BILL REQ. #: S-4147.1
State of Washington | 59th Legislature | 2006 Regular Session |
Read first time 01/12/2006. Referred to Committee on Early Learning, K-12 & Higher Education.
AN ACT Relating to expanding access to baccalaureate degree programs at Washington State University, Tri-Cities; and amending RCW 28B.45.030.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
Sec. 1 RCW 28B.45.030 and 2005 c 258 s 4 are each amended to read
as follows:
(1) Washington State University is responsible for providing
baccalaureate and graduate level higher education programs to the
citizens of the Tri-Cities area, under rules or guidelines adopted by
the higher education coordinating board and in accordance with
proportionality agreements emphasizing access for transfer students
developed with the state board for community and technical colleges.
Washington State University shall meet that responsibility through the
operation of a branch campus in the Tri-Cities area. The branch campus
shall replace and supersede the Tri-Cities university center. All
land, facilities, equipment, and personnel of the Tri-Cities university
center shall be transferred from the University of Washington to
Washington State University.
(2) Washington State University Tri-Cities shall continue providing
innovative coadmission and coenrollment options with Columbia Basin
College, and expand its upper division capacity for transfer students
and graduate capacity and programs. The campus shall also seek
additional opportunities to collaborate with the Pacific Northwest
national laboratory. ((Beginning in the fall of 2006, the campus may
offer lower division courses linked to specific majors in fields not
addressed at local community colleges. The campus may admit lower
division students through coadmission or coenrollment agreements with
a community college, or through direct transfer for students who have
accumulated approximately one year of transferable college credits. In
addition to offering lower division courses linked to specific majors
as addressed above, the campus may also directly admit freshmen and
sophomores for a bachelor's degree program in biotechnology subject to
approval by the higher education coordinating board. The campus may
not directly admit freshmen and sophomores for degree programs other
than biotechnology, however this topic shall be the subject of further
study and recommendations by the higher education coordinating board.))
(3) Beginning in the fall of 2006, the campus may admit lower
division students directly. By simultaneously admitting freshmen and
sophomores, increasing transfer enrollment, coadmitting transfer
students, and expanding graduate and professional programs, the campus
shall develop into a four-year institution of higher education serving
the Tri-Cities region.