COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION

COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION

Representative Don Carlson, Chair

BILL ANALYSIS

HB 1698

BRIEF DESCRIPTION: Creating the K-20 telecommunications network governance committee.

BACKGROUND: The 1996 Legislature approved the creation of a telecommunication network to serve the distance learning, Internet access, data transmission, and similar telecommunication needs of the public and private K-12 and higher education systems in the state. About $54 million was appropriated for the backbone of the system; however, the Governor vetoed $12 million of the appropriation.

The legislation approving the network required the Higher Education Coordinating Board and the Superintendent of Public Instruction to work with the greater education and higher education communities to prepare various planning documents for the system. The Information Services Board was directed to create a phased technical plan for the network design. An oversight committee that included representation from the Governor, the Legislature, the education and higher education systems, and interested state agencies was formed to approve the planning documents and the initial expenditures for the system. As required by the legislation, the Higher Education Coordination Board and Superintendent of Public Instruction have adopted a proposed governance structure for the system. The House members of the oversight committee proposed a different governance model and were the only members of the oversight group to vote against the governance model proposed by the Higher Education Coordinating Board and Superintendent of Public Instruction.

SUMMARY: The Washington Education Network Governance Committee is created. The purpose of the committee is to ensure that the K-20 network is operated in a way that serves the broad public interest above the interests of any network user. The committee will consist of six voting members appointed by the Governor with the consent of the Senate. Two of the members will be citizens. The other four members will be the Superintendent of Public Instruction, the chair of the Higher Education Coordinating Board, the chair of the Information Services Board, and the state librarian.

The duties of the committee are described. They include establishing goals and measurable objectives for the network and ensuring that these goals are the basis for network operations and development. The committee will implement policies for the development, operation, and expansion of the network and will submit a coordinated network budget. The committee will oversee the evaluation of the network, resolve disputes over network use, and approve modifications to the network planning documents prepared by the Higher Education Coordinating Board, Superintendent of Public Instruction, and the Information Services Board. The committee will also approve the expenditure of funds from the K-20 technology account.

The Cross-Sector Network Advisory Committee (C-NAC) is formed to advise the committee and network users on technical and planning issues that require cross-sector coordination. The types of issues the C-NAC will cover are described. The C-NAC includes both technical and academic planning personnel and is composed of two subcommittees.

Initially, the technical subcommittee will be comprised of equal numbers of K-12 and postsecondary representatives; four public members with technical expertise appointed by the chair of Information Services Board; and at least one representative of the Department of Information Services appointed by the director of the Department of Information Services. At least one member will be a representative of the independent higher education institutions and one will be a representative of public libraries, appointed by the state librarian. The membership of the technical subcommittee may be revised by unanimous agreement of the committee.

Initially, the policy subcommittee will be comprised of two provosts from the public baccalaureate institutions appointed by the Council of Presidents; two members appointed by the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges; four representatives of K-12 appointed by the Superintendent of Public Instruction; the Washington State Librarian or designee; two representatives of independent higher education institutions appointed by the Governor; and up to four public members, one of whom is appointed by the leadership of each legislative caucus. The public members will not be legislators. The membership of the policy subcommittee may be revised by unanimous agreement of the committee. All members of both subcommittees serve at the pleasure of the appointing authorities.

The committee is not intended to duplicate the statutory responsibilities of the Higher Education Coordinating Board, Superintendent of Public Instruction, the Information Services Board, the state librarian, or the governing boards of the institutions of higher education. The committee will not interfere with any curriculum or legally offered programming offered over the network. The committee may recommend, but not require, revisions to the telecommunications plans developed by the Higher Education Coordinating Board and Superintendent of Public Instruction.

The committee may hire staff and determine staff compensation packages.