BILL REQ. #:  S-4042.3 

READ FIRST TIME 01/29/10.   

     AN ACT Relating to promoting efficiencies including institutional coordination and partnerships in the community and technical college system; amending RCW 28B.50.020 and 28B.50.090; adding a new section to chapter 28B.50 RCW; and creating new sections.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   The legislature finds that Washington's community and technical college system consists of thirty-four two-year institutions geographically dispersed across the state to encourage and enable student access and participation. The legislature also finds that, compared with other states, Washington's two-year public participation rate is ranked as high as fifth in the nation. The legislature further finds that Washington's community and technical colleges have been making and are continuing to make great progress towards system efficiencies and coordination of their efforts through such things as common course numbering, the student achievement initiative, associate transfer degrees, eLearning and integrated basic education, skills training, and some common administrative systems. To encourage further efficiencies while maintaining Washington's recognized leadership in community and technical college education, the legislature intends to provide mechanisms for cost-effective partnerships and coordination between institutions, including shared services, and increased complementary programming, as well as structural administrative efficiencies.

Sec. 2   RCW 28B.50.020 and 2009 c 64 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:
     The purpose of this chapter is to provide for the dramatically increasing number of students requiring high standards of education either as a part of the continuing higher education program or for occupational education and training, or for adult basic skills and literacy education, by creating a new, independent system of community and technical colleges which will:
     (1) Offer an open door to every citizen, regardless of his or her academic background or experience, at a cost normally within his or her economic means;
     (2) Ensure that each college district, in coordination with adjacent college districts, shall offer thoroughly comprehensive educational, training, and service programs to meet the needs of both the communities and students served by combining high standards of excellence in academic transfer courses; realistic and practical courses in occupational education, both graded and ungraded; community services of an educational, cultural, and recreational nature; and adult education, including basic skills and general, family, and workforce literacy programs and services;
     (3) Provide for basic skills and literacy education, and occupational education and technical training ((at technical colleges)) in order to prepare students for careers in a competitive workforce;
     (4) Provide or coordinate related and supplemental instruction for apprentices at community and technical colleges;
     (5) Provide administration by state and local boards which will avoid unnecessary duplication of facilities ((or)), programs, student services, or administrative functions; and which will encourage efficiency in operation and creativity and imagination in education, training, and service to meet the needs of the community and students;
     (6) Allow for the growth, improvement, flexibility and modification of the community colleges and their education, training, and service programs as future needs occur; and
     (7) Establish firmly that, except on a pilot basis as provided under RCW 28B.50.810, community colleges are, for purposes of academic training, two year institutions, and are an independent, unique, and vital section of our state's higher education system, separate from both the common school system and other institutions of higher learning, and never to be considered for conversion into four-year liberal arts colleges.

