BILL REQ. #:  S-0142.2 

Read first time 01/15/09.   Referred to Committee on Higher Education & Workforce Development.

     AN ACT Relating to graduation rate improvements; and amending RCW 28B.10.693.

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

Sec. 1   RCW 28B.10.693 and 1993 c 414 s 4 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) Each institution of higher education as defined in RCW 28B.10.016 may enter into a student progression understanding with an interested student. The terms of the understanding shall permit a student to obtain a degree or certificate within the standard period of time assumed for a full-time student pursuing that degree or certificate. ((Usually, the standard amount of time will be about two years for an associate of arts degree and about four years for a baccalaureate degree.)) Student progression understandings shall not give rise to any cause of action on behalf of any student as a result of the failure of any state institution of higher education to fulfill its obligations under the student progression understanding.
     (2) A student who signs a progression understanding shall pay the same tuition during his or her period of enrollment, under the progression understanding, as he or she did for his or her initial term. As used in this subsection and subsection (3) of this section, "tuition" means "operating fees" as defined in RCW 28B.15.031.
     (3) If the student does not obtain the degree or certificate within the period of time established in the progression understanding, the student must pay the difference in tuition increases, with interest. If the student does not obtain the degree or certificate within the period of time established in the progression understanding due to the failure of the state institution of higher education to fulfill its obligations, the payment requirement in this subsection does not apply.