AN ACT Relating to higher education access; reenacting and amending RCW 28B.15.100; adding a new section to chapter 28B.10 RCW; making appropriations; providing an effective date; and declaring an emergency.

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:

(1) The legislature finds that the higher education coordinating board has recommended improving access to higher education in the state of Washington, particularly for placebound citizens in urban locations that have been traditionally underserved by our higher education system.

The legislature endorses the assignment of responsibility to serve these urban areas which the board has made to various institutions of higher education. The legislature also finds that the access to existing campuses and higher education centers has been restricted. It is the intent of the legislature that, to the extent feasible, access to existing institutions and centers should be improved.

It is also the intent of the legislature that additional higher education services be provided in those urban areas identified by the higher education coordinating board as being underserved by the state's higher education system.

(2) The University of Washington shall provide, from funds appropriated for the purpose, upper-division courses leading to fully accredited baccalaureate degrees for placebound students in underserved locations in the central Puget Sound area. The University of Washington shall establish such courses in the Tacoma area and in the Bothell-Woodinville area beginning in the 1989-90 fiscal year. Should the university or the higher education coordinating board determine that the university cannot begin courses in either the Tacoma or the Bothell-Woodinville areas in the 1989-90 fiscal year, that portion of the appropriation which is provided for such 1989-90 course offerings shall be transferred to the higher education coordinating board. The board may distribute these funds to other state institutions of higher education for the purpose of establishing such course offerings during the 1989-90 fiscal year.

(3) Washington State University shall provide, from funds appropriated for the purpose, increased enrollment opportunities in graduate level courses leading to fully accredited graduate degrees for placebound students in the Spokane area.

(4) Washington State University shall provide, from funds appropriated for the purpose, increased enrollment opportunities in upper-division courses leading to fully accredited baccalaureate degrees for placebound students in the southwest Washington area.

(5) Washington State University shall provide, from funds appropriated for the purpose, increased enrollment opportunities in upper-division courses leading to fully accredited baccalaureate degrees for placebound students in the Tri-cities area.

(6) Central Washington University shall provide, from funds appropriated for the purpose, increased enrollment opportunities in upper-division courses leading to fully accredited baccalaureate degrees for placebound students in the Yakima area.

(7) Any off-campus course offerings created or expanded as a result of this section shall be reviewed by the higher education coordinating board consistent with the procedure established for the review of off-campus degree programs under RCW 28B.80.340.

Sec. 2. Section 28B.15.100, chapter 223, Laws of 1969 ex. sess. as last amended by section 67, chapter 370, Laws of 1985 and by section 18, chapter 390, Laws of 1985 and RCW 28B.15.100 are each reenacted and amended to read as follows:

(1) The board of regents or board of trustees at each of the state's regional and state universities and at The Evergreen State College shall charge to and collect from each of the students registering at the particular institution for any quarter or semester such tuition fees and services and activities fees, and other fees as such board shall in its discretion determine, the total of all such fees, the tuition fee, and services and activities fee, to be rounded-out to the nearest whole dollar amount: PROVIDED, That such tuition fees for other than summer session quarters or semesters shall be in the amounts for the respective institutions as otherwise set forth in this chapter, as now or hereafter amended: PROVIDED FURTHER, That the fees charged by boards of trustees of community college districts shall be in the amounts for the respective institutions as otherwise set forth in this chapter, as now or hereafter amended.

(2) Part time students shall be charged tuition and services and activities fees proportionate to full time student rates established for residents and nonresidents. Such part-time rates for undergraduate students shall be charged per credit hour at the level of one-tenth of the rates established for full-time students: PROVIDED, That students registered for fewer than two credit hours shall be charged tuition and services and activities fees at the rate established for two credit hours: PROVIDED FURTHER,That residents of Idaho or Oregon who are enrolled in community college district number twenty for six or fewer credits during any quarter or semester may be allowed to enroll at resident tuition and fee rates upon a declaration by the higher education coordinating board that it finds Washington residents from such community college district are afforded substantially equivalent treatment by such other states.

(3) Full-time students registered for more than eighteen credit hours shall be charged an additional operating fee for each credit hour in excess of eighteen hours at the established per credit hour tuition fee rate applicable to part-time students in the respective institutional tuition and fee rate categories set forth in this chapter: PROVIDED, That the boards of regents of the University of Washington and Washington State University may exempt students who are registered exclusively in first professional programs in medicine, dental medicine, veterinary medicine and law: PROVIDED FURTHER, That the state board for community college education may exempt students who are registered exclusively in required courses in vocational preparatory programs from the additional charge.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. Three million nine hundred twenty-eight thousand seven hundred ninety dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated to the University of Washington from the general fund for the biennium ending June 30, 1991. The appropriation in this section is subject to the following conditions:

(1) Pursuant to section 1(2) of this act, one million seven hundred eighty-five thousand dollars of the appropriation shall be expended to provide for fifty full-time equivalent enrollments during the 1989-90 fiscal year and an additional one hundred fifty full-time equivalent enrollments during the 1990-91 fiscal year in upper-division courses in the Tacoma area;

