FINAL BILL REPORT

SHB 2352

C 104 L 12

Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description: Concerning institutions of higher education services and activities fees.

Sponsors: House Committee on Higher Education (originally sponsored by Representatives Reykdal, Fitzgibbon, Zeiger, Kenney, Maxwell, Haler, Green, Jinkins, Sells, Moscoso, Ormsby, Pollet, Billig, Anderson, Probst, Lytton, Wylie, Ladenburg, Kelley, Angel and Hunt).

House Committee on Higher Education

Senate Committee on Higher Education & Workforce Development

Background:

In addition to tuition fees, students at institutions of higher education are charged services and activities fees also known as "S and A" fees. These fees are dedicated to fund student activities and programs, as well as for repaying bonds and other indebtedness for facilities such as dormitories, hospitals, dining halls, parking facilities, and housing. Services and activities fees are not set by the Legislature, but state law requires that these fees may not increase faster than the rate of increase in tuition.

State statute directs that a services and activities fees committee at each institution of higher education has responsibility for proposing to the administration and the governing board the program priorities and budget levels for that portion of program budgets that derive from services and activities fees. The services and activities fees committee must have at least a majority of student members.

State statute also directs the governing boards of institutions of higher education to give priority consideration to the recommendations of the services and activities fees committee. Student representatives from the services and activities fees committee and representatives of the college or university administration must have an opportunity to address the governing board before board decisions on services and activities fees budgets are made.The services and activities fees committee is required to evaluate existing and proposed programs and submit budget recommendations for the expenditure of those services and activities fees with supporting documents to the college or university governing board and administration. The college or university administration is required to review the services and activities fees committee recommendations and publish a written response. This written response must outline potential areas of difference between the committee recommendations and the administration's proposed budget recommendations.

Summary:

Services and activities fees committees are required to post services and activities fees expenditure information on their website. By September 30 annually, each services and activities fees committee, in coordination with the institution of higher education, must post the expenditures of services and activities fees from the previous academic year. This information must be clearly visible and easily accessible. At a minimum, the services and activities fees budget information must include all the major categories of expenditure and the amounts expended in each category.

Votes on Final Passage: