BP BHEAD INT H

AN ACT Relating to higher education; creating new sections; and making appropriations.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. (1) It is necessary to significantly increase access to higher education by connecting citizens to college campuses via cable television or satellite transmissions. Expanding on the current Washington higher education technology system network will increase interactive video or computer classes, telephone communications, video conferencing, and reliable data transmission between established campuses and underserved communities. This network will expand current channel capacity on microwave and fiber optic links from twenty-eight digital channels to ninety digital channels using a technology called "synchronous optical network."

(2) The sum of thirty-two million dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the biennium ending June 30, 1997, from the state building construction account to the Washington higher education network for the purposes under subsection (1) of this section.

(3) The sum of five hundred thousand dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the biennium ending June 30, 1997, from the general fund to the Washington higher education network for the purposes under subsection (1) of this section.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. (1) It is necessary to make state need grants available to nine thousand additional students in order for these grants to serve students with incomes at sixty-five percent of the median family income. Currently, students with incomes above forty-five percent of median family income are not eligible for need grants. In addition, it is necessary to allow two thousand five hundred students to participate in work study, which helps students with low and middle incomes meet college expenses while working in jobs associated with their field of study.

(2) The sum of sixteen million six hundred thousand dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the biennium ending June 30, 1997, from the general fund to the higher education coordinating board for the purposes of the state need grant program.

(3) The sum of five million dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the biennium ending June 30, 1997, from the general fund to the higher education coordinating board for the purposes of the work study program.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. (1) To meet increasing need and demand for higher education enrollment it is necessary to increase student enrollment by nine hundred additional students at two-year colleges and by one thousand six hundred seven at four-year universities as set forth under subsection (2) of this section.

(2) Enrollment increases at the four-year universities are as follows:

(a) Five hundred seventy at the University of Washington with four hundred seventy at Seattle, sixty at Tacoma, and forty at Bothell;

(b) Five hundred eighty-eight at the Washington State University with four hundred thirteen at Pullman, one hundred forty-one in the extended degree program, twenty-four in Spokane, and ten in the Tri-Cities;

(d) Sixty at The Evergreen State College; and

(e) Two hundred forty-three at Western Washington University.

(3) The sum of sixteen million five hundred thousand dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the biennium ending June 30, 1997, from the general fund to the state's public baccalaureate institutions and state board for community and technical colleges for the purposes of increased enrollments under subsection (1) of this section.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. (1) Money appropriated in subsection (2) of this section and matching funds from private sources will create distinguished professorships and twenty graduate fellowships. These distinguished professorships and graduate fellowships become permanently endowed and provide a way to form partnerships between public and private funds to increase the quality of higher education.

(2) The sum of two million five hundred thousand dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the biennium ending June 30, 1997, from the general fund to the higher education coordinating board for the purposes of distinguished professorships and graduate fellowships under subsection (1) of this section.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. (1) Data indicate that more and more distinguished faculty members are being lured away from Washington universities to those in other states. Additional funding is necessary for use by the University of Washington and Washington State University to match or beat competitive offers and retain a quality faculty.

(2) The sum of one million five hundred thousand dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the biennium ending June 30, 1997, from the general fund to the University of Washington for the purposes under subsection (1) of this section.

(3) The sum of seven hundred fifty thousand dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the biennium ending June 30, 1997, from the general fund to Washington State University for the purposes under subsection (1) of this section.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. (1) Funding is needed for distribution by the board for community and technical colleges to provide incentives for institutions or groups of institutions to create more efficient and effective ways to serve students.

(2) The sum of three million dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the biennium ending June 30, 1997, from the general fund to the board of community and technical colleges for the purposes under subsection (1) of this section.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 7. (1) The sum of one hundred fifty thousand dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the biennium ending June 30, 1997, from the general fund to the higher education coordinating board for the purposes of a study of higher education needs in north Snohomish county, Island county, and Skagit county.

(2) The board is directed to explore and recommend innovative approaches to providing educational programs. The study should be completed by November 30, 1996.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 8. The sum of five hundred thousand dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the biennium ending June 30, 1997, from the general fund to the higher education coordinating board for the purposes of educational opportunity grants.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 9. (1) The sum of fifty thousand dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the biennium ending June 30, 1997, from the general fund to the higher education coordinating board for the sole purpose of two thousand dollar community scholarship matching grants.

(2) To be eligible for the matching grant, a nonprofit community organization, organized under section 501(c)(3) of the internal revenue code, must demonstrate that it has raised two thousand dollars in new moneys for college scholarships after the effective date of this act. No organization may receive more than one two thousand dollar matching grant.