Sec. 3   RCW 28B.50.090 and 2009 c 64 s 4 are each amended to read as follows:
     The college board shall have general supervision and control over the state system of community and technical colleges. In addition to the other powers and duties imposed upon the college board by this chapter, the college board shall be charged with the following powers, duties and responsibilities:
     (1) Review the budgets prepared by the boards of trustees, prepare a single budget for the support of the state system of community and technical colleges and adult education, and submit this budget to the governor as provided in RCW 43.88.090;
     (2) Establish guidelines for the disbursement of funds; and receive and disburse such funds for adult education and maintenance and operation and capital support of the college districts in conformance with the state and district budgets, and in conformance with chapter 43.88 RCW;
     (3) Ensure, through the full use of its authority:
     (a) That each college district, in coordination with colleges, within a regional area, shall offer thoroughly comprehensive educational, training, and service programs to meet the needs of both the communities and students served by combining high standards of excellence in academic transfer courses; realistic and practical courses in occupational education, both graded and ungraded; and community services of an educational, cultural, and recreational nature; and adult education, including basic skills and general, family, and workforce literacy programs and services;
     (b) That each college district shall maintain an open-door policy, to the end that no student will be denied admission because of the location of the student's residence or because of the student's educational background or ability; that, insofar as is practical in the judgment of the college board, curriculum offerings will be provided to meet the educational and training needs of the community generally and the students thereof; and that all students, regardless of their differing courses of study, will be considered, known and recognized equally as members of the student body: PROVIDED, That the administrative officers of a community or technical college may deny admission to a prospective student or attendance to an enrolled student if, in their judgment, the student would not be competent to profit from the curriculum offerings of the college, or would, by his or her presence or conduct, create a disruptive atmosphere within the college not consistent with the purposes of the institution. This subsection (3)(b) shall not apply to competency, conduct, or presence associated with a disability in a person twenty-one years of age or younger attending a technical college;
     (4) Prepare a comprehensive master plan for the development of community and technical college education and training in the state; and assist the office of financial management in the preparation of enrollment projections to support plans for providing adequate college facilities in all areas of the state. The master plan shall include implementation of the vision, goals, priorities, and strategies in the statewide strategic master plan for higher education under RCW 28B.76.200 based on the community and technical college system's role and mission. The master plan shall also contain measurable performance indicators and benchmarks for gauging progress toward achieving the goals and priorities;
     (5) Define and administer criteria and guidelines for the establishment of new community and technical colleges or campuses within the existing districts;
     (6) Establish criteria and procedures for modifying district boundary lines and consolidating district structures to form multiple campus districts consistent with the purposes set forth in RCW 28B.50.020 as now or hereafter amended and in accordance therewith make such changes as it deems advisable;
     (7) Establish minimum standards to govern the operation of the community and technical colleges with respect to:
     (a) Qualifications and credentials of instructional and key administrative personnel, except as otherwise provided in the state plan for vocational education,
     (b) Internal budgeting, accounting, auditing, and financial procedures as necessary to supplement the general requirements prescribed pursuant to chapter 43.88 RCW,
     (c) The content of the curriculums and other educational and training programs, and the requirement for degrees and certificates awarded by the colleges,
     (d) Standard admission policies,
     (e) Eligibility of courses to receive state fund support;
     (8) Establish and administer criteria and procedures for all capital construction including the establishment, installation, and expansion of facilities within the various college districts;
     (9) Encourage innovation in the development of new educational and training programs and instructional methods; coordinate research efforts to this end; and disseminate the findings thereof;
     (10) Exercise any other powers, duties and responsibilities necessary to carry out the purposes of this chapter;
     (11) Authorize the various community and technical colleges to offer programs and courses in other districts when it determines that such action is consistent with the purposes set forth in RCW 28B.50.020 as now or hereafter amended;
     (12) Notwithstanding any other law or statute regarding the sale of state property, sell or exchange and convey any or all interest in any community and technical college real and personal property, except such property as is received by a college district in accordance with RCW 28B.50.140(8), when it determines that such property is surplus or that such a sale or exchange is in the best interests of the community and technical college system;
     (13) In order that the treasurer for the state board for community and technical colleges appointed in accordance with RCW 28B.50.085 may make vendor payments, the state treasurer will honor warrants drawn by the state board providing for an initial advance on July 1, 1982, of the current biennium and on July 1 of each succeeding biennium from the state general fund in an amount equal to twenty-four percent of the average monthly allotment for such budgeted biennium expenditures for the state board for community and technical colleges as certified by the office of financial management; and at the conclusion of such initial month and for each succeeding month of any biennium, the state treasurer will reimburse expenditures incurred and reported monthly by the state board treasurer in accordance with chapter 43.88 RCW: PROVIDED, That the reimbursement to the state board for actual expenditures incurred in the final month of each biennium shall be less the initial advance made in such biennium;
     (14) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (12) of this section, may receive such gifts, grants, conveyances, devises, and bequests of real or personal property from private sources as may be made from time to time, in trust or otherwise, whenever the terms and conditions thereof will aid in carrying out the community and technical college programs and may sell, lease or exchange, invest or expend the same or the proceeds, rents, profits and income thereof according to the terms and conditions thereof; and adopt regulations to govern the receipt and expenditure of the proceeds, rents, profits and income thereof; and
     (15) The college board shall have the power of eminent domain.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4   (1) The state board for community and technical colleges, in collaboration with the boards of trustees for the community and technical colleges, shall identify potential administrative efficiencies, complementary administrative functions, and complementary academic programs in colleges within a regional area. Colleges within the regional area shall involve a broad range of stakeholders, including: Faculty representatives, students, and community representatives. Factors to be considered include, but are not limited to:
     (a) The economic feasibility and cost savings anticipated from the proposed changes;
     (b) The extent to which the changes will contribute to student access to academic programs and services, including greater flexibility for students to transfer credits and obtain degrees and certificates from other colleges within the regional area; and
     (c) The extent to which the changes contribute to the vision, goals, priorities, and statewide strategies in the comprehensive master plan and the statewide strategic master plan for higher education.
     (2) The state board for community and technical colleges shall develop and adopt a detailed plan for the implementation of any identified changes that would result in cost savings while maintaining or enhancing student access and achievement. The plan must establish a time frame within which any proposed changes must be accomplished and must include any agreements, approved by the state board for community and technical colleges, between colleges within a regional area to provide complementary academic programs or coordinate administrative functions. The implementation plan shall take effect upon approval by the state board for community and technical colleges. The state board shall submit a preliminary report on the plan to the appropriate legislative committees and the governor December 1, 2010, and shall submit a final report December 1, 2011.
     (3) Any cost savings realized as a result of the implementation of administrative efficiencies, complementary administrative functions, and complementary academic programming under the plan shall be retained by the respective districts to be used for enhancing student access and success.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 5   A new section is added to chapter 28B.50 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) The college board, using the criteria established under RCW 28B.50.090(6) and in consultation with the boards of trustees for the community and technical colleges, shall identify adjacent college districts that can feasibly be consolidated or whose boundaries can feasibly be modified to form a multiple campus district. The primary considerations shall be the extent to which the changes will: (a) Affect student access to academic programs and services and (b) result in financial efficiencies.
     (2) By December 1, 2012, the college board, in consultation with local boards of trustees, shall evaluate any proposed district consolidations or boundary changes identified in subsection (1) of this section as it deems advisable and shall submit any required supporting legislative changes to the governor and appropriate committees of the legislature.