HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  HB 1959

             As Reported By House Committee On:

                      Higher Education

Title:  An act relating to faculty salary increments for community and technical colleges.

Brief Description:  Providing a specific funding mechanism for making additional community and technical college faculty salary increment awards.

Sponsors:  Representatives Mielke, Quall, Carlson, Brumsickle, Benton, Sheahan, Grant, Ebersole, Delvin, Kessler, Sommers, Ogden, Mulliken, L. Thomas, Conway, Kremen, Sheldon, Chopp, Patterson, Morris, Hatfield, Romero, Rust, Cody, Wolfe, Mastin, Cole, Dellwo, Mason and Valle; by request of State Board for Community and Technical Colleges.

Brief History:

  Committee Activity:

Higher Education:  2/28/95 [DPS].

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION

Majority Report:  The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  Signed by 10 members:  Representatives Carlson, Chairman; Mulliken, Vice Chairman; Jacobsen, Ranking Minority Member; Mason, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Basich; Benton; Blanton; Delvin; Mastin and Sheahan.

Minority Report:  Do not pass.  Signed by 1 member:  Representative Goldsmith.

Staff:  Marilee Scarbrough (786-7196).

Background:  Faculty salaries, including increments, in community colleges are negotiated locally through collective bargaining.  The determination of faculty salary in the Community and Technical College System is largely dependent on two variables:  years of teaching experience and level of education.

Historically, funding for community college increments has come out of legislatively appropriated salary increases.  In the 1991 session, community colleges received partial funding for increments through an appropriation of $1 million for the first year of the biennium, and were given flexibility to fund the remainder of the increment cost from authorized salary increases and salary turnover savings.  In the 1992 supplemental budget, community colleges received a further appropriation of $1.2 million for increments in the second year of the biennium. 

Summary of Substitute Bill:  The bill provides that:  (1) trustees will award increments based on local agreements; (2) each biennium, the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC) will submit in its budget request an amount sufficient to cover the costs of increments; (3) it is the intent of  Legislature that increments should be funded by appropriation, but shall not exceed 1.5 percent of the faculty salary base; (4) SBCTC will distribute the funds in a fair and equitable manner; (5) SBCTC shall recognize turnover savings; and (6) SBCTC will convene a task force to advise the board on fair and equitable distribution of increment funds.

Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill:  The substitute declares a legislative intent to fund increments, replacing language in the original bill that mandated specific appropriations by future legislatures.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

Effective Date of Substitute Bill:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  This is a long standing issue for community college faculty, trustees and presidents.  The legislative funding for increments has been inconsistent.  The community and technical college board is hopeful that this bill will make increment payments more predictable.  The issue of increments is a moral issue and a productivity issue. The whole system is in jeopardy because we do not see the money behind the expectation that exists for community college faculty. We need a stable, reliable model for funding faculty increments.  The salary for community and technical college faculty has fallen behind the funding for K-12 faculty.  The difference in salary impacts the hiring ability of the community and technical colleges.  Increments help to acquire and retain competent staff. This bill will help the moral of community college faculty. 

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Earl Hale, SBCTC; Julie Grant, Trustees Association; Joe Johnson, Presidents Association; Sandra Schroeder and Lenore Vest, WFT/AHE; Paul Ecstahl, Lake Washington Technical College; Trish Barney, Skagit Valley Community College; and Carl Livington, Seattle Central Community College (all in favor).