnson, Valle, Nelson, Haugen, Scott, Jones and Winsley.

Brief History:

  Reported by House Committee on:

Higher Education, February 20, 1991, DPS.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON

HIGHER EDUCATION

Majority Report: That Substitute House Bill No. 1419 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.  Signed by 11 members:  Representatives Jacobsen, Chair; Ogden, Vice Chair; Wood, Ranking Minority Member; May, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Basich; Dellwo; Fraser; Miller; Sheldon; Spanel; and Van Luven. 

Staff:  Susan Hosch (786-7120).

Background:  Part-time faculty comprise about 40 percent of the full-time equivalent (FTE) faculty in the community college system.  These faculty members cannot receive tenure unless they were once full-time tenured faculty.  They can be included within faculty bargaining units.  According to a 1988 report by the Washington Federation of Teachers, the system-wide average salary for a part-time FTE faculty is 51.57 percent of a full-time FTE.

Summary of Substitute Bill:  The Legislature places the highest priority on improving instructional quality in the community colleges.  The Legislature recognizes that increasing the number of full-time faculty in the system will help to improve instructional quality.  The Legislature also recognizes that part-time faculty provide flexibility and specialized expertise needed by community colleges.  The Legislature intends that part-time faculty supplement, not replace, full-time faculty.  The Legislature also intends that part-time faculty not be hired as a source of inexpensive labor.  In order to enhance instructional quality and provide more equitable treatment for part-time faculty, the Legislature intends to reduce the number of part-time faculty and increase the number of full-time faculty positions in the community college system.

By July 1, 1995, at least 75 percent of all full-time equivalent faculty in the community college system will be full-time faculty.  Up to 25 percent of the full-time equivalent faculty may be part-time faculty.

This ratio will be achieved in a phased-in manner.  In addition, these requirements will not be used to discourage job sharing of full-time positions.

If the Legislature does not provide funding to begin phasing in an increase in the number of full-time faculty by June 30, 1991, the requirement to increase the percentage of full-time equivalent faculty to 75 percent is null and void.  If funding to begin achieving the ratio is provided, the requirements shall take effect on July 1, 1991.

Part-time community college faculty will receive 76 percent of a full time salary, consistent with the full-time instructional load of the respective department and college where the faculty member is employed.  If funding is provided by July 1, 1991, this requirement will take effect on that date.  If funding is not provided by July 1, 1991, this requirement is null and void.

Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill:  If funding is available by July 1, 1991, part-time faculty in the community college system will receive 76 percent of a full-time salary, consistent with the full-time load of the department and college where the faculty member is employed.  If funding is not available by that date, the requirement is null and void.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

Effective Date of Substitute Bill:  The bill contains several contingent effective dates.  Please refer to the bill.

Testimony For:  Sixty percent of the headcount faculty in the community college system are part-time faculty.  Some of them are actually teaching full-time, but are making half the salary that a full-time faculty member makes.  Most part-time faculty do not receive medical or retirement benefits, and most are not eligible for unemployment compensation.  The quality of the community college system would be enhanced if more faculty were able to devote full-time to teaching, advising students, and improving the curriculum.  Instead, many part-time faculty members spend their time driving from job to job in order to make a living.

Testimony Against:  None.

Witnesses:  Richard Ferro, Green River Community College; William Bennett, Seattle Community College; Wendy Rader-Konofalski, Washington Federation of Teachers; Garth Regudon, student, Shoreline Community College; Julianne Clark, North Seattle Community College; Heidi Helwig, Shoreline Community College; Dolores Denny, Everett Community College, North Seattle Community College; and JoyBelle Conrad Rice, Washington Federation of Teachers (all in favor).