6280-S

AN ACT Relating to higher education fiscal matters; amending RCW 28B.15.031 and 28B.15.615; adding a new section to chapter 28B.15 RCW; and declaring an emergency.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 28B.15 RCW to read as follows:

(1) Once every four years, the governing board of each of the state universities, the regional universities, and The Evergreen State College, upon the agreement of its respective student government association or its equivalent, may establish and charge each enrolled student a technology fee, separate from tuition fees. During the 1996-97 academic year, any technology fee shall not exceed one hundred twenty dollars for a full-time student. Any technology fee charged to a part-time student shall be calculated as a pro rata share of the fee charged to a full-time student.

(2) Revenue from this fee shall be used exclusively for technology resources for general student use.

(3) Only changes in the amount of the student technology fee agreed upon by both the governing board and its respective student government association or its equivalent shall be used to adjust the amount charged to students. Changes in the amount charged to students, once implemented, become the basis for future changes.

(4) The student government association or its equivalent shall approve the annual expenditure plan for the fee revenue.

(5) As used in this section, "technology fee" is a fee charged to students to recover, in whole or in part, the costs of providing and maintaining services to students that include, but need not be limited to: Access to the internet and world wide web, e-mail, computer and multimedia work stations and laboratories, computer software, and dial-up telephone services.

Sec. 2. RCW 28B.15.031 and 1995 1st sp.s. c 9 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:

The term "operating fees" as used in this chapter shall include the fees, other than building fees, charged all students registering at the state's colleges and universities but shall not include fees for short courses, self-supporting degree credit programs and courses, marine station work, experimental station work, correspondence or extension courses, and individual instruction and student deposits or rentals, disciplinary and library fines, which colleges and universities shall have the right to impose, laboratory, gymnasium, health, technology and student activity fees, or fees, charges, rentals, and other income derived from any or all revenue producing lands, buildings and facilities of the colleges or universities heretofore or hereafter acquired, constructed or installed, including but not limited to income from rooms, dormitories, dining rooms, hospitals, infirmaries, housing or student activity buildings, vehicular parking facilities, land, or the appurtenances thereon, or such other special fees as may be established by any college or university board of trustees or regents from time to time. All moneys received as operating fees at any institution of higher education shall be deposited in a local account containing only operating fees revenue and related interest: PROVIDED, That a minimum of three and one-half percent of operating fees shall be retained by the institutions, except the technical colleges, for the purposes of RCW 28B.15.820. Local operating fee accounts shall not be subject to appropriation by the legislature or allotment procedures under chapter 43.88 RCW.

Sec. 3. RCW 28B.15.615 and 1993 sp.s. c 18 s 23 are each amended to read as follows:

Subject to the limitations of RCW 28B.15.910, the governing boards of the state universities and the regional universities may exempt the following students from paying all or a portion of the resident operating fee and the technology fee: Students granted a graduate service appointment, designated as such by the institution, involving not less than twenty hours of work per week. The exemption shall be for the term of the appointment. ((The stipend paid to persons holding graduate student appointments from nonstate funds shall be reduced and the institution reimbursed from such funds in an amount equal to the resident operating fee which funds shall be transmitted to the general fund.))

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and shall take effect immediately.