SENATE BILL REPORT

SB 5220

BYSenators Saling, Bauer, Bailey, Stratton, Lee and Smitherman

Establishing the community college exceptional faculty award program.

Senate Committee on Higher Education

Senate Hearing Date(s):February 8, 1989; February 13, 1989

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 5220 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.

      Signed by Senators Saling, Chairman; Patterson, Vice Chairman; Bauer, Smitherman, Stratton.

Senate Staff:Jean Six (786-7423)

                  February 14, 1989

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION, FEBRUARY 13, 1989

BACKGROUND:

In 1985 the Legislature created the Washington distinguished professors' program to help four-year colleges and universities create endowments for distinguished scholars who occupy chairs within the institutions.  The program allows institutions to apply for $250,000 from trust funds when they can match state funds with equal pledged or contributed private donations.  Interest income from the endowments may be used to supplement salary of the holder of the professorship, pay salaries of his or her assistants, and pay expenses associated with the holder's scholarly work.  With the exception of two guaranteed but unpledged professorships, all available trust funds were reserved or released as of July, 1988.  In 1987 the State Board for Community College Education requested for its faculty a program similar to the distinguished professors' program.

SUMMARY:

The Washington community college exceptional faculty award program is established to help community colleges create endowments for funding awards granted to exceptional faculty members.  The program is administered by the State Board for Community College Education, which sets priorities and evaluates requests for matching funds.  No more than two awards may be received in a biennium.  Colleges may apply for grants of $50,000 to $100,000 when they can match the state funds with equal cash donations from private sources.

Once granted, the award becomes the property of the individual college, which shall designate the recipient and may name the award in honor of a donor, benefactor or honoree.  Each college is responsible for soliciting private donations, investing and maintaining all endowment funds, administering the award and reporting on the program.  Each college may augment the endowment fund with additional, unrestricted private donations, but may not reduce the principal of the invested endowment fund.

Interest income from the endowment fund may be used to supplement the salary of the holder of the award, pay salaries for the faculty member's assistants, or pay expenses associated with the faculty member's program area.

Funds appropriated for the community college exceptional faculty award program shall be administered and invested by the State Treasurer.  The State Treasurer may release state matching funds to the local endowment fund of colleges designated by the State Board for Community College Education.

Public or private monies deposited in the trust fund or any local endowment fund for the exceptional faculty award program are not subject to negotiations.

EFFECT OF PROPOSED SUBSTITUTE:

Flexibility is allowed for using the award for a number of faculty development activities rather than for a specific individual project, although that is an option.  In widening the use, the entire faculty corps could benefit as well as an individual, if so designated.

Appropriation:    none

Revenue:    none

Fiscal Note:      available

Senate Committee - Testified: Earl Hale, SBCCE; Dexter Ramage, faculty representative; Bob Maier, WEA