SENATE BILL REPORT

                                    SB 6053

        AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION, FEBRUARY 6, 1992

Brief Description:  Considering job sharing as a faculty appointment in community and technical colleges for tenure purposes.

SPONSORS: Senators Bauer, Saling, Rinehart, Stratton, Conner and Sutherland

SENATE COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 6053 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass. 

      Signed by Senators Saling, Chairman; Bauer, Bluechel, Jesernig, Skratek, Stratton, and von Reichbauer.

Staff:  Scott Huntley (786‑7421)

Hearing Dates: January 22, 1992; February 6, 1992

BACKGROUND:

Under current law only full-time faculty at community colleges are eligible for the award of tenure under the community college tenure law.  A full-time tenured faculty member may retain tenure if subsequently assigned to a reduced work load; however, part-time faculty appointments are not eligible to be awarded tenure. 

The recent interest in the practice of job-sharing, and the growing number of individuals who are considering job-sharing as an employment alternative, has raised the contention that the opportunity to attain tenured status should be available to individual faculty who wish to job-share a full-time faculty position.

SUMMARY:

Faculty appointments on a reduced work load basis to positions which are part of a job-share arrangement, as designated by the Community College Governing Board, are eligible to be considered for tenure.

The job-share appointment must be of sufficient number of hours to permit each appointee to be eligible for benefits to the same extent as faculty with half-time or more employment.

In making an appointment to a full-time faculty position, the college governing board must consider applications from two individuals wishing to job-share the position.  Announcements of job openings are to contain a statement indicating that applications from individuals wishing to job-share the position will be accepted.

EFFECT OF PROPOSED SUBSTITUTE:

The provisions of the original bill are eliminated.  The State Board of Community and Technical Colleges is to convene a task force to explore solutions to issues that deter job-sharing in the community and technical college system.  The task force will submit a report to the Governor and the appropriate standing committees of the House of Representatives and the Senate by December 1, 1992.

Appropriation:  none

Revenue:  none

Fiscal Note:  available

TESTIMONY FOR:

Job sharing is a practice that more people are desiring to take advantage of.  It is a practice that assists people with children and who desire to have a reduced workload.  It provides greater employment opportunities and a more flexible work schedule.  Individuals who desire to share a full-time  position should be able to take advantage of tenure and other benefits which full-time faculty have.

TESTIMONY AGAINST:

Allowing tenure to be achieved by part-time faculty would create significant difficulties for community colleges.  The amount of time for review of faculty member would be effectively halved.  Using job-sharing faculty rather than one full-time faculty in positions could increase the cost of state benefits since two individuals would be filing one position rather than one individual.

TESTIFIED:  Pat Watne, faculty member, Clark College (pro); Wendy Rader Konapalski, W.F.T. (con); Candy Bennett, Community College Counselor (pro); Larry Lael, SBCTC (con); Bill Penrose, instructor, Clover Park Technical College, President, WFT Local 3913 (con); Bob Fischer, WEA (pro)