SENATE BILL REPORT

SB 6463

BYSenators Saling, Rinehart, Smitherman, Bauer, Stratton, Talmadge and Johnson

Granting a greater voice to students in recommending budgets for services and activities fees.

Senate Committee on Higher Education

Senate Hearing Date(s):January 17, 1990; January 24, 1990

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 6463 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.

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

Senate Staff:Scott Huntley (786-7421)

                  January 26, 1990

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION, JANUARY 24, 1990

BACKGROUND:

Services and activities fees are statutorily defined to mean fees which are charged to all students and are used to fund student activities and programs.  These fees are also dedicated to repaying bonds and other indebtedness for facilities such as dormitories, hospitals, infirmaries, dining halls, parking facilities, and student, faculty and employee housing.

Legislation enacted in 1980 gave students an assured role in proposing budgetary recommendations to their college or university administration for the expenditure of services and activities fees.  The legislation required the creation of a services and activities fees committee, with the majority of members to be students chosen by the school's student government.

In 1986 the Legislature revised the services and activities fee budget process so that the students were given the responsibility for proposing initial budget recommendations to both the school administration and the governing board.  Under these revised procedures, the services and activities fee committee submits its budget recommendations to the administration with informational copies provided to the governing board.  If the administration responds with different recommendations, that response, together with supporting documentation, must be given to the committee and the board.

If the committee and the administration do not agree, they are to make a good faith effort to resolve disputes before submitting final recommendations to the governing board.  The governing board makes the final decision on the adoption of the services and activities fee budget.

Student representatives from the state institutions of higher education maintain that since the funds for the services and activities fees budgets are provided by the mandatory student fee, the students should have a greater voice in the budget process for these funds.

SUMMARY:

It is the intent of the Legislature that students have a strong voice in recommending budgets for services and activities fees.

The guidelines established for the funding of programs supported by services and activities at state colleges and universities are changed as follows:

Students will be assured the opportunity to address the governing board before decisions on services and activities fees budgets are made.  The services and activities fee committee members will have the opportunity to negotiate with the governing board before the board acts to fund, or increase the budget for, any item that is not contained in the budget recommended to the board by the services and activities fee committee.

The governing board shall give utmost consideration to student desires in budget areas that do not impact the stability of programs affecting students, pre-existing contractual obligations, or bond covenants.

The services and activities fee committee has the responsibility for proposing program priorities and budget levels directly to the governing board, rather than through the college administration.  The committee will also provide its recommendations to the college administration.  The student membership of the committee must represent a broad spectrum of student interests and organizations.  All of the student members of the committee will be selected by the student government association or its equivalent.  The committee must provide an opportunity for all viewpoints to be heard at a public hearing during its consideration of the funding of student programs.

The college administration will make proposed program priorities and budget level recommendations to the services and activities fee committee for committee consideration at least 30 days before the committee recommendations are due to the governing board.

In the case of disputes between administration recommendations and the services and activities fee committee recommendations, the committee and the administration will meet in a good faith effort to resolve the dispute.  Should the two parties be unable to resolve the dispute, a dispute resolution committee shall be formed to meet in a good faith effort to resolve the dispute.  The dispute resolution committee will be made up of two representatives of the college administration (one voting member and one nonvoting advisory member), three representatives of the governing board (two voting members and one nonvoting advisory member), and three representatives of the services and activities fee committee (all voting members).  The dispute resolution committee will decide all disputes by vote.  In the case of a tie the one nonvoting member representing the governing board shall vote to decide the issue.  The dispute resolution committee shall be formed prior to the submission of recommendations to the governing board and before final action by the board.

There may be no subsequent transfers of budgeted services and activities fee funds which result in an increase from original allocations for any item without the written agreement of the governing board and the services and activities fee committee.

EFFECT OF PROPOSED SUBSTITUTE:

The governing board shall give priority consideration to student desires in budget areas that do not impact the stability of programs affecting students, pre-existing contractual obligations, or bond covenants.

Student members of the Services and Activities Fees Committee will be recommended by the Student Government Association or its equivalent.

The college administration will make proposed program priorities and budget level recommendations to the Services and Activities Fees Committee in a timely manner to allow for adequate review.

In the case of disputes which are not resolved by consultation, a dispute resolution committee will be formed within 14 days.

The dispute resolution committee shall consist of three student representatives of the Services and Activities Fees Committee, three members of the governing board, and two nonvoting advisory administration members.

Disputes regarding subsequent transfers of budgeted services and activities fees shall be directed to a dispute resolution committee.

Appropriation:    none

Revenue:    none

Fiscal Note:      available

Senate Committee - Testified: Terry Teale, Council of Presidents (pro); Dick Barrett, Eastern Washington University (pro); Dick Thompson, Central Washington University (con); Sherry Burkey, University of Washington; Jennifer Jaech, The Evergreen State College (pro); Lisa Surber, Washington Student Lobby (pro); Beverly Lingle, Washington State University; Matt Dentino, Washington Association of Community College Students (pro); Sandy Wall, Washington Association of Community College Students (pro)