AN ACT Relating to community service by students at state institutions of higher education; and adding a new chapter to Title 28B RCW.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds and declares that:

(1) Washington students have a long and rich tradition of participation in community service activities which participation should be recognized, commended, and expanded.

(2) There is a growing national consensus that student participation in community services enhances students' educational experiences.

(3) Student community service is an activity of extreme importance to the mission of Washington's institutions of higher education, and this service should be performed both for academic credit and for other intangible benefits that accrue to participating students.

(4) The state's institutions of higher education are charged to maintain a tradition of public service in addition to their functions of providing teaching and research.

(5) Access to the privilege of attending an institution of higher education is made possible for many by our state's tradition of maintaining reasonable fees and tuition.

(6) Practical learning experiences in the real world are valuable for the development of a student's sense of self, skills, and education.

(7) Our state faces enormous unmet community service needs and social challenges including undereducated children, increasing illiteracy, rising numbers of teenage parents, environmental contamination, homelessness, school dropouts, and growing needs for elder care.

(8) The state's ability to face these challenges requires policymakers to find creative and cost-effective solutions including increased efforts to encourage community and student public service.

(9) The legislature and the state of Washington provide substantial incentives and subsidies for its citizens to attend the state's institutions of higher education, which are among the finest in the world.

(10) Current volunteer efforts conducted by community organizations reach only a fraction of the need for service. The need for public service is great because private, state, and federal funding are insufficient to pay for all the social services needed.

(11) Existing community service efforts have successfully demonstrated that participation in public service is of mutual benefit to participating students and the recipients of their services.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. The community service corps program shall be designed to accomplish the following goals:

(1) Enhance the higher education experience of students by providing students with the opportunity to develop themselves and their skills in real-world learning experiences.

(2) Help develop and increase a sense of community service and social responsibility.

(3) Invite the fullest possible cooperation among institutions of higher education; the common schools; public, private, and nonprofit agencies; and philanthropic organizations in planning, funding, and implementing expanded opportunities for student participation in community life through public service in organized community service programs.

(4) Significantly increase participation by college students in community services by June 30, 1991, with the ultimate goal being participation by every student at a state institution of higher education.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. (1) The community service corps program is created within each of the state institutions of higher education under RCW 28B.10.016. The program shall provide every student with an ongoing opportunity throughout his or her college career to participate in a community service activity. Beginning in the fall term of 1989, every student will be encouraged, but not required, to participate in the community service corps by providing an average of thirty hours of community service in each academic year.

(2) Institutions of higher education shall determine how to encourage and monitor student participation. Institutions are strongly encouraged to develop flexible programs and most effectively use the skills of students and that permit the widest possible student involvement, including participation by part-time students and others for whom participation may be difficult due to financial, academic, personal, or other considerations.

(3) Independent colleges and universities are strongly encouraged to implement community service corps programs.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. As used in sections 1 through 8 of this act, community service means work or service performed by students either voluntarily or for some form of compensation or academic credit through nonprofit, governmental, and community-based organizations, schools, or college campuses. In general, the work or service should be designed to provide direct experience with people or with project planning, and should have the goal of improving the quality of life for the local, state, or international community. Eligible activities may include, but are not limited to: Tutoring, literacy training, neighborhood improvement, increasing environmental safety, assisting the elderly or disabled, and providing mental health care, particularly for disadvantaged or low-income residents.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. (1) Community service corps task forces shall be established at each institution of higher education by October 31, 1988. Member institutions of the association of independent colleges and universities are strongly encouraged to establish task forces under this section for the purposes of this chapter. Each task force shall be composed of students, faculty, staff, administrators, and community representatives from groups such as schools, local businesses, government, nonprofit associations, social service agencies, and philanthropic organizations. Each task force shall reflect the ethnic and racial diversity of the institution and the surrounding community.

(2) The task forces shall: Strengthen and coordinate existing campus and external community service opportunities; expand and make new service opportunities available; promote the community service corps to make students, community groups, faculty, employment recruiters, and administrators aware of the service expectation; and recommend rules and guidelines for the program to the governing boards.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. By June 30, 1989, community service corps task forces should develop an implementation strategy including but not limited to:

(1) A survey of the existing level of student participation in community service activities, including the number of participating students; the average amount of time spent by participating students; appropriate information on how student participation is funded; and the types of agencies and organizations involved.

(2) A plan to substantially expand student participation in community service by June 30, 1991.

(3) Criteria for determining what activities reasonably qualify as community service.

(4) A strategy for determining which organizations, agencies, and institutional programs can reasonably use additional student assistance.

(5) A method of communicating the goals and expectations of the program to full-time students.

(6) A resources plan and budget identifying the staff and funding resources needed to implement the community service corps at their institutions.

(7) A plan for making the program a partnership effort between the institution and participating organizations and agencies.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 7. (1) State institutions of higher education shall maximize the use of existing state, local, federal, and private resources to implement the community service corps program.

(2) State funds, as available, shall be allocated competitively for programs and not on a pro rata basis for each institution. Preference in funding should be given for strengthening and expanding exemplary efforts to implement the community service corps, and for stimulating new efforts at institutions where the establishment of community service corps programs has been limited.

(3) Institutions of higher education may develop numerous approaches to implement the community service corps programs. Activities eligible for funding may include a wide variety of incentives for student participation, including but not limited to:

(a) Recognition programs;

(b) Fellowships;

(d) Periodic conferences for student and community organizations;

(e) Transportation costs; and

(f) Matching grants.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 8. The higher education coordinating board, with the assistance of the state board for community college education, and the state institutions of higher education, shall annually monitor institutional progress in substantially increasing student participation in the community service corps. By December 1, 1992, the higher education coordinating board shall conduct a comprehensive program evaluation which shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

(1) The number of students who completed participation in the community service corps in each academic area and during each academic year.

(2) The number of students who volunteered or received monetary compensation or academic credit for services.

(3) An inventory of the types of community agencies which participated and the types of opportunities provided.

(4) An inventory of the types of incentives for student participation offered by institutions of higher education, including awards, grants, and training.

(5) The number of courses related to community service corps programs.

(6) The number of staff and sources of funding provided to the community service corps by each institution of higher education.

(7) A survey of participating state and local agencies to determine whether the addition of student resources enhanced their programs.

(8) Recommendations for continuation of the community service corps program including a recommendation on whether the program should include a mandatory service requirement.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 9. Sections 1 through 8 of this act shall constitute a new chapter in Title 28B RCW.