BILL REQ. #:  S-1687.1 

Read first time 02/17/2005.   Referred to Committee on Early Learning, K-12 & Higher Education.

     AN ACT Relating to higher education; adding new sections to chapter 28B.50 RCW; and creating a new section.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   The legislature finds that:
     (1) The state community and technical colleges hold a significant place in our higher education system by providing citizens with high quality instruction;
     (2) The retention of excellent college professors is an integral part to the success of our community and technical college system;
     (3) Our state's colleges and universities are dedicated to the free and open discussion of ideas that encourages the plurality of opinions that has been the hallmark of the concept of academic freedom;
     (4) Nearly half of the courses offered by the two-year colleges are currently taught by nontenure track, part-time faculty who lack the job security and academic freedom safeguards normally associated with tenure;
     (5) Job security for experienced faculty has long been a hallmark of high-quality higher education and results in a more stable work force of professionals dedicated to serving their students; and
     (6) Good business practice and faculty morale is best served by the time-honored labor practice of rewarding professors for their seniority, continuing education, and experience.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   A new section is added to chapter 28B.50 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) Each community and technical college shall develop a new senior faculty position for nontenure track, part-time professors to be officially called associate faculty.
     (2) Nontenure track faculty are eligible for associate faculty status after having taught for nine quarters.
     (3) At a minimum, associate faculty shall have the following privileges conferred on them as a result of their seniority:
     (a) The right of first refusal on available departmental courses up to the equivalent of a full-time teaching load each year for fall, winter, and spring quarters;
     (b) The right to bump other nontenure track faculty in the event the associate faculty member's course is canceled;
     (c) The right to be paid thirty-three percent of their contract by the college in the event there is no one with less seniority to bump and the associate faculty member's class is canceled;
     (d) Their names and qualifications appearing in the college's biennial catalogs;
     (e) The right to receive annual contracts with the equivalent of full-time teaching loads; and
     (f) Annual contracts presumed to be automatically renewable.
     (4) Associate faculty status shall be revocable for probable cause, as outlined in the procedures for terminating full-time tenure track faculty. The associate faculty member may appeal the decision, at his or her option, including the right to a hearing and standard grievance procedures afforded to full-time faculty by contract; and
     (5) All nontenure track faculty who have taught more than nine quarters before June 30, 2005, shall automatically be conferred associate faculty status.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3   A new section is added to chapter 28B.50 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) Each community and technical college shall develop its associate faculty positions by means of collective bargaining.
     (2) Each community and technical college shall have its associate faculty positions in place no later than September 30, 2006.