SENATE BILL REPORT

SB 6270

As Reported By Senate Committee On:

Higher Education, February 5, 2002

Title:  An act relating to student membership on governing boards of institutions of higher education.

Brief Description:  Providing for a two‑year term of office for student members of governing boards of institutions of higher education.

Sponsors:  Senators Jacobsen, Kohl‑Welles, McAuliffe and Carlson.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Higher Education:  1/24/02, 2/5/02 [DPS, DNPS].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 6270 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.

Signed by Senators Kohl‑Welles, Chair; Shin, Vice Chair; Carlson, Jacobsen, McAuliffe and B. Sheldon.

Minority Report:  Do not pass substitute.

Signed by Senators Horn and Parlette.

Staff:  Jean Six (786‑7423)

Background:  From some time in the '60s until the 1998 session, student activists submitted a bill to the Legislature asking that students be given a voting membership in the governing boards of the colleges and universities.  In 1998 the Legislature required the Governor to appoint a student to the governing boards of the public four-year institutions of higher education.  The students are selected from a list of at least three and not more than five names submitted to the Governor by the student governing body or in the case of The Evergreen State College by the student body.  The student members are subject to Senate confirmation.  The students serve a board term of one year from June 1 until the appointment and qualification of the successor.

Summary of Substitute Bill:  The Governor appoints the student member to a term of up to two years upon the determination of the length of term by the individual governing boards of the four-year institutions of higher education.

Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill:  The substitute bill added an emergency clause.  The term for the student member may be either one year or two years.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

Effective Date:  The bill contains an emergency clause and takes effect immediately.

Testimony For:  Senator Jacobsen offers the bill following a conversation with Dan Evans, UW Regent.  The steep learning curve for all members of governing boards, the length of time for students to build rapport with other board members, plus the legal and fiduciary duty of a governing board member requires a longer term view than allowed by a term of one year.  It may be a good idea to make the two-year term an option, but be careful to maintain the student voice.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Senator Ken Jacobsen, prime sponsor; Amit Ranade, UW student Regent; Paul Vronsky, WSL, UW; Sumeer Shingla, UW, GPSS; Russ Carver, EWU, WSL.