S-4850               _______________________________________________

                                         SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL NO. 6306

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                               51st Legislature                              1990 Regular Session

By Senate Committee on Higher Education (originally sponsored by Senators Saling, McDonald, Stratton, Bailey, McCaslin, Benitz, Thorsness, Barr and Amondson)

Read first time 2/1/90.

AN ACT Relating to tenure modification at community colleges; amending RCW 28B.50.852; creating new sections; and providing an effective date.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.     Improving the quality of instruction at our state institutions of higher education is a priority of the legislature.  Recently, many efforts have been made by the legislature, the colleges, and the higher education coordinating board to assess and improve the quality of instruction received by students at our state institutions.  It is the intent of the legislature that, in conjunction with these various efforts, the process for the award of faculty tenure at community colleges should allow for a more lengthy and thorough review of the performance of faculty appointees prior to the granting of tenure.

        Sec. 2.  Section 34, chapter 283, Laws of 1969 ex. sess. and RCW 28B.50.852 are each amended to read as follows:

          The appointing authority shall promulgate rules and regulations implementing RCW 28B.50.850 through 28B.50.869 and shall provide for the award of faculty tenure following a probationary period not to exceed ((three)) five consecutive regular college years, excluding summer quarter:  PROVIDED, That tenure may be awarded at any time as may be determined by the appointing authority after it has given reasonable consideration to the recommendations of the review committee.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.     The state board for community college education, in consultation with appropriate faculty organizations, labor representatives, and the governing boards and administrations of local community college districts, shall conduct a thorough review and study of the issue of implementing a state-wide allocation model for salary funds appropriated for the state system of community colleges.  The state board shall report to the legislature by January 1, 1991, on the results of this study, including specific recommendations on implementing a state-wide allocation model.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4.     Sections 1 and 2 of this act shall take effect July 1, 1990, and shall apply to all faculty appointments made by community colleges after June 30, 1990, but shall not apply to employees of community colleges who hold faculty appointments prior to July 1, 1990.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5.     If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected.