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AN ACT Relating to remedial or precollege work at public institutions of higher education; amending RCW 28B.80.350; adding a new section to chapter 28B.10 RCW; and creating a new section.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that a large number of students are entering college without the basic skills necessary to successfully complete college level courses. The legislature applauds institutional efforts to ensure that students are prepared to successfully proceed through college, but finds that since the taxpayers of the state have already provided funds to teach students this material during their elementary and high school years, no further state subsidy of the material should occur when the students attend a baccalaureate institution of higher education. The legislature also finds that any credits granted for successful completion of precollege or remedial courses should not count towards graduation.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 28B.10 RCW to read as follows:

(1) By June 30, 1996, in consultation with the commission on student learning, the superintendent of public instruction, the state board of education, faculty, teachers from institutions of higher education and high schools, and others as appropriate, the higher education coordinating board shall adopt common definitions of remedial and precollege material and course work. The definitions adopted by the board shall be rigorous, challenging students to come to college well-prepared to engage in college and university work, and shall be adopted by each institution of higher education as defined in RCW 28B.10.016.

(2) Beginning with the fall 1996 academic term, with two exceptions, neither state funds nor student operating fees shall be used for remedial or precollege classes or laboratories offered or available at state universities, regional universities, and the state college. The exceptions under this subsection are precollege courses and laboratories offered to students enrolled in educational opportunity programs, and English as a second language classes, which may be offered using state funds and student operating fees.

(3) Beginning with the fall 1996 academic term, any credit received from precollege classes or laboratories, including intermediate algebra, shall not be included in meeting the number of credits necessary to receive an associate degree or a baccalaureate degree.

Sec. 3. RCW 28B.80.350 and 1993 c 77 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:

The board shall coordinate educational activities among all segments of higher education taking into account the educational programs, facilities, and other resources of both public and independent two and four-year colleges and universities. The four-year institutions and the state board for community and technical colleges shall coordinate information and activities with the board. The board shall have the following additional responsibilities:

(1) Promote interinstitutional cooperation;

(2) Establish minimum admission standards for four-year institutions, including a requirement that ((~~coursework~~)) course work in American sign language or an American Indian language shall satisfy any requirement for instruction in a language other than English that the board or the institutions may establish as a general undergraduate admissions requirement;

(3) Establish transfer policies;

(4) Adopt rules implementing statutory residency requirements;

(5) Develop and administer reciprocity agreements with bordering states and the province of British Columbia;

(6) Review and recommend compensation practices and levels for administrative employees, exempt under chapter 28B.16 RCW, and faculty using comparative data from peer institutions;

(7) Monitor higher education activities for compliance with all relevant state policies for higher education;

(8) Arbitrate disputes between and among four-year institutions or between and among four-year institutions and community colleges at the request of one or more of the institutions involved, or at the request of the governor, or from a resolution adopted by the legislature. The decision of the board shall be binding on the participants in the dispute;

(9) Establish and implement a state system for collecting, analyzing, and distributing information;

(10) Recommend to the governor and the legislature ways to remove any economic incentives to use off-campus program funds for on-campus activities; ((~~and~~))

(11) Make recommendations to increase minority participation, and monitor and report on the progress of minority participation in higher education; and

(12) Adopt and periodically update definitions and descriptions of remedial and precollege course work.