HOUSE BILL REPORT

                 SHB 2210

             As Reported By House Committee On:

                      Higher Education

                       Appropriations

Title:  An act relating to higher education.

Brief Description:  Creating a thirtieth community and technical college district.

Sponsors:  Representatives Cothern, L. Johnson, Sommers, J. Kohl, Jacobsen, Ogden, Rust, Ballasiotes, Long and Wang.

Brief History:

Reported by House Committee on:

Higher Education, January 25, 1994, DPS;

Appropriations, February 2, 1994, DP2S.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION

Majority Report:  The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  Signed by 17 members:  Representatives Jacobsen, Chair; Quall, Vice Chair; Brumsickle, Ranking Minority Member; Sheahan, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Basich; Carlson; Casada; Finkbeiner; Flemming; Kessler; Mastin; Mielke; Ogden; Orr; Rayburn; Shin; and Wood.

Staff:  Susan Hosch (786-7120).

Background:  STATE ENROLLMENT GOALS:  In July of 1990, the Higher Education Coordinating Board presented a long-range enrollment plan to the Governor and the Legislature.  The plan was entitled "Design for the 21st Century:  Expanding Higher Education Opportunity in Washington."  The plan recommended increasing enrollment opportunities for Washington's residents to achieve the 90th percentile in national participation rates by the year 2010.  Under the plan, enrollment opportunities for upper division and graduate students would increase by 44,000 headcount students by the year 2010.  Community college enrollments would be increased by 28,650 headcount students by 2010.  The increased enrollment levels for community college students were intended to reflect population growth and the anticipated new demand for academic transfer programs in areas served by branch campuses.

SITING NEW CAMPUSES IN NORTH KING AND SOUTH SNOHOMISH COUNTIES:  In the last 20 years, the population of north King and south Snohomish areas has increased dramatically.  Higher education enrollment opportunities for the people in those areas did not keep pace with population growth. 

During the late 1980's, the community college system studied ways to meet selected post-secondary education needs of the area.  The State Board for Community College Education concluded that existing community colleges could not meet the needs, and that a new college was needed.  The board reached its conclusion prior to the addition of the technical colleges to the system.

In the 1991-93 capital budget, the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges received funds to conduct a "predesign study" for a new community college in the area.  In 1992, at the request of a number of legislators, the board modified the scope of the study to include an analysis of the feasibility of collocating the new community college with the University of Washington's branch campus in the Bothell/Woodinville area.  The board concluded that collocating the two institutions on the University's Wellington Hills site was programmatically feasible for a 10 year period.  The study also concluded that marginal savings (4 percent) would accrue from the temporary collocation of the two institutions.

In the 1993-95 capital budget, the Legislature appropriated $170,000 to the Higher Education Coordinating Board to study alternative organizational models for meeting the higher education and work force training needs of the people of the north King and south Snohomish counties area.  The board was directed to determine a preferred organizational model for meeting those needs, and to submit a recommendation to the Governor and the Legislature by November 30, 1993.  The board was also directed to evaluate a minimum of four sites for a new institution of higher education in the area.

In its report, the board supported the creation of a new community college and reaffirmed its commitment to the development of an upper division and graduate branch campus of the University of Washington in the area.  It recommended the collocation of the two institutions on the Truly Farm site if certain conditions were met.  The board also recommended that the state retain ownership of the Wellington Hills site previously obtained for the University's branch campus.  The site would be "banked" as one way of meeting the future post-secondary needs of the region.

COMMUNITY COLLEGE LAWS:  Community and technical colleges have service districts that are described in law.  State funding for the districts is appropriated in a lump sum to the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges for disbursement to each district.

By law, each district has a five member board of trustees appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Senate. In selecting members of the board, the Governor must consider geographical diversity, and representation from labor, business, women, and racial and ethnic minorities.  Except for members initially appointed, board members are appointed for five year staggered terms.  Board members must be residents and qualified electors of the district.  Employees of the community and technical colleges, school directors, and members of the governing boards of public or private educational institutions are not permitted to serve as community or technical college trustees.

Summary of Bill:  A new district, District 30, is added to Washington's community and technical college system.  The new district will include the land encompassed by the Lake Washington and Riverview School Districts in King County and the Northshore School District in King and Snohomish counties.  The Northshore School District is removed from the area served by Shoreline Community College. Lake Washington and Riverview, formerly Lower Snoqualmie, School Districts are removed from the areas served by Bellevue Community College.

A five member board of trustees is created for District 30.  The board will govern the district and its college, named Cascadia Community College.  The members of the board will be selected by the Governor and confirmed by the Senate.  The Governor will select board members and determine the length of their terms under the law that describes the qualifications and requirements for all community college trustees.

To meet the initial planning and operating needs of Cascadia Community College, $300,000 is appropriated to the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges for the 1993-95 biennium.

Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill:  Language is added to the intent section of the bill, and the section is codified.  The added language acknowledges the role of the Higher Education Coordinating Board in recommending the expansion of educational opportunities for people in north King and south Snohomish counties.  It also states that the Legislature intends that the new community college, Cascadia, be collocated with the University of Washington's branch campus in the Bothell-Woodinville area.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

Effective Date of Substitute Bill:  The bill contains an emergency clause and takes effect immediately.

Testimony For:  Most state population growth studies predict continued growth in the area that will be served by Cascadia Community College.  The people in the Northshore area have an excellent technical college, but need the full range of services offered by a community college.  Colleges such as Shoreline Community College have worked well to provide some of the classes needed through the center at Northshore, but Shoreline is on I-5, and the community needs to be served by a college located on I-405.  Community members have worked diligently to identify ways to meet the educational needs of the area and are convinced that a new community college district is the best way to do so.  Collocating the community college with the University of Washington's branch campus will facilitate classes for students and may save significant sums of money.  Community members are hopeful that the new college will be constructed and open to students within the decade.

Testimony Against:  None.

Witnesses:  Elson Floyd, Higher Education Coordinating Board; David Habura, State Board for the Community Technical Colleges; Ron Bell, Shoreline Community College; Diane Campbell, citizen; and Bob Josem, citizen (all in favor).

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

Majority Report:  The second substitute bill be substituted therefor and the second substitute bill do pass.  Signed by 25 members:  Representatives Sommers, Chair; Valle, Vice Chair; Silver, Ranking Minority Member; Carlson, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Appelwick; Ballasiotes; Basich; Cooke; Dellwo; Dunshee; Foreman; Jacobsen; Lemmon; Leonard; Linville; H. Myers; Peery; Rust; Sehlin; Sheahan; Stevens; Talcott; Wang; Wineberry and Wolfe.

Staff:  Sherie Story (786-7142).

Summary of Recommendation of Committee on Appropriations Compared to Recommendation of Committee on Higher Education: The $300,000 appropriation to the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges is removed.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

Effective Date:  The bill contains an emergency clause and takes effect immediately.

Testimony For:  The Higher Education Coordinating Board wholeheartedly endorses the creation of a new community college collocated with a branch of the University of Washington in this area.  The Higher Education Coordinating Board directed the collocating institutions to develop a joint operating agreement, and the new community college district needs to be legitimized to participate in the planning process.

Testimony Against:  None.

Witnesses:  Representative Barbara Cothern, prime sponsor; Elson Floyd, Higher Education Coordinating Board; and Bob Josem, citizen (all in favor).