AN ACT Relating to
higher education; amending RCW 28B.15.725, 28B.50.839, and 28A.600.110;
amending 1989 c 290 s 1 (uncodified); and adding a new chapter to Title 28B
RCW.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF
WASHINGTON:
Sec. 1. RCW 28B.15.725 and 1993
sp.s. c 18 s 26 are each amended to read as follows:
Subject to the
limitations of RCW 28B.15.910, the governing boards of the state universities,
the regional universities, and The Evergreen State College may enter into
undergraduate ((upper division)) student exchange agreements with ((comparable
public four-year)) institutions of higher education of other states and
agree to exempt participating undergraduate ((upper division)) students
from payment of all or a portion of the nonresident tuition fees differential
subject to the following restrictions:
(1) In any given
academic year, the number of students receiving a waiver at a state institution
shall not exceed the number of that institution's students receiving
nonresident tuition waivers at participating out-of-state institutions. Waiver
imbalances that may occur in one year shall be off-set in the year immediately
following.
(2) Undergraduate ((upper
division)) student participation in an exchange program authorized by this
section is limited to one academic year.
Sec. 2. 1989 c 290 s 1
(uncodified) is amended to read as follows:
The legislature
recognizes that a unique educational experience can result from an
undergraduate ((upper division)) student attending an out-of-state
institution. It also recognizes that some Washington residents may be unable
to pursue such out-of-state enrollment owing to their limited financial
resources and the higher cost of nonresident tuition. The legislature intends
to facilitate expanded nonresident undergraduate ((upper division))
enrollment opportunities for residents of the state by authorizing the
governing boards of the four-year institutions of higher education to enter
into exchange programs with other states' ((comparable public four-year))
institutions with comparable programs wherein the participating institutions
agree that visiting undergraduate ((upper division)) students will pay
resident tuition rates of the host institutions.
Sec. 3. RCW 28B.50.839 and 1993
c 87 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:
(1) In consultation
with eligible community and technical colleges, the college board shall set
priorities and guidelines for the program.
(2) Under this section,
a college shall not receive more than four faculty grants in twenty-five
thousand dollar increments, with a maximum total of one hundred thousand
dollars per campus in any biennium.
(3) All community and
technical colleges and foundations shall be eligible for matching trust funds.
Institutions and foundations may apply to the college board for grants from the
fund in twenty-five thousand dollar increments up to a maximum of one hundred
thousand dollars when they can match the state funds with equal cash donations
from private sources, except that in the initial year of the program, no
college or foundation may receive more than one grant until every college or
its foundation has received one grant. These donations shall be made
specifically to the exceptional faculty awards program and deposited by the
institution or foundation in a local endowment fund or a foundation's fund.
Otherwise unrestricted gifts may be deposited in the endowment fund by the
institution or foundation.
(4) Once sufficient
private donations are received by the institution or foundation, the
institution shall inform the college board and request state matching funds.
The college board shall evaluate the request for state matching funds based on
program priorities and guidelines. The college board may ask the state
treasurer to release the state matching funds to a local endowment fund
established by the institution or a foundation's fund established by a
foundation for each faculty award created.
(5) A college, by action
of its board of trustees, may transfer those exceptional faculty award funds
accumulated in its local endowment fund between July 1, 1991, and July 25,
1993, to its foundation's local endowment fund established as provided in
subsection (3) of this section.
Sec. 4. RCW 28A.600.110 and 1988
c 210 s 4 are each amended to read as follows:
There is established by
the legislature of the state of Washington the Washington state scholars
program. The purposes of this program annually are to:
(1) Provide for the
selection of three seniors residing in each legislative district in the
state graduating from high schools ((in each legislative district))
who have distinguished themselves academically among their peers.
(2) Maximize public
awareness of the academic achievement, leadership ability, and community
contribution of Washington state public and private high school seniors through
appropriate recognition ceremonies and events at both the local and state
level.
(3) Provide a listing
of the Washington scholars to all Washington state public and private colleges
and universities to facilitate communication regarding academic programs and
scholarship availability.
(4) Make available a
state level mechanism for utilization of private funds for scholarship awards
to outstanding high school seniors.
