SENATE BILL REPORT

 

                           2SSB 6136

 

              AS PASSED SENATE, FEBRUARY 12, 1994

 

 

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

 

SPONSORS: Senate Committee on Ways & Means (originally sponsored by Senators McAuliffe, Drew, Quigley, Bluechel, Vognild, McDonald and Cantu)

 

SENATE COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION

 

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 6136 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass and be referred to Committee on Ways & Means. 

     Signed by Senators Bauer, Chairman; Drew, Vice Chairman; Cantu, Prince, Quigley, Sheldon and West.

 

Staff:  Jean Six (786‑7423)

 

Hearing Dates: January 24, 1994; January 28, 1994

 

SENATE COMMITTEE ON WAYS & MEANS

 

Majority Report:  That Second Substitute Senate Bill No. 6136 be substituted therefor, and the second substitute bill do pass. 

     Signed by Senators Rinehart, Chairman; Quigley, Vice Chairman; Bauer, Cantu, Gaspard, Hargrove, Hochstatter, Ludwig, McDonald, Pelz, Snyder, Spanel, Sutherland and Williams.

 

Staff:  Michael Groesch (786-7715)

 

Hearing Dates: February 7, 1994; February 8, 1994

 

 

BACKGROUND:

 

Higher education services in the north King, south Snohomish County area have been the subject of a number of studies.  The Higher Education Coordinating Board (HECB) in its 1987 master plan, Building a System, recommended that additional upper-division and graduate educational services should be provided in the Puget Sound area with the University of Washington being given that responsibility.  In October, 1988, the board recommended support for the establishment of a university branch in the Bothell-Woodinville area.  The 1989 Legislature adopted the HECB recommendations and the plan was outlined in the Design for the 21st Century: Expanding Higher Education Opportunity in Washington dated July, 1990.  Based on studies and recommendations of the University of Washington as well as the expectation that the growth management boundary would allow construction, the HECB selected the Wellington Hill Golf Course site in South Snohomish County.  In 1989, the UW began the purchase of this site with moneys appropriated to the HECB for site acquisition.

 

The State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC) also initiated an analysis of services offered by community colleges to identify significantly underserved areas of the state.  The study indicated that the area with the greatest need, greatest recent population growth, and least access to community college services was the North King and South Snohomish County region.  The State Board brought its findings to the 1991 Legislature which appropriated funds to begin planning a new institution and to identify appropriate sites.  Two planning efforts were undertaken.  The first was to identify the educational program and the role and mission of a new college and the second was to identify potential sites and recommend a preferred alternative.  These studies were followed in 1992 by a pre-design study for the new college.  The combination of studies led to the recommendation that the Truly Farm property be acquired for the new community college.

 

With requests for funds for capital development pending for both the UW-Bothell and the new community college site, the budget of Governor Booth Gardner proposed a new organizational model in recommending the creation of "Cascade University" to meet both lower division and upper division and graduate needs of the area.  This proposal raised the issue of what was the most appropriate organizational model to meet the needs of the area.  The capital budget of Governor Mike Lowry dropped the specific proposal to establish a new four year institution; the Legislature concurred. 

 

Section 716 of the 1993-95 Capital Appropriations Act appropriated $170,000 to the Higher Education Coordinating Board to conduct a study of alternative organizational models for meeting the higher educational and work force training needs of the people of the north King and south Snohomish counties area.  In addition, Section 106 of the same act directs the HECB to evaluate a minimum of four sites for the acquisition of property for a new institution of higher education in the study area.

 

To carry out these legislative directives, the board retained MGT of America, Inc. to provide an independent assessment of programmatic and site alternatives.  MGT submitted its final report to the board on October 15, 1993.  The question for resolution was "Should the state proceed with plans to construct a permanent UW Bothell Branch Campus at the Wellington Hills site and create a new and separate community college in the same geographic area, or, should an alternative method and/or site for meeting the postsecondary educational needs of the area be considered by the executive and legislature?"

 

On November 19, 1993, the HECB recommended the creation of a new community college in the north King/south Snohomish county area.  In addition, the board adopted collocation of the new community college and the branch of the University of Washington as its preferred organizational model.  The board designated the Truly Farm site as the preferred location for the collocated campus with OFM directed to initiate property acquisition following a number of determinations: (1) the final wetlands determination by the U.S. Corps of Engineers, (2) verification of the capacity of the site to fully accommodate the projected student enrollment level of 9,900 FTE, (3) completion of a Preliminary EIS, and (4) securing a fair and reasonable purchase price for the property.  

 

SUMMARY:

 

The thirtieth community college district is created encompassing the present boundaries of the common school districts of Lake Washington and Riverview in King County and Northshore in King and Snohomish Counties.  The Legislature endorses the HECB recommendation that the Cascadia Community College and the University of Washington's branch campus at Bothell-Woodinville work in partnership.  A board of trustees is created for district thirty and Cascadia Community College.

 

The intent section is codified and 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.  The Legislature intends that the new community college, Cascadia, be collocated with the University of Washington's branch campus in the Bothell-Woodinville area.

 

Appropriation:  none

 

Revenue:  none

 

Fiscal Note:  requested January 13, 1994

 

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

 

TESTIMONY FOR (Higher Education):

 

Rapid population growth is expected to continue in the area to be served by Cascadia Community College.  The community is deserving of postsecondary educational opportunity in all sectors:  technical college, community college, and the branch campus of the University of Washington.  In planning for the future, community members are convinced that a new community college is urgently needed and must go forward without delay.

 

TESTIMONY AGAINST (Higher Education):

 

In this era of fiscal constraints, we do not need a new district.

 

TESTIFIED (Higher Education):  PRO:  Senator Rosemary McAuliffe, prime sponsor; Elson Floyd, HECB Executive Director; Sherry Burkey, UW Government Relations; Ron Bell, President, Shoreline Community College; Dave Habura, Deputy Director, SBCTC; Diane Campbell, Regional Advisory Board; CON:  Alfredo Llamada, Spokane Community College Student Body President

 

TESTIMONY FOR (Ways & Means):

 

The community college is committed to collocation with the UW Bothell branch campus.  Collocation is an effective means of implementing the 2+2 educational concept and will save money over the long term.

 

TESTIMONY AGAINST (Ways & Means):  None

 

TESTIFIED (Ways & Means):  PRO:  Senator Rosemary McAuliffe; David Habura, State Board for Community and Technical Colleges