(2) Pursuant to section 1(2) of this act, one million seven hundred eighty-five thousand dollars of the appropriation shall be expended to provide for fifty full-time equivalent enrollments during the 1989-90 fiscal year and an additional one hundred fifty full-time equivalent enrollments during the 1990-91 fiscal year in upper-division courses in the Bothell-Woodinville area;

(3) Three hundred fifty-eight thousand seven hundred ninety dollars of the appropriation shall be expended to provide a state subsidy for fifty full-time equivalent evening enrollments on-campus during the 1989-90 fiscal year plus a state subsidy for an additional one hundred full-time equivalent evening enrollments on-campus during the 1990-91 fiscal year. Funds are also provided for three additional full-time equivalent instructional support staff per year;

(4) Should the university or the higher education coordinating board determine that the university cannot begin the upper- division courses in the Tacoma or Bothell-Woodinville areas in the 1989-90 fiscal year, that portion of the appropriation in this section which is to be expended to establish such courses in the 1989-90 fiscal year shall be transferred to the higher education coordinating board. The board may distribute these funds to other state institutions of higher education for the purpose of establishing such courses during the 1989-90 fiscal year.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. Two million eighty-three thousand nine hundred ten dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated to Washington State University from the general fund for the biennium ending June 30, 1991. The appropriation in this section is subject to the following conditions:

(1) Pursuant to section 1(3) of this act, six hundred twenty- eight thousand nine hundred ten dollars of the appropriation shall be expended to provide for twenty full-time equivalent enrollments during the 1989-90 fiscal year plus an additional ten full-time equivalent enrollments during the 1990-91 fiscal year in graduate level courses in the Spokane area;

(2) Pursuant to section 1(4) of this act, one million twenty- nine thousand dollars of the appropriation shall be expended to provide for fifty full-time equivalent enrollments during the 1989-90 fiscal year plus an additional forty-five full-time equivalent enrollments during the 1990-91 fiscal year in upper- division courses in the southwest Washington area;

(3) Pursuant to section 1(5) of this act, four hundred twenty- six thousand dollars of the appropriation shall be expended to provide for twenty full-time equivalent enrollments during the 1989-90 fiscal year plus an additional twenty full-time equivalent enrollments during the 1990-91 fiscal year in upper-division courses in the Tri-cities area.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. Nine hundred sixty-nine thousand two hundred seventy-two dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated to Central Washington University from the general fund for the biennium ending June 30, 1991. The appropriation in this section is subject to the following conditions:

(1) Pursuant to section 1(6) of this act, three hundred fifteen thousand dollars of the appropriation shall be expended to provide for twenty-five full-time enrollments during the 1989-90 fiscal year plus an additional twenty full-time enrollments during the 1990-91 fiscal year in upper-division courses in the Yakima area;

(2) Six hundred fifty-four thousand two hundred seventy-two dollars of the appropriation shall be expended to provide for one hundred full-time equivalent on-campus enrollments beginning in the 1989-90 fiscal year.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. One hundred seventeen thousand five hundred twenty dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated to Eastern Washington University from the general fund for the biennium ending June 30, 1991, to provide for twenty full-time equivalent enrollments beginning in the 1989-90 fiscal year.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 7. One million nine hundred eighty-four thousand three hundred fifty dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated to Western Washington University from the general fund for the biennium ending June 30, 1991, to provide for two hundred full-time equivalent on-campus enrollments during the 1989-90 fiscal year plus an additional one hundred fifty full-time equivalent on-campus enrollments during the 1990-91 fiscal year.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 8. Six hundred eighty-two thousand three hundred seventy-five dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated to The Evergreen State College from the general fund for the biennium ending June 30, 1991, to provide for one hundred full-time equivalent on-campus enrollments beginning in the 1989-90 fiscal year.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 9. Six million three hundred ninety-six thousand eight hundred eleven dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated to the state board for community college education from the general fund for the biennium ending June 30, 1991. The appropriation is subject to the following conditions:

(1) One million nine hundred seventy-two thousand twenty dollars shall be expended to provide for three hundred forty-five full-time equivalent enrollments in the community college system during the 1989-90 fiscal year plus an additional three hundred forty-five full-time equivalent enrollments during the 1990-91 fiscal year. The state board shall distribute not less than two hundred thirty of the additional full-time equivalent enrollments each year to the four high-demand areas within the community college system as identified by the state board in the Washington community college program and enrollment plan;

(2) Four million four hundred twenty-four thousand seven hundred ninety-one dollars shall be expended to enhance instructional support within the community college system.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 10. One million dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated to the higher education coordinating board from the general fund for the biennium ending June 30, 1991. The funds shall be allotted by the board to the institutions of higher education establishing or expanding course offerings under section 1 of this act, as needed, to provide for necessary planning of the course offerings and for the acquisition and equipping of facilities to house such course offerings.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 11. This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and shall take effect July 1, 1989.