AN ACT Relating to tuition fees; amending RCW 28B.15.402; reenacting and amending RCW 28B.15.070; and creating new sections.

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

Sec. 1. Section 7, chapter 257, Laws of 1981 as last amended by section 24, chapter 390, Laws of 1985 and RCW 28B.15.402 are each amended to read as follows:

Tuition fees and services and activities fees at the regional universities and The Evergreen State College for other than summer quarters or semesters shall be as follows:

(1) For full time resident undergraduate students and all other full time resident students not in graduate study programs, the total tuition fees shall be one-fourth of the per student undergraduate educational costs at the regional universities computed as provided in RCW 28B.15.067 and 28B.15.070: PROVIDED, That the building fees for each academic year shall be seventy-six dollars and fifty cents.

(2) For full time resident graduate students, the total tuition fees shall be twenty-three percent of the per student graduate educational costs at the regional universities computed as provided in RCW 28B.15.067 and 28B.15.070: PROVIDED, That for the 1989-90 academic year the total tuition fees shall be one thousand eight hundred thirty-four dollars and fifty cents, and for the 1990-91 academic year, the total tuition fees shall be one thousand nine hundred forty-two dollars and fifty cents. The building fees for each academic year ((~~thereafter~~)) shall be seventy-six dollars and fifty cents.

(3) For full time nonresident undergraduate students and all other full time nonresident students not in graduate study programs, the total tuition fees shall be one hundred percent of the per student undergraduate educational costs at the regional universities computed as provided in RCW 28B.15.067 and 28B.15.070: PROVIDED, That the building fees for each academic year shall be two hundred and ninety-five dollars and fifty cents.

(4) For full time nonresident graduate students, the total of tuition fees shall be seventy-five percent of the per student graduate educational costs at the regional universities computed as provided in RCW 28B.15.067 and 28B.15.070: PROVIDED, That for the 1989-90 academic year the total tuition fees shall be five thousand nine hundred eighty-six dollars and fifty cents, and for the 1990-91 academic year, the total tuition fees shall be six thousand three hundred fifty-eight dollars and fifty cents. The building fees for each academic year shall be two hundred and ninety-five dollars and fifty cents.

(5) The boards of trustees of each of the regional universities and The Evergreen State College shall charge and collect equally from each of the students registering at the particular institution and included in subsections (1) through (4) hereof a services and activities fee which for each year of the 1981-83 biennium shall not exceed one hundred eighty-four dollars and fifty cents. In subsequent biennia the board of trustees may increase the existing fee, consistent with budgeting procedures set forth in RCW 28B.15.045, by a percentage not to exceed the percentage increase in tuition fees authorized in subsection (1) above: PROVIDED, That such percentage increase shall not apply to that portion of the services and activities fee previously committed to the repayment of bonded debt. The services and activities fee committee provided for in RCW 28B.15.045 may initiate a request to the governing board for a fee increase.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. (1) The higher education coordinating board, with cooperation from the institutions of higher education, shall conduct a full review and analysis of the accuracy and consistency of the educational costs study. The board shall report to the legislature by December 1990, outlining its findings and making recommendations upon establishing a modified tuition fees structure based upon educational costs.

(2) The board shall conduct a full analysis and comparison of the educational costs at the University of Washington and Washington State University. The board shall also perform a comparison of the tuition fees charged at the University of Washington and Washington State University with tuition at their respective peer institutions. The board will provide recommendations on whether different levels of tuition fees should be charged at each of the state research universities.

Sec. 3. Section 7, chapter 322, Laws of 1977 ex. sess. as last amended by section 65, chapter 370, Laws of 1985 and by section 16, chapter 390, Laws of 1985 and RCW 28B.15.070 are each reenacted and amended to read as follows:

(1) The house and senate committees responsible for higher education shall develop, in cooperation with the higher education coordinating board ((~~and~~)), the respective fiscal committees of the house and senate, the office of financial management, and the state institutions of higher education by December of ((~~each odd-numbered~~)) every fourth year beginning in 1990, definitions, criteria, and procedures for determining the undergraduate and graduate educational costs for the state universities, regional universities, and community colleges upon which tuition fees will be based. In the event that no action is taken or disagreement exists between the committees as of that date, the recommendations of the board shall be deemed to be approved.

(2) The state institutions of higher education in cooperation with the higher education coordinating board shall perform an educational cost study pursuant to subsection (1) of this section. The study shall be conducted based on every fourth academic year beginning with 1990-91. Institutions shall complete the studies within one year of the end of the study year and report the results to the higher education coordinating board for consolidation, review, and distribution.

(3) In order to conduct the study required by subsection (2) of this section, the higher education coordinating board, in cooperation with the institutions of higher education, shall develop a methodology that requires the collection of comparable educational cost data, which utilizes a faculty activity analysis or alternative instrument.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. The state treasurer, in cooperation with other appropriate state agencies and institutions of higher education, shall study prepaid tuition payment programs and submit a report, including recommendations, to the higher education committees of both the house of representatives and senate by January 1, 1990.