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                         SENATE BILL 5199

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State of Washington      55th Legislature     1997 Regular Session

By Senators Wood, Kohl, Winsley, Bauer, Hale, Sheldon, Horn and Oke; by request of Higher Education Coordinating Board

Read first time 01/20/97.  Referred to Committee on Higher Education.

Requiring the higher education coordinating board to develop models for the delivery of technology-based programs.

    AN ACT Relating to authorizing the higher education coordinating board to conduct pilot programs in alternative tuition setting for distance education, packaging tuition and fees, and enrollment agreements with other states; and adding new sections to chapter 28B.80 RCW.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 28B.80 RCW to read as follows:

    The state of Washington is confronted with providing higher education for an additional eighty-four thousand students by the year 2010.  This requires that all possible methods of delivering higher education be considered.  This includes technology and considering agreements with other states that may have the capacity to provide higher education opportunities for Washington citizens.  To make use of these new approaches requires consideration of what these methods of delivery will cost and how that will impact tuition and state support of higher education and consideration of different tuition models and levels of state support for technology-based delivery models and incentives for Washington students to use enrollment agreements with other states.

    A second step in meeting the needs of students efficiently is to assure maximum use of all existing institutions.  To assure such use, packaging of tuition, fees, and living expense models for four years should be developed as an incentive for using space available.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 28B.80 RCW to read as follows:

    (1) The higher education coordinating board shall develop up to three tuition and state support models for the delivery of technology-based programs.  The models shall identify the cost and distribution of tuition and state support if the degree program is offered by a single Washington institution of higher education or by a consortium of Washington institutions of higher education.  The board shall also make recommendations on levels of tuition and state support for Washington state participation in the western governors' virtual university.

    (2) The board shall develop up to three incentive models to encourage Washington students to use enrollment agreements with other states.  This does not affect current reciprocity agreements or agreements set forth in chapter 28B.70 RCW.

    (3) The board shall develop one model for packaging tuition, fees, and living expenses to cover a four-year period.

    (4) The board shall report to the legislature no later than December 30, 1997, on the models developed and its recommendation on the use of the models.

    (5) The models shall not be implemented until authorized by the legislature.

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