COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION

Representative Don Carlson, Chair

BILL ANALYSIS

SSB 5002

BRIEF DESCRIPTION:  Creating the cross-sector network advisory committee to advise on K-20 educational telecommunications network technical and policy planning.

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 (HECB) and the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) to work with the greater education and higher education communities to prepare various planning documents for the system.  The Information Services Board (ISB) 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 HECB and OSPI 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 HECB and OSPI.

SUMMARY: The HECB, OSPI, and ISB will govern the K-20 telecommunications network, with the assistance of the Cross-Sector Network Advisory Committee (C-NAC).  Governance is defined as "responsibility for network programming, site selection, coordinated budget recommendations, and technology oversight."  The agencies must implement one or more joint operating agreements for the governance of the network.  The agreements will ensure that academic policy drives the technical development of the network.

The existing statutory responsibilities of the HECB, the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC), and OSPI are maintained:  program planning and approval, budget recommendations to the Legislature, and dispute resolution.  The ISB is responsible for oversight and approval of major technology projects and purchases.

The Cross-Sector Network Advisory Committee is created.  C-NAC advises the governance partners on technical and policy planning matters that require cross-sector coordination.  The C-NAC includes both technical and academic planning personnel and is composed of two subcommittees.  The technical subcommittee is comprised of equal numbers of K-12 and postsecondary representatives; four public members with technical expertise, appointed by the chair of ISB; and at least one representative of the Department of Information Services (DIS), appointed by the DIS director.  At least one member is a representative of the independent higher education institutions.  The policy subcommittee is comprised of two provosts from the public baccalaureate institutions appointed by the HECB in consultation with the public institutions of higher education; two members appointed by the SBCTC; four representatives of K-12 appointed by OSPI; the Washington State Librarian or designee; two representatives of independent higher education institutions appointed by the Governor; and four public members, one of whom is appointed by the leadership of each legislative caucus.  The public members are not legislators.  All members of both subcommittees serve at the pleasure of the appointing authorities.  C-NAC begins work on July 1, 1997.

Staff and office support for the governance structure are provided through the HECB, OSPI, and DIS.  The governance structure is terminated on June 30, 2002.