H-0722.1

SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 1142

ByHouse Postsecondary Education & Workforce (originally sponsored by Representatives Hansen, Timmons, Reed, Simmons, Reeves, Lekanoff, and Pollet)

AN ACT Relating to increasing tenure-track faculty at the public baccalaureate institutions; adding a new section to chapter 28B.10 RCW; and providing an expiration date.

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) The legislature recognizes that extensive research has shown that student outcomes and success, especially for first generation, underserved students, significantly improve by increasing the number of tenure-track faculty at public four-year universities.

(a) The legislature's goal is that the state universities and regional universities add 200 new full-time tenure-track positions in the 2023-24 academic year. These positions shall be divided among the five institutions with the most positions allocated to the institutions with the highest student to faculty ratios:

(i) Thirty at the University of Washington;

(ii) Thirty at Washington State University;

(iii) Fifty at Central Washington University;

(iv) Fifty at Eastern Washington University; and

(v) Forty at Western Washington University.

(b) This goal is best accomplished through converting part-time faculty positions to full-time tenure-track positions and by hiring new full-time faculty through institutional search processes. If specific funding for the purpose of conversion assignments proposed in this section is not provided in the omnibus operating appropriations act, the conversion assignments proposed must be delayed until such time as specific funding is provided.

(c) New positions will be assigned to departments with the highest percentage of nontenure-track faculty, with the majority going to departments that teach high demand programs of study as defined in RCW 28B.145.010 and that the opportunity scholarship program has listed as eligible majors for the baccalaureate scholarship.

(d) The state universities and regional universities shall issue two joint reports to the governor and the appropriate committees of the legislature in accordance with RCW 43.01.036 as follows:

(i) The preliminary report must include data on all hires made under this section, including demographics of hires, the department or program the hire was made in, and the number of positions that were part-time conversions. The preliminary report is due by December 15, 2025.

(ii) For the final report, the state universities and regional universities must collect data and assess the impact of the 200 additional full-time tenure-track faculty on student experiences and student success. The state universities and regional universities must convene representatives of faculty, staff, and administration to report on outcomes as a result of increasing full-time tenure-track faculty. The universities must compile their results and assessments into a final report, along with next step recommendations, that is due by December 15, 2030.

(2) This section expires July 1, 2031.

--- END ---