HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  HB 2984

             As Reported By House Committee On:

                      Higher Education

Title:  An act relating to part‑time employees of community and technical colleges.

Brief Description:  Requiring prorated compensation and benefits for part‑time community and technical college employees.

Sponsors:  Representatives Dunn, Mason, Bush, Kenney, Radcliff, Butler, Carlson, Tokuda, Dickerson, Scott, Wood, Kessler, Linville, Conway, Keiser, Regala, Cole, Cooper, Ogden, Anderson, Gardner, and Appelwick.

Brief History:

  Committee Activity:

Higher Education:  2/3/98 & 2/5/98 [DPS].

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION

Majority Report:  The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  Signed by 8 members:  Representatives Carlson, Chairman; Mason, Ranking Minority Member; Kenney, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Butler; Dunn; O'Brien; Sheahan and Van Luven.

Staff:  Marilee Scarbrough (786-7196).

Background:  In 1996, the Legislature established a Best Practices Task Force.  The Legislature directed the task force to conduct a best practices audit of compensation packages and conditions of employment for part-time faculty in the community and technical college system.

The Best Practices Task Force found that:  the process for hiring part-time faculty is informal and considers a relatively small number of candidates; part-time faculty have conditional contracts based on their college's needs; many of the colleges do not have a performance evaluation for part-time faculty; the investment in professional development for part-time staff is lower than for full-time staff; support services and office space are minimal; colleges use a variety of methods to communicate with part-time faculty; and only 15 of the colleges provide some form of sick leave.

The report identified 10 best practices.  Boards of trustees for community and technical colleges are encouraged to:

CDevelop a written policy on the employment of part-time faculty.

CWidely publicize notices of vacancies and develop a structured application screening process.

CProvide timely written employment agreements for multiple quarters to part-time faculty.

CProvide periodic evaluation results to part-time faculty and use evaluations in making employment decisions and determining professional development needs.

CProvide professional development that is available to part-time and full-time faculty.

CIdentify part-time faculty needs for office space and equipment and meet those needs within available resources.

CUse a variety of methods to communicate with part-time faculty and provide a way for part-time faculty to communicate to college leadership.

CProvide individual and group recognition for achievements of part-time faculty.

CDevelop a sick leave policy for part-time staff who have a continuing relationship with the college.

CApply the definition of "academic freedom@ to part-time and full-time faculty and provide the appropriate grievance process.

Summary of Substitute Bill:  Part-time faculty shall receive compensation for equal work including prorated compensation for salary, retirement benefits, and health care benefits.  Part-time faculty will receive a prorated salary based on the full-time salary schedule in the employee's college district.  Part-time faculty who work less than 50 percent, will be compensated on a pro rata basis for health care benefits.  The health care benefits will be based on the average premium paid by the state for full-time community and technical college faculty.  Part-time faculty will also be eligible for retirement benefits from the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges on a pro rata basis.

Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill:  The substitute bill makes technical changes and adds a definition section.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

Effective Date of Substitute Bill:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  If disparity is eliminated, community colleges will only hire part-time faculty when needed.  This bill will require community colleges to hire part-time faculty for pedagogical reasons. The system will have part-time faculty that are committed.  Currently, part-time faculty are prevented from working more than 50 percent.  Colleges know how to prevent part-timers from getting benefits.  Please don't change the bill to apply only to credit courses taught by part-timers.  With this legislation Washington can lead the country in improving community colleges.  This bill will encourage colleges to hire full-timers.

There are 10,000 part-timers in Washington State.  Part-time faculty teach half of the teaching load in community and technical colleges.  Part-timers teach because we love to teach.  We would like to be recognized.  Part-time faculty are trying to position themselves for full-time positions.  Currently, part-timers can loose classes on short notice.  Pro rata pay will end the two tier system.  This bill will also improve the quality, efficiency, and productivity in the community college system.

Imagine a system with part-time legislators.  A small number of legislators would do most of the work and the remainder would only attend to vote.  After voting, the part-time legislators, would drive off  to perform their duties in other states.  Part-time faculty are not lacking in skill, many are not full-time because full-time positions occur very infrequently.  There were three full-time openings in my school in 19 years.  Currently, community colleges operate in a discriminatory and exploitive way towards part-time faculty.  One part-time faculty has worked for 27 years with no retirement benefits.  Many part-timers are dying of terminal demoralization.  We are the field hands of the higher education system.  Equal pay for equal work seems like an American birth right.

The community college system needs to provide quality instruction and develop relationships with business and industry.  This is not possible with a high percentage of part-time faculty.  Part-time faculty are professionals.  Stop exploiting part-time faculty.  The State Board for Community and Technical Colleges supports part-time faculty increases.  The State Board for Community and Technical Colleges requests funds every biennium.  Last year we made a step in the right direction.  It will cost $73 million per year to implement this legislation.  Be careful of overruling the collective bargaining process.  The state board prefers to let the local interests work out the needs of their colleges.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified: Keith Holler, part-time faculty; Doug Collins, part-time faculty; Debra Brink, part-time faculty; Dana Rush, part-time faculty; Sandra Schroeder, Washington Federation of Teachers; Elaine Teavinick, part-time faculty, Seattle Central Community College; Wayne Iverson, part-time faculty; Antonia Clark, part-time faculty; Dan Loos, Seattle Central Community College; Phebe Jewell, Seattle Central Community College; Julianne Zarate, part-time faculty, North Seattle Community College; Sean Rhody, part-time faculty; Neil Van Ness, part-time faculty; Earl Hale, State Board for Community and Technical Colleges; and Terry Fitzpatrick (for Robert Merchant), part-time faculty member.