BILL REQ. #:  H-1446.2 

Read first time 02/09/11.   Referred to Committee on Higher Education.

     AN ACT Relating to creating a funding mechanism to promote innovation at community and technical colleges; amending RCW 28B.15.031 and 28B.15.100; adding a new section to chapter 28B.50 RCW; and creating a new section.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   (1) The legislature finds that the community and technical college system mission to ensure affordable access to higher education geographically distributed throughout the state is aligned with innovative approaches to learning and substantial efficiencies that have been implemented since the legislature established the system in 1967. Systemic approaches include a common accounting system, a common administrative computing system, a single system budget request for operating and capital expenses, and common course numbering. Innovative approaches include the system's e-learning platform, the adoption of open educational resources, and the adoption of lecture-capture tools that allow students to replay lectures, review classroom materials, and distribute outstanding instruction via the web anytime, anywhere.
     (2) It is the intent of the legislature to further enhance the community and technical college system by making the maximum use of technologies to:
     (a) Help dismantle the barriers of geographic isolation, cost, competing demands of work and family life, and past educational failure;
     (b) Create a system for learning that is welcoming to all, easy to enter and use, and tailored to the needs of each learner; and
     (c) Fosters personal relationships and support all students and their families to learn and thrive.

Sec. 2   RCW 28B.15.031 and 2003 c 232 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) The term "operating fees" as used in this chapter shall include the fees, other than building fees, charged all students registering at the state's colleges and universities but shall not include fees for short courses, self-supporting degree credit programs and courses, marine station work, experimental station work, correspondence or extension courses, and individual instruction and student deposits or rentals, disciplinary and library fines, which colleges and universities shall have the right to impose, laboratory, gymnasium, health, technology and student activity fees, or fees, charges, rentals, and other income derived from any or all revenue producing lands, buildings and facilities of the colleges or universities heretofore or hereafter acquired, constructed or installed, including but not limited to income from rooms, dormitories, dining rooms, hospitals, infirmaries, housing or student activity buildings, vehicular parking facilities, land, or the appurtenances thereon, or such other special fees as may be established by any college or university board of trustees or regents from time to time. All moneys received as operating fees at any institution of higher education shall be deposited in a local account containing only operating fees revenue and related interest: PROVIDED, That a minimum of three and one-half percent of operating fees shall be retained by the institutions for the purposes of RCW 28B.15.820.
     (2) In addition to the three and one-half percent of operating fees retained by the institutions under subsection (1) of this section, three percent of operating fees charged to students at community and technical colleges shall be transferred to the community and technical college innovation account for the implementation of the college board's strategic technology plan in section 3 of this act.
     (3) Local operating fee accounts shall not be subject to appropriation by the legislature or allotment procedures under chapter 43.88 RCW.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3   A new section is added to chapter 28B.50 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) The community and technical college innovation account is created in the custody of the state treasurer. All receipts from operating fees in RCW 28B.15.031(2) must be deposited into the account. Expenditures from the account may be used only as provided in subsection (2) of this section. Only the director of the college board or the director's designee may authorize expenditures from the account. The account is subject to allotment procedures under chapter 43.88 RCW, but an appropriation is not required for expenditures.
     (2) Funds in the community and technical college innovation account may be used solely to:
     (a) Pay and secure the payment of the principal of and interest on financing contracts, such as certificates of participation issued for the innovation account under chapter 39.94 RCW and authorized by the legislature; and
     (b) Implement the college board's strategic technology plan to improve student achievement, student services, and increase systemwide administrative efficiencies. The college board must approve projects under the strategic technology plan to improve student achievement, student services, and increase systemwide administrative efficiencies before the director authorizes expenditures to be made.

Sec. 4   RCW 28B.15.100 and 2003 c 232 s 6 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) The governing boards of the state universities, the regional universities, The Evergreen State College, and the community colleges shall charge to and collect from each of the students registering at the particular institution for any quarter or semester such tuition fees and services and activities fees, and other fees as such board shall in its discretion determine. For the governing boards of the state universities, the regional universities, and The Evergreen State College, the total of all fees shall be rounded to the nearest whole dollar amount: PROVIDED, That such tuition fees shall be established in accordance with RCW 28B.15.067.
     (2) Part-time students shall be charged tuition and services and activities fees proportionate to full-time student rates established for residents and nonresidents: PROVIDED, That except for students registered at community colleges, students registered for fewer than two credit hours shall be charged tuition and services and activities fees at the rate established for two credit hours: PROVIDED FURTHER, That, subject to the limitations of RCW 28B.15.910, residents of Idaho or Oregon who are enrolled in community college district number twenty for six or fewer credits during any quarter or semester may be exempted from payment of all or a portion of the nonresident tuition fees differential upon a declaration by the higher education coordinating board that it finds Washington residents from the community college district are afforded substantially equivalent treatment by such other states.
     (3) Full-time students registered for more than eighteen credit hours shall be charged an additional operating fee for each credit hour in excess of eighteen hours at the applicable established per credit hour tuition fee rate for part-time students: PROVIDED, That, subject to the limitations of RCW 28B.15.910, the governing boards of the state universities and the community colleges may exempt all or a portion of the additional charge, for students who are registered exclusively in first professional programs in medicine, dental medicine, veterinary medicine, doctor of pharmacy, or law, or who are registered exclusively in required courses in vocational preparatory programs.