BILL REQ. #:  S-1925.1 

Read first time 02/27/2003.   Referred to Committee on Higher Education.

     WHEREAS, The higher education coordinating board is directed in state law to update the comprehensive master plan for higher education every four years, in collaboration with Washington's higher education community; and
     WHEREAS, The next master plan update is to be presented to the Legislature and Governor by December 2003; and
     WHEREAS, Upon the Legislature's adoption of the plan by concurrent resolution, the master plan becomes the state's higher education policy unless amended by legislative action; and
     WHEREAS, To guide the state's higher education policies and strategies successfully, the master plan must address both short-term and longer-term fiscal and policy issues; and
     WHEREAS, Recent discussions, including the December 2002 report on the higher education coordinating board by the Washington state institute for public policy, demonstrate the need to strengthen the connection between the board's agenda and the expectations of the Legislature; and
     WHEREAS, It is appropriate to use the development process for the 2004 master plan to reestablish and strengthen the Legislature's involvement in higher education strategic planning and its communication with the members and staff of the higher education coordinating board; and
     WHEREAS, It is also appropriate to consider a revision in the timeline for preparation of the master plan to ensure that it is fully integrated with the preparation of institutional and state budgets and the Legislature's development of future biennial budgets;
     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, By the Senate of the State of Washington, the House of Representatives concurring, That the Legislature form an interim work group of members of the House of Representatives and Senate higher education and fiscal committees to work with the higher education coordinating board and its staff between June and September 2003 to reach consensus on the policy parameters and priorities of the 2004 master plan for higher education; and
     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the interim work group and the higher education coordinating board consider advancing the timeline for publication of the 2004 master plan from December 2003 to June 2004, to ensure that it provides a timely and relevant framework for development of future budgets and policy proposals.