FINAL BILL REPORT

2SSB 6216

                              C 29 L 90

BYSenate Committee on Ways & Means (originally sponsored by Senators Saling, Gaspard, Bauer, Patterson, Patrick, Conner and Rinehart; by request of State Board for Community College Education)

Creating the Washington community college exceptional faculty awards program.

Senate Committee on Higher Education and Committee on Ways & Means

House Committe on Higher Education

Rereferred House Committee on Appropriations

SYNOPSIS AS ENACTED

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 an equal amount of pledged or contributed private donations.  Interest income from the endowments may be used to supplement the 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 first requested a program similar to the distinguished professors' program.

SUMMARY:

The Washington Community College Exceptional Faculty Awards 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 (SBCCE), which, in consultation with eligible community colleges, sets priorities and evaluates requests for matching funds.

All community colleges shall be eligible for matching trust funds and may apply to the State Board for Community College Education for grants when they can match the state funds with equal cash donations from private sources.  All moneys deposited in the fund shall be invested by the State Treasurer.  A community college shall not receive more than four faculty grants in $25,000 increments, with a maximum total of $100,000 per campus in any biennium.  There is a three-year time limit for each college to raise the matching funds; if a college cannot raise the matching private funds, the funds will be disbursed through SBCCE guidelines to other eligible colleges.

The awards shall be used to pay the expenses for faculty development activities associated with the holder's program area.  More than one faculty member may share an award.  Once a college has matched the state funds, the college faculty and administration may establish a process in which several faculty awards may be funded from the endowment money released to the college by the State Treasurer.

The community colleges are required to have in hand the cash donations prior to requesting a state match from the endowment funds.  For the first year of the program, each community college is limited to one $25,000 matching grant.  Award money may not be used to pay salaries for assistants of faculty award holders.  The process for determining local awards, but not the actual dollar awards, shall be subject to collective bargaining.

VOTES ON FINAL PASSAGE:

     Senate   48    0

     House 97  0

EFFECTIVE:June 7, 1990