BILL REQ. #:  H-1655.1 

Read first time 02/10/09.   Referred to Committee on Higher Education.

     AN ACT Relating to long-term tuition policy; creating a new section; and providing an expiration date.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   (1) Within existing resources, the higher education coordinating board shall convene an advisory committee on tuition policy. The committee shall include one member from each of the public baccalaureate institutions, one member from a community college, one member from a technical college, one student attending a baccalaureate institution, one student attending a community or technical college, two faculty members, as well as one member each from the higher education coordinating board, state board for community and technical colleges, and the council of presidents.
     (a) The president of the senate shall appoint one member from each of the two largest caucuses of the senate. At least one member must be a member of the senate committee on higher education and workforce development.
     (b) The speaker of the house of representatives shall appoint one member from each of the two largest caucuses of the house of representatives. At least one member must be a member of the house of representatives committee on higher education.
     (2) The committee shall be guided by the legislature's desire to develop rational policies as the basis for long-term planning and development of higher education in Washington. Any recommendations made by the committee must support implementation of the strategic master plan for higher education. The committee shall avail itself of available video conferencing and teleconferencing technology to minimize travel expenses. The committee is responsible for:
     (a) Investigating tuition fee policies in other states including average tuition levels for resident undergraduate students; an analysis of the impact of various policies on citizen access, equity, and participation rates; the impact of student debt upon graduation; impacts on quality; and links with student financial assistance;
     (b) Investigating other models for determining tuition including, but not limited to, differential tuition fees based on program of study or per credit;
     (c) Investigating models that encourage collaboration and coordination among institutions of higher education and that facilitate coenrollment among multiple institutions, including enrollment in online learning courses;
     (d) Making recommendations on how to set tuition levels in amounts and in a manner that supports the substantive higher education policy objectives of the state as articulated in the strategic master plan for higher education.
     (3) The advisory committee shall report its findings to the appropriate committees of the legislature by December 1, 2010.
     (4) This section expires June 30, 2011.