HOUSE BILL REPORT

                 SHB 2671

                       As Passed House

                      February 15, 1992

Title:  An act relating to higher education.

Brief Description:  Notifying students at public institutions of higher education of the amount their education is subsidized by the state.

Sponsor(s):  By House Committee on Higher Education (originally sponsored by Representatives Silver, Jacobsen, Van Luven, Ludwig, Wood, Ogden, Prince, Ferguson, Padden and Carlson).

Brief History:

  Reported by House Committee on:

Higher Education, February 4, 1992, DPS;

Passed House, February 15, 1992, 94-0.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON

HIGHER EDUCATION

Majority Report: The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  Signed by 10 members:  Representatives Jacobsen, Chair; Ogden, Vice Chair; Wood, Ranking Minority Member; May, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Fraser; Ludwig; Miller; Prince; Sheldon; and Spanel.

Staff:  Susan Hosch (786-7120).

Background:  In Washington, tuition is established in statute as a fixed percentage of educational costs.  The percentage, which has remained unchanged for a decade, varies according to type of student and type of institution attended.  

The educational cost formula used to calculate tuition does not include all state appropriations for higher education.  The formula does include 100 percent of state general fund and local fund expenditures for instruction, and proportional amounts for support programs.  Support programs include libraries, student services, institutional and primary support, and plant operations and maintenance.

For the 1991-93 biennium, the amount of tuition that students will pay equals about 18.3 percent of the state general fund appropriations for higher education.  Many students and their parents do not know how much the state is supporting each student's education.

Summary of Bill:  Beginning on July 30th, 1992, the Higher Education Coordinating Board will annually develop and distribute information on the amount of state support received by students at public and private colleges, universities, and proprietary schools.  The types of expenditures that may be included in the information are described.

Beginning with the fall 1992 academic term, public colleges and universities will provide students in each tuition category with information on the approximate amount of state support they receive.  Each private institution will inform its students about the amount of state funded financial aid provided to students at that institution.  Each institution may use any format appropriate for students, including posters, handouts and information in registration packets.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  Many students and their parents believe that tuition covers the full cost of a student's education.  Some form of disclosure is needed to inform students about the level of state support they receive.  Students who receive a partially subsidized education at either public or private colleges and universities should receive this type of information.

Testimony Against:  None.

Witnesses:  Representative Silver (pro); and Michael Stewart, Council of Presidents (information).