(5) Provide, on written
request and with student permission, a listing of the Washington scholars to
private scholarship selection committees for notification of scholarship
availability.
(6) Permit a waiver of
tuition and services and activities fees as provided for in RCW 28B.15.543 and
grants under RCW 28B.80.245.
NEW SECTION. Sec.
5. Unless the context
clearly requires otherwise, the definitions in this section apply throughout
this section and sections 6 and 7 of this act.
(1) "Eligible
student" means an enlisted member or an officer of the rank of captain or
below in the Washington national guard who is a resident student as defined in
RCW 28B.15.012 and 28B.15.013, who attends an institution of higher education
that is located in this state and accredited by the Northwest Association of
Schools and Colleges, and who meets any additional selection criteria adopted
by the office.
(2) "Conditional
scholarship" means a loan that is forgiven in whole or in part if the
recipient renders service as a member of the Washington national guard under
rules adopted by the office.
(3)
"Forgiven" or "to forgive" or "forgiveness" means
either to render service in the Washington national guard in lieu of monetary
repayment, or to be relieved of the service obligation under rules adopted by
the office.
(4) "Office"
means the office of the adjutant general of the state military department.
(5)
"Participant" means an eligible student who has received a
conditional scholarship under this chapter.
(6) "Service
obligation" means serving in the Washington national guard for one
additional year for each year of conditional scholarship received under this
program.
NEW SECTION. Sec.
6. The Washington state
national guard conditional scholarship program is established. The program
shall be administered by the office. In administering the program, the powers
and duties of the office shall include, but need not be limited to:
(1) The selection of
eligible students to receive conditional scholarships;
(2) The award of
conditional scholarships funded by federal and state funds, private donations,
or repayments from any participant who does not complete the participant's
service obligation. Use of state funds is subject to available funds. The
annual amount of each conditional scholarship may vary, but shall not exceed
the annual cost of undergraduate tuition fees and services and activities fees
at the University of Washington, plus an allowance for books and supplies;
(3) The adoption of
necessary rules and guidelines;
(4) The adoption of
participant selection criteria. The criteria may include but need not be
limited to requirements for: Satisfactory progress, minimum grade point
averages, enrollment in courses or programs that lead to a baccalaureate degree
or an associate degree or a certificate, and satisfactory participation as a
member of the Washington national guard;
(5) The notification of
participants of their additional service obligation or required repayment of
the conditional scholarship; and
(6) The collection of
repayments from participants who do not meet the eligibility criteria or
service obligations.
NEW SECTION. Sec.
7. (1) Participants in the
conditional scholarship program incur an obligation to repay the conditional
scholarship, with interest, unless they serve in the Washington national guard
for one additional year for each year of conditional scholarship received,
under rules adopted by the office.
(2) The entire
principal and interest of each yearly repayment shall be forgiven for each
additional year in which a participant serves in the Washington national guard,
under rules adopted by the office.
(3) If a participant
elects to repay the conditional scholarship, the period of repayment shall be
four years, with payments accruing quarterly commencing nine months from the
date that the participant leaves the Washington national guard or withdraws
from the institution of higher education, whichever comes first. The interest
rate on the repayments shall be eight percent per year. Provisions for
deferral and forgiveness shall be determined by the office.
(4) The office is
responsible for collection of repayments made under this section. The office
shall exercise due diligence in such collection, maintaining all necessary
records to ensure that maximum repayments are made. Collection and servicing
of repayments under this section shall be pursued using the full extent of law,
including wage garnishment if necessary. The office is responsible to forgive
all or parts of such repayments under the criteria established in this section,
and shall maintain all necessary records of forgiven payments. The office may
contract with the higher education coordinating board for collection of
repayments under this section.
(5) Receipts from the
payment of principal or interest paid by or on behalf of participants shall be
deposited with the office and shall be used to cover the costs of granting the
conditional scholarships, maintaining necessary records, and making collections
under subsection (4) of this section. The office shall maintain accurate
records of these costs, and all receipts beyond those necessary to pay such
costs shall be used to grant conditional scholarships to eligible students.
NEW
SECTION. Sec. 8. Sections 5 through 7 of
this act shall constitute a new chapter in Title 28B RCW.
