S-1098               _______________________________________________

                                                   SENATE BILL NO. 5503

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                               51st Legislature                              1989 Regular Session

By Senators Patterson, Vognild, Newhouse, Gaspard, Sellar, Bauer, Craswell, Warnke, Talmadge and Johnson

Read first time 1/26/89 and referred to Committee on   Higher Education.

AN ACT Relating to the Cherberg scholarship program; adding new sections to chapter 28B.10 RCW; and making an appropriation.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 28B.10 RCW to read as follows:

          In honor of former Lieutenant Governor John A. Cherberg's years of service to the state of Washington, a Cherberg scholarship program for students pursuing a career in public service should be created.  Cherberg's thirty-two distinguished years in the state legislature since 1956 are a model of public service for future generations.  Students should be given the chance to work toward a career in public service where they can serve as leaders in our community.

          Currently, most financial aid is given in the form of loans.  Many students who desire a career in public service are turned toward jobs in business where they can make enough money to pay off school loans.  Upper division and graduate students who emulate Cherberg's successes should receive an affordable education to enable them to serve our society.

          There is also an increasing need for young people in public service to correct the problems our state and nation has created and fill these societal needs.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 28B.10 RCW to read as follows:

          (1) The Cherberg scholarships shall be administered by the higher education coordinating board, which shall have the following powers and duties:

          (a) Select students to receive scholarships with the assistance of college faculty members or leaders in government as it deems necessary to include in a screening committee;

          (b) Decide which applicants shall receive the scholarships from the screening committee's suggestions;

          (c) Publicize the scholarship program; and

          (d) Solicit and accept grants and donations from public and private sources to add to the general scholarship fund.

          (2) The screening committee as formed by the higher education coordinating board shall develop criteria for selecting recipients of the Cherberg scholarships.  Criteria shall include a demonstrated interest in public service as indicated in a written competition that shall be submitted with the scholarship application.  Interest in working as a public servant shall be defined as desiring employment in the government system, or planning to perform public service.  Recipients shall include a broad mix of academic disciplines.

          (3) Students eligible for the scholarship must be registered for at least ten credit hours or the equivalent, hold at least a grade point average of three out of a possible four points or the equivalent for each academic year in an institution of higher education, be a resident student as defined by RCW 28B.15.012, have declared a major, and achieved at least ninety credit hours towards an undergraduate degree in a public institution of higher education or be working towards a graduate degree in such.

          (4) At least one-half of the scholarships shall be awarded to needy students as defined by RCW 28B.10.802.

          (5) The board may award Cherberg scholarships to eligible students from the funds appropriated to the board from a continuing scholarship fund for this purpose, or from any private donations or other funds made available for this program.  The maximum amount of the Cherberg scholarship shall cover the full cost of tuition fees at the public institution of higher education for a period of one academic year and are nonrenewable.  The higher education coordinating board shall award up to one hundred Cherberg scholarships from money appropriated for this purpose.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.     The sum of two hundred seventy-five thousand dollars, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the biennium ending June 30, 1991, from the general fund to the higher education coordinating board, for the purposes of this act.