Brief Description: Providing for faculty opportunities at institutions of higher education.

Sponsors: Representatives Kenney, Haigh, Sells, Moeller, McDermott, Appleton, Wallace, Lantz, Hasegawa, P. Sullivan, Ormsby, Conway, Roberts, O'Brien and Goodman.

Hearing Date: 2/14/07

Staff: Jennifer Thornton (786-7111).

Background:

Community and Technical Colleges
In fall quarter 2005, there were 5,167 part-time state funded instructors at the community and technical colleges, and 3,266 full-time state funded faculty members. Part-time faculty taught 44 percent of the courses, and full-time faculty taught 56 percent of the courses.

The average salary for full-time community and technical college faculty members is $49,518. If part-time faculty were employed full-time, their average salary would be $28,801, which is 58 percent of the average full-time faculty salary. In 2004-2005, salaries for full-time faculty at the community and technical colleges were $7,000 lower than the average salaries for faculty in two-year public colleges in the Global Challenge States.

The faculty composition varies by department, with part-time faculty comprising the following percentages:

• basic skills and developmental education - 72 percent;
• humanities, math, public service, and social science - 40-50 percent;
• science, business, accounting, and information technology - 36-39 percent; and
• mechanical and engineering - 21 percent.

The time and place of instruction shows significant variation, with part-time faculty teaching 75 percent of evening courses, 34 percent of daytime on-campus courses, and 65 percent of off-campus courses.

Public Four-year Institutions
In fall 2003, 87 percent of faculty at public four-year institutions were full-time. In 2004-05, average faculty salaries for full, associate and assistant professors at Washington four-year institutions ranged from $54,879 at The Evergreen State College to $83,530 at the University of Washington. Using the Higher Education Coordinating Board's peer comparison groups, Washington State University's average salaries were the lowest among peers, ranking in the 14th percentile. The University of Washington was highest at the 54th percentile.

Summary of Bill:

Each institution of higher education will determine the number of full-time equivalent (FTE) faculty positions held by part-time, non-tenured, tenure-track, and tenured faculty in each academic department. They will create a plan to meet the goal that at least 75 percent of FTE faculty positions will be held by full-time tenured and tenure-track faculty in each department with at least eight FTE positions.

For community and technical colleges, the goal of 75 percent of positions being held by full-time tenured and tenure-track faculty pertains only to state funded positions. At the four-year institutions, the same goal covers only faculty with teaching responsibilities.

Departments that do not meet the 75 percent goal will increase the share of positions held by full-time tenured and tenure-track faculty so that by 2013 the goal is met.

Salaries for full-time faculty should be increased to meet the goal that by 2013 salaries are in the 60th percentile for faculty of comparable rank in Global Challenge States.

Each institution will determine a salary standard for adjunct faculty members employed in each department that constitutes a pro rata salary compared to the salaries of full-time tenured faculty members of comparable qualifications doing comparable work. They will close the pro rata gap between adjunct faculty salary and full-time faculty in each department by 2013.

Adjunct faculty will receive timely notice of and priority consideration for adjunct teaching assignments. Qualified internal applications will receive priority consideration for attaining a tenure-track position when one becomes available.

Consistent with personnel policies, non-tenure-track faculty will: accumulate seniority; be notified of openings before the position is posted outside the institution; and have priority consideration for appointments.

Each institution of higher education shall establish a faculty restoration and equity account. Annually, subject to appropriations, funds will be used to:

• advance 1/5 of the way toward meeting the 75 percent full-time faculty goal in each department; and
• advance 1/5 of the way toward meeting the goal of wages in the 60th percentile of global challenge states, and that adjunct faculty receive comparable pay to full-time tenure and tenure-track faculty.

The governing boards of each institution of higher education will include funds sufficient to cover the projected costs of implementing this bill in their biennial requests.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Requested on February 13, 2007.

Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.