FINAL BILL REPORT

                                   SSB 5456

                                  C 294 L 91

                              SYNOPSIS AS ENACTED

Brief Description:  Modifying tenure at community colleges.

SPONSORS:Senate Committee on Higher Education (originally sponsored by Senators Saling, Cantu and Bluechel).

SENATE COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION

BACKGROUND:

The state community college tenure statute provides a system for granting tenure to faculty members.  This system allows for the granting of tenure to a faculty member following the successful completion of a three-year probationary period, or upon a decision by the community college board of trustees to grant tenure at any time prior to the end of that period.  Recently, many efforts have been made by the Legislature, the Higher Education Coordinating Board, and the colleges to improve the quality of instruction received by students at our state higher education institutions.  In conjunction with these efforts, it is argued that the process for the award of faculty tenure at community colleges should be strengthened to allow for a more thorough review of the performance of faculty appointees and tenured faculty members.

SUMMARY:

The length of time which a community college faculty member may be reviewed by his or her peers for the granting of tenure is changed from three consecutive years to nine consecutive college quarters, excluding summer quarter and approved leaves of absence.  After recommendation of the tenure review committee and with the written consent of the faculty member and the appointing authority, this period may be extended up to three additional college quarters.

The effectiveness and performance of tenured faculty members will be reviewed at least once every 15 regular college quarters in which the faculty member is employed by the community college.  If this review is unsatisfactory, a tenured faculty member may be required to implement a professional improvement plan for a period of no more than three regular college quarters.  If a faculty member's performance is still considered to be unsatisfactory after this period, tenure may be revoked and the faculty member returned to a probationary appointment.  The appointing authority is directed to ensure due process for tenured faculty members in the decision to return them to probationary status.

Nothing in this act is to be construed to alter any existing collective bargaining unit or the provisions of any existing collective bargaining agreement.

The changes in the tenure provisions apply only to faculty appointments made by community colleges after June 30, 1991.

VOTES ON FINAL PASSAGE:

Senate      32    10

House 93    3    (House amended)

Senate      34    12    (Senate concurred)

EFFECTIVE:  July 1, 1991