BILL REQ. #:  S-1129.1 

Read first time 01/27/09.   Referred to Committee on Higher Education & Workforce Development.

     AN ACT Relating to creating a state college; and adding a new section to chapter 28B.10 RCW.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   A new section is added to chapter 28B.10 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) A college in Snohomish county is established. The college must provide baccalaureate and graduate level higher education programs primarily to the citizens of Snohomish, Island, and Skagit counties under rules or guidelines adopted by the higher education coordinating board.
     (2) The priorities of the college shall be: (a) Preparing students for careers in high employer demand fields such as science, technology, and engineering; (b) preparing students for careers in clean energy, clean energy technology, sustainable energy and smart grid technologies, and green building design and architecture; and (c) developing an atmosphere of innovation, entrepreneurship, and economic development by encouraging relationships with the business community and providing on-campus or near-campus locations for the development of incubator projects and businesses.
     (3) The college shall provide upper division capacity for transfer students and may offer lower division courses linked to specific majors in fields not addressed at local community colleges. In addition, the college may also directly admit freshman and sophomores gradually and deliberately in accordance with the campus plan to be submitted to the higher education coordinating board. The college shall admit students through coadmission or coenrollment agreements with a community college emphasizing access for transfer students codeveloped by the college and the state board for community and technical colleges.