FINAL BILL REPORT

                 2SHB 2210

                         C 217 L 94

                     Synopsis as Enacted

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

By House Committee on Appropriations (originally sponsored by Representatives Cothern, L. Johnson, Sommers, J. Kohl, Jacobsen, Ogden, Rust, Ballasiotes, Long and Wang).

House Committee on Higher Education

House Committee on Appropriations,

Senate Committee on Higher Education

Background:  STATE ENROLLMENT GOALS:  In July 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 students by the year 2010.  Community college enrollments would be increased by 28,650 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 counties has increased dramatically.  Higher education enrollment opportunities for the people in those areas did not keep pace with population growth. 

During the late 1980s, 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.  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:  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.

The University of Washington's branch campus in the Bothell/Woodinville area will be collocated with Cascadia Community College.

Votes on Final Passage:

House  91 7

Senate 32 17 (Senate amended)

House  85 9 (House concurred)

Effective:  April 1, 1994