5734-S AMH ANDG SMIT 217

SSB 5734 - H AMD 706

By Representative Anderson

WITHDRAWN 4/22/2009

    On page 2, after line 13 of the striking amendment, insert the following:

    "(5) (a) For purposes of the implementation of tuition guarantee policies of this section and beginning in the 2009-10 academic year, the governing boards of the state universities, regional universities, and the Evergreen State College shall identify high employer demand programs of study offered at each of their respective institutions. The state board for community and technical colleges shall identify high employer demand programs of study for the community and technical colleges.

    (b) Academic year tuition for students enrolled full time in a high employer demand program of study shall remain at the same level as at the time of the student's admission into such a high employer demand program for two consecutive academic years or until the student is no longer enrolled in such a program. Guaranteed tuition fees may be extended for up to one additional academic year for high employer demand programs of study that encourage students to receive a double major or for which the published credits required for the degree exceeds one hundred eighty quarter or one hundred twenty semester credits at the state universities, regional universities, and the Evergreen State College and ninety quarter credits at community and technical colleges. Community and technical colleges are not eligible for tuition guarantee extensions.

    (c) Students who major in a high employer demand program of study and receive a reduced tuition rate, but do not attain a degree in the high employer demand program of study, incur an obligation to repay the difference between the actual tuition fees the student paid and the tuition fees the student would have paid had the student not participated in the tuition guarantee program described in this section. The governing boards of each of the public institutions of higher education are responsible for collection of repayments made under this subsection and shall exercise due diligence in such collection, maintaining all necessary records to ensure maximum repayments are made."

    On page 2, at the beginning of line 14, strike "(5)" and insert "(((5)))(6)"

    On page 2, at the beginning of line 17, strike "(6)" and insert "(((6)))(7)"

    On page 2, at the beginning of line 20, strike "(7)" and insert "(((7)))(8)"

    On page 2, at the beginning of line 24, strike "(8)" and insert "(((8)))(9)"

    On page 2, at the beginning of line 29, strike "(9)" and insert "(((9)))(10)"

EFFECT:  Requires the public four-year institutions to guarantee tuition at the same rate for two consecutive years from the students' initial admission into high employer demand programs of study. Exceptions are made for programs, offered at four-year institutions, which encourage students to double major or those that are longer than average in length. Requires the governing boards of the four-year institutions and the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges to identify high employer demand programs of study.  

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