Washington State House of Representatives Office of Program Research | BILL ANALYSIS |
College & Workforce Development Committee |
HB 2574
This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent. |
Brief Description: Reducing administrative staffing at institutions of higher education.
Sponsors: Representatives Stokesbary, Gildon and Van Werven.
Brief Summary of Bill |
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Hearing Date: 1/28/20
Staff: Megan Mulvihill (786-7304).
Background:
Public institutions of higher education (institutions) employees generally fall into three categories of staff per state accounting processes: faculty, nonfaculty exempt staff, and classified staff. Nonfaculty exempt employees may include staff in student support services, financial aid offices, advising, enrollment management, campus life, facilities, human resources, capitol planning, data security, institutional research, and compliance areas, such as Title IX and ADA.
The following chart displays the full-time equivalent (FTE) enrollments to FTE nonfaculty exempt staff for fiscal year (FY) 2008 compared to FY 2018.
FTE Enrollments per FTE Nonfaculty Exempt Staff | ||
FY 2008 | FY 2018 | |
University of Washington | 6.4 | 5.8 |
Washington State University | 16.4 | 16.3 |
Central Washington University | 48.7 | 28.7 |
Western Washington University | 33.4 | 33.1 |
The Evergreen State College | 26.6 | 19.6 |
Eastern Washington University | 28.2 | 29.2 |
State Board for Community and Technical Colleges | 38.9 | 34.7 |
Summary of Bill:
By June 30, 2020, each institution must reduce the number of nonfaculty exempt employees to a number that is no greater than the amount reflected by the ratio of FTE nonfaculty exempt employees in FY 2008 to FTE enrollments in FY 2008, multiplied by the number of FTE enrollments in FY 2019.
For General Fund (GF) appropriations to each institution, the Office of Financial Management must adjust allotments by an amount that conforms with the funding adjustments. Any allotment reductions must be placed in reserve status and remain unexpended. Each institution must make at least the following reductions in FTE nonfaculty exempt employment as follows:
University of Washington must reduce nonfaculty exempt employment by 16.7 FTEs per 1,000 FTE enrollments, resulting in a reduction of at least 815 FTE employees, and GF appropriations for FY 2021 are reduced by $8,416,000. Tuition expenditures for FY 2021 related to this reduction are anticipated to be reduced by $16,611,000.
Washington State University must reduce nonfaculty exempt employment by .4 FTEs per 1,000 FTE enrollments, resulting in a reduction of at least 11 FTE employees, and GF appropriations for FY 2021 are reduced by $297,000. Tuition expenditures for FY 2021 related to this reduction are anticipated to be reduced by $309,000.
Central Washington University must reduce nonfaculty exempt employment by 14.3 FTEs per 1,000 FTE enrollments, resulting in a reduction of at least 142 FTE employees, and GF appropriations for FY 2021 are reduced by $4,128,000. Tuition expenditures for FY 2021 related to this reduction are anticipated to be reduced by $3,967,000.
The Evergreen State College must reduce nonfaculty exempt employment by 13.4 FTEs per 1,000 FTE enrollments, resulting in a reduction 49 FTE employees, and GF appropriations for FY 2021 are reduced by $1,354,000. Tuition expenditures for FY 2021 related to this reduction are anticipated to be reduced by $2,029,000.
Western Washington University must reduce nonfaculty exempt employment by .2 FTEs per 1,000 FTE enrollments, resulting in a reduction of at least 3 FTE employees, and GF appropriations for FY 2021 are reduced by $101,000. Tuition expenditures for FY 2021 related to this reduction are anticipated to be reduced by $110,000.
The State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC) must reduce nonfaculty exempt employment by 3.2 FTEs per 1,000 FTE enrollments, resulting in a reduction of at least 407 FTE employees, and GF appropriations for FY 2021 are reduced by $17,066,000. Tuition expenditures for FY 2021 related to this reduction are anticipated to be reduced by $6,685,000. The SBCTC must allocate the reductions to the individual colleges based on nonfaculty exempt employee growth at the colleges since 2008 and allocate a portion to the SBCTC based on the SBCTC's portion of total nonfaculty exempt staff employed in the community and technical college system.
Eastern Washington University has a lower ratio of nonfaculty exempt employees to students than in 2008 and is not required to make employee or expenditure reductions.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Preliminary fiscal note available.
Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.