S-1449

AN ACT Relating to tenure modification; amending RCW 28B.50.851, 28B.50.852, and 28B.50.857; adding a new section to chapter 28B.50 RCW; creating new sections; providing an effective date; and declaring an emergency.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. Improving the quality of instruction at our state institutions of higher education is a priority of the legislature. Recently, many efforts have been made by the legislature, the colleges, and the higher education coordinating board to assess and improve the quality of instruction received by students at our state institutions. It is the intent of the legislature that, in conjunction with these various efforts, the process for the award of faculty tenure at community colleges should allow for a thorough review of the performance of faculty appointees prior to the granting of tenure.

Sec. 2. RCW 28B.50.851 and 1988 c 32 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:

As used in RCW 28B.50.850 through 28B.50.869:

(1) "Tenure" shall mean a faculty appointment for an indefinite period of time which may be revoked only for adequate cause and by due process;

(2) (a) "Faculty appointment", except as otherwise provided in subsection (2)(b) below, shall mean full time employment as a teacher, counselor, librarian or other position for which the training, experience and responsibilities are comparable as determined by the appointing authority, except administrative appointments; "faculty appointment" shall also mean department heads, division heads and administrators to the extent that such department heads, division heads or administrators have had or do have status as a teacher, counselor, or librarian; faculty appointment shall also mean employment on a reduced work load basis when a faculty member has retained tenure under RCW 28B.50.859;

(b) "Faculty appointment" shall not mean special faculty appointment as a teacher, counselor, librarian, or other position as enumerated in subsection (2)(a) of this section, when such employment results from special funds provided to a community college district from federal moneys or other special funds which other funds are designated as "special funds" by the state board for community college education: PROVIDED, That such "special funds" so designated by the state board for purposes of this section shall apply only to teachers, counselors and librarians hired from grants and service agreements and teachers, counselors and librarians hired in nonformula positions. A special faculty appointment resulting from such special financing may be terminated upon a reduction or elimination of funding or a reduction or elimination of program: PROVIDED FURTHER, That "faculty appointees" holding faculty appointments pursuant to subsections (1) or (2) (a) who have been subsequently transferred to positions financed from "special funds" pursuant to subsection (2) (b) and who thereafter lose their positions upon reduction or elimination of such "special funding" shall be entitled to be returned to previous status as faculty appointees pursuant to subsection (1) or (2) (a) depending upon their status prior to the "special funding" transfer. Notwithstanding the fact that tenure shall not be granted to anyone holding a special faculty appointment, the termination of any such faculty appointment prior to the expiration of the term of such faculty member's individual contract for any cause which is not related to elimination or reduction of financing or the elimination or reduction of program shall be considered a termination for cause subject to the provisions of this chapter;

(3) "Probationary faculty appointment" shall mean a faculty appointment for a designated period of time which may be terminated without cause upon expiration of the probationer's terms of employment;

(4) "Probationer" shall mean an individual holding a probationary faculty appointment;

(5) "Administrative appointment" shall mean employment in a specific administrative position as determined by the appointing authority;

(6) "Appointing authority" shall mean the board of trustees of a community college district;

(7) "Review committee" shall mean a committee composed of the probationer's faculty peers or tenured faculty member's peers, a student representative, and the administrative staff of the community college: PROVIDED, That the majority of the committee shall consist of the probationer's faculty peers or tenured faculty member's peers.

Sec. 3. RCW 28B.50.852 and 1969 ex.s. c 283 s 34 are each amended to read as follows:

The appointing authority shall promulgate rules and regulations implementing RCW 28B.50.850 through 28B.50.869 and shall provide for the award of faculty tenure following a probationary period not to exceed ((~~three consecutive regular college years~~)) nine college quarters in a three-year period, excluding summer quarter((~~: PROVIDED, That tenure may be awarded at any time as may be determined by the appointing authority after it has given reasonable consideration to the recommendations of the review committee~~)) and approved leaves of absence. Upon formal recommendation of the review committee and with the written consent of the probationary faculty member, the appointing authority may extend its probationary period for one, two, or three quarters, excluding summer quarter, beyond the maximum probationary period established herein. No such extension shall be made, however, unless the review committee's recommendation is based on its belief that the probationary faculty member needs additional time to complete satisfactorily a professional improvement plan already in progress and in the committee's further belief that the probationary faculty member will complete the plan satisfactorily. At the conclusion of any such extension, the appointing authority shall award tenure unless the probationary faculty member has, in the judgment of the committee, failed to complete the professional improvement plan satisfactorily.

Sec. 4. RCW 28B.50.857 and 1969 ex.s. c 283 s 37 are each amended to read as follows:

Upon the decision not to renew a probationary faculty appointment, the appointing authority shall notify the probationer of such decision as soon as possible during the regular college year: PROVIDED, That such notice may not be given ((~~subsequent to the last day of the winter quarter~~)) later than one complete quarter before the expiration of the probationary faculty appointment.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. A new section is added to chapter 28B.50 RCW to read as follows:

(1) The effectiveness and performance of each tenured faculty member of a community college shall be reviewed and formally evaluated by a review committee at least once every fifteen regular college quarters in which the tenured faulty member is employed by the community college.

(2) If, after the review conducted pursuant to subsection (1) of this section, the performance of the tenured faculty member is judged to be unsatisfactory by the appointing authority, after giving reasonable consideration to the recommendations of the review committee, the tenured faculty member may be placed on probation for a period of three regular college quarters.

(3) If, after the three quarter review period in subsection (2) of this section, the tenured faculty member's performance is deemed to be unsatisfactory by the appointing authority, after giving reasonable consideration to the recommendations of the review committee, the tenured faculty member may be placed on pretenure status. The appointing authority shall ensure due process for tenured faculty members in the decision to return any such members to pretenure status.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. Nothing contained in this act shall be construed to alter any existing collective bargaining unit or the provisions of any existing collective bargaining agreement.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 7. This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and shall take effect July 1, 1991, and shall apply to all faculty appointments made by community colleges after June 30, 1991, but shall not apply to employees of community colleges who hold faculty appointments prior to July 1, 1991.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 8. If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected.