SENATE BILL REPORT

                   SB 5533

              As Reported By Senate Committee On:

              Higher Education, February 23, 1995

Title:  An act relating to tuition for students in programs leading to the degree of doctor of pharmacy.

Brief Description:  Changing tuition provisions for students in programs leading to the degree of doctor of pharmacy.

Sponsors:  Senators Bauer, Wood and Kohl; by request of University of Washington and Washington State University.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Higher Education:  2/16/95, 2/23/95 [DP-WM].

Ways & Means:  3/2/95.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION

Majority Report:  Do pass and be referred to Committee on Ways & Means.

  Signed by Senators Bauer, Chair; Kohl, Vice Chair; Drew, McAuliffe, Sheldon and Wood.

Staff:  David Danner (786-7784)

Background:  Degree programs in pharmacy are offered at both the University of Washington (UW) and Washington State University (WSU).  The current five-year baccalaureate programs are designed to prepare pharmacists for entry into the profession.  Two-year advanced programs are available at each school, leading to a post-baccalaureate Pharm.D. degree. 

In 1989, the accrediting association for pharmacy programs, the American Council on Pharmaceutical Education, declared its intent to accredit in the future only Pharm.D., and not baccalaureate, programs.

In 1993, both UW and WSU submitted their general program plans to the Higher Education Coordinating Board (HECB) in which they proposed establishing six-year entry-level Pharm.D. programs to replace the current baccalaureate programs. 

In January 1994, the universities jointly submitted, at HECB's request, a Pharmacy Education Plan (Plan) outlining enrollment, cost and occupational demand estimates and other information arguing for preparing pharmacists with the entry-level Pharm.D.

The plan called for eliminating the current baccalaureate programs in pharmacy, and for the UW to eliminate its post-baccalaureate Pharm.D. program.  It outlined future efforts to create a non-traditional post-baccalaureate Pharm.D. program for practicing pharmacists.

After reviewing the plan, HECB approved the proposed changes for each institution in June 1994.  Legislation is requested to allow the universities to set graduate-level tuition and other fees, and to make appropriations deemed necessary for the establishment of the program.

Summary of Bill:  Tuition and fees provisions in current law are amended to authorize UW and WSU to charge graduate-level tuition for their doctor of pharmacy programs.  Tuition for state residents is set at 28.4 percent of per student graduate educational costs; nonresident tuition is set at 73.6 percent.  Appropriations are made from the general fund to support UW and WSU for pharmacy programs.

Appropriation:  $779,000 to the University of Washington; $396,000 to Washington State University. 

Fiscal Note:  Available.

Effective Date:  The bill contains an emergency clause and takes effect on July 1, 1995.

Testimony For:  Conversion to a six-year Pharm.D. degree is necessary to train pharmacists in a field which has seen significant growth in the number and complexity of new drugs, and to prepare pharmacists for their expanding role as health care providers.  The six-year Pharm.D. program is necessary to maintain accreditation, which bears on the quality of faculty and students attracted to the program and ability of graduates to obtain employment.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Mahmoud M. Abdel-Monem, Washington State University; Wayne A. Kradjan, University of Washington; Dale H. Scott, Immunex Corporation, Washington State Society of Health System Pharmacists; George Bradley, Fred Meyer, Inc.; Ben Michaels, University of Washington; Anderson S. Jolly, University of Washington.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON WAYS & MEANS

Staff:  Mike Groesch (786-7434)

Testimony For:  The purpose of the bill is to place into statute the authorization to collect graduate fees for the Doctor of Pharmacy program and to provide appropriation which is necessary to implement the program.  Many students who enter the program are beyond their third year of postsecondary study.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Mahmoud M. Abdel-Monem, WSU; Wayne A. Kradjan, UW; Rod Shafer, Washington State pharmacist.