Washington State
House of Representatives
Office of Program Research		 BILL
ANALYSIS
Higher Education Committee

HB 2528

This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent.

Brief Description: Regarding employment opportunities at community and technical colleges.

Sponsors: Representatives Nelson, Hasegawa, Roberts, Lantz, Sullivan and Simpson.

Brief Summary of Bill
  • Sets a goal that 75 percent of the academic assignments held or courses taught at community and technical colleges will be held by full-time tenure track faculty.
  • Sets a goal that part-time and non-tenure track faculty receive priority consideration for full-time faculty positions.
  • Requires the community and technical colleges that do not meet the goal to create and plan, make appropriate budget requests, and increase full-time assignments to the Legislature's goal by 2014.
  • Requires the community and technical colleges to create plans to ensure that part-time faculty and internal candidates get priority consideration for full-time positions.

Hearing Date: 1/21/08

Staff: Andi Smith (786-7304).

Background:

According to reports from the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC), there were 8,996 full and part-time state funded faculty members teaching at community and technical colleges in the fall quarter of 2006. Of those, 3,540 were full-time faculty and 5,456 were part-time. Community and technical college full-time equivalent faculty (FTEF) increased by three percent from the previous fall, compared with 2.4 percent increase in state-supported students.

During the same quarter, 55.5 percent of state-supported teaching occurred through full-time faculty, while 44.5 percent occurred through part-time instructors. The percent of instruction taught by full-time faculty has remained essentially stable for the last five years. A full-time load is defined by each campus and may vary be discipline and mode of instruction.

The ratio of part-time to full-time faculty varied significantly depending on course area. Workforce and academic instruction is primarily by full-time faculty while the reverse is true for pre-college and basic skills instruction.

The median age for full-time faculty was 52 in the fall quarter of 2006, an increase from a median age of 50 in 2002. The SBCTC calculates that nearly 60 percent of full-time faculty will need to be replaced in the next 15 to 20 years due to retirement.

Summary of Bill:

Ratio of part-time to full-time teaching

Goal
The Legislature sets a goal that at least 75 percent of courses taught or academic assignments held in each department on each community and technical college campus must be taught by full-time tenured or tenure track faculty. The goal only applies to departments that have eight or more full-time equivalent academic workloads.

Plan
By fall 2008 each community and technical college 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. These findings will be reported to the SBCTC, boards of trustees, and faculty representatives. The community and technical colleges that do not have full-time faculty teaching 75 percent of courses will create a plan to meet the goal. The plan must include statements regarding how the college intends to meet its goal by: creating new full-time, tenure track appointments, creating opportunities for adjunct faculty to get full-time positions, and converting classes or assignments left vacant. The goal cannot be met by planning to discharge part-time or non-tenure track faculty that are currently employed.

Action
The governing board of each community and technical college submits biennial budget requests to cover the projected costs of steps outlined in their plans.

Subject to the availability of funds, departments with eight or more full-time FTE that do not have full-time faculty teaching 75 percent of courses increase the share of positions held by full-time faculty, according to the plan developed by the college, to meet the Legislature's goal by 2014.

Consideration for employment and new tenure-track positions

The Legislature sets a goal that part-time faculty in community and technical colleges receive consideration for continuing employment and for new tenure-track positions.

Each community and technical college establishes a process through which part-time faculty receive timely notice and priority consideration when a full-time faculty position becomes available. Priority consideration includes rights of first refusal or a continuing contract with due process rights.

Each community and technical college establishes a process through which internal candidates receive priority consideration for tenure-track positions, provided that the minimum qualifications have been met. In this case, priority consideration includes being granted an interview.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Requested on January 16, 2008.

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