BP BHEAD INT S

AN ACT Relating to international education; adding a new chapter to Title 28B 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 it is important to the economic future of the state to promote international awareness and understanding. The legislature further finds that the state's economy and economic well-being depend heavily on foreign trade and international exchange. It is the intent of the legislature to encourage outstanding international students to attend Washington state's institutions of higher education. Therefore, the international exchange scholarship program is created to assist in the effort to recruit international students who reside in a country with an existing trade relationship with the state of Washington.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. Unless context clearly requires otherwise, the definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter.

(1) "Board" means the higher education coordinating board.

(2) "Eligible participant" means an international student whose country of residence has a trade relationship with the United States.

(3) "Institution of higher education" or "institution" means a college or university in the state of Washington that is accredited by an accrediting association recognized as such by rule of the board.

(4) "Service obligation" means volunteering for a minimum number of hours as established by the board based on the amount of scholarship award, to speak to or teach groups of Washington citizens, including but not limited to elementary, middle, and high schools, service clubs, and universities.

(5) "Washington international exchange scholarship program" means a scholarship award for a period not to exceed one academic year to attend a Washington institution of higher education made to an international student whose country has an established trade relationship with Washington.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. The Washington international exchange scholarship program is created. The program shall be administered by the board. In administering the program, the board shall:

(1) Convene an advisory committee that may include but need not be limited to representatives of the office of superintendent of public instruction, the department of community, trade, and economic development, the secretary of state, private business, and institutions of higher education;

(2) Select students to receive the scholarship with the assistance of a screening committee composed of leaders in business, international trade, and education;

(3) Adopt necessary rules and guidelines including rules for disbursing scholarship funds to participants;

(4) Publicize the program;

(5) Solicit and accept grants and donations from public and private sources for the program;

(6) Establish and notify participants of service obligations; and

(7) Establish a formula for selecting the countries from which participants may be selected in consultation with the department of community, trade, and economic development.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. The board may negotiate and enter into a reciprocal agreement with foreign countries that have international students attending institutions in Washington. The goal of the reciprocal agreements shall be to allow Washington students enrolled in an institution of higher education to attend an international institution under similar terms and conditions.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. If funds are available, the board shall select students yearly to receive a Washington international exchange student scholarship from moneys earned from the Washington international exchange scholarship endowment fund created in section 7 of this act, from funds appropriated to the board for this purpose, or from any private donations, or from any other funds given to the board for this program.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. The Washington international exchange trust fund is established in the custody of the state treasurer. Any funds appropriated by the legislature for the trust fund shall be deposited into the fund. At the request of the board, and when conditions set forth in section 8 of this act are met, the treasurer shall deposit state matching moneys from the Washington international exchange trust fund into the Washington international exchange scholarship endowment fund. No appropriation is required for expenditures from the trust fund.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 7. The Washington international exchange scholarship endowment fund is established. The endowment fund shall be administered by the state treasurer. Moneys received from the private donations and funds received from any other source may be deposited into the endowment fund. At the request of the board, the treasurer shall release earnings from the endowment fund to the board for scholarships. No appropriation is required for expenditures from the endowment fund. The principal of the endowment fund shall not be invaded. The earnings on the fund shall be used solely for the purposes in this chapter.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 8. The board may request that the treasurer deposit state matching funds into the Washington international exchange scholarship endowment fund when the board can match the state funds with an equal amount of private cash donations, including conditional gifts.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 9. Each Washington international exchange scholarship recipient shall agree to complete the service obligation as defined by the board.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 10. (1) The higher education coordinating board shall establish an advisory committee to assist in program design and to develop criteria for an international students internship program.

(2) The advisory committee may include, but need not be limited to the governor, a representative of the department of community, trade, and economic development, the secretary of state, and representatives of institutions of higher education, cultural exchange organizations, international trade organizations, and business.

(3) By December 31, 1996, the board shall make recommendations for legislation establishing a program for successful completion of internships within countries of targeted trading partners identified by the department of community, trade, and economic development that provides for credit opportunities toward degree programs for Washington state students.

(4) The advisory committee established in subsection (1) of this section shall expire December 1, 1996.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 11. Sections 1 through 9 of this act shall constitute a new chapter in Title 28B RCW.