BILL REQ. #:  S-4597.1 

READ FIRST TIME 01/22/08.   

     AN ACT Relating to creating a University of Washington branch campus; and amending RCW 28B.45.020; and creating a new section.

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

Sec. 1   RCW 28B.45.020 and 2005 c 258 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) The University of Washington is responsible for ensuring the expansion of baccalaureate and graduate educational programs in the ((central)) Puget Sound 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. The University of Washington shall meet that responsibility through the operation of at least ((two)) three branch campuses. One branch campus shall be located in the Tacoma area. Another branch campus shall be ((collocated)) colocated with Cascadia Community College in the Bothell-Woodinville area. Another branch campus shall be located in Everett.
     (2) At the University of Washington Tacoma, a top priority is expansion of upper division capacity for transfer students and graduate capacity and programs. 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 shall 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)) in this subsection, the campus may also directly admit freshmen and sophomores gradually and deliberately in accordance with the campus plan submitted to the higher education coordinating board in 2004.
     (3) At the University of Washington Bothell, a top priority is expansion of upper division capacity for transfer students and graduate capacity and programs. The campus shall also seek additional opportunities to collaborate with and maximize its ((collocation [colocation])) colocation with Cascadia Community College. 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)) in this subsection, the campus may also directly admit freshmen and sophomores gradually and deliberately in accordance with the campus plan submitted to the higher education coordinating board in 2004.
     (4) At the University of Washington North Sound, a top priority is expansion of upper division capacity for transfer students and graduate capacity and programs in science, nursing, teacher education, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Beginning in the fall of 2009, the campus may offer lower division courses linked to specific majors in fields not addressed at local community colleges. The campus shall 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 in this subsection, the campus may also directly admit freshmen and sophomores gradually and deliberately in accordance with the campus plan submitted to the higher education coordinating board in 2009.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   When developing the capital plan for the University of Washington North Sound, the higher education coordinating board shall balance the overall capital needs of all of the state's institutions of higher education. The capital plan for the University of Washington North Sound should be developed in a manner that is consistent with the overall capital facilities plan and the strategic master plan.