AN ACT Relating to branch campuses; amending RCW 28B.25.020; adding new sections to Title 28B RCW; adding a new section to chapter 28B.10 RCW; adding new sections to chapter 28B.80 RCW; creating a new section; and repealing RCW 28B.30.510.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that the benefits of higher education should be more widely available to the citizens of the state of Washington. The legislature also finds that a citizen's place of residence can restrict that citizen's access to educational opportunity at the upper division and graduate level.

Because most of the state-supported baccalaureate universities are located in areas removed from major metropolitan areas, the legislature finds that many of the state's citizens, especially those citizens residing in the central Puget Sound area, the Tri-Cities, Spokane, Vancouver, and Yakima, have insufficient and inequitable access to upper-division baccalaureate and graduate education.

This lack of sufficient educational opportunities in urban areas makes it difficult or impossible for place-bound individuals, who are unable to relocate, to complete a baccalaureate or graduate degree. It also exacerbates the difficulty financially needy students have in attending school, since many of those students need to work, and work is not always readily available in some communities where the baccalaureate institutions of higher education are located.

The lack of sufficient educational opportunities in metropolitan areas also affects the economy of the underserved communities. Businesses benefit from access to the research and teaching capabilities of institutions of higher education. The absence of these institutions from some of the state's major urban centers prevents beneficial interaction between businesses in these communities and the state's universities.

The Washington state master plan for higher education, adopted by the higher education coordinating board, recognizes the need to expand upper-division and graduate educational opportunities in the state's large urban centers. The board has also attempted to provide a means for helping to meet future educational demand through a system of branch campuses in the state's major urban areas.

The legislature endorses the assignment of responsibility to serve these urban centers that the board has made to various institutions of higher education. The legislature also endorses the creation of branch campuses for the University of Washington and Washington State University.

The legislature recognizes that, among their other responsibilities, the state's comprehensive community colleges share with the four-year universities and colleges the responsibility of providing the first two years of a baccalaureate education. It is the intent of the legislature that the four-year institutions and the community colleges work as cooperative partners to ensure the successful and efficient operation of the state's system of higher education. The legislature further intends that the four-year institutions work cooperatively with the community colleges to ensure that branch campuses are operated as models of a two plus two educational system.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 28B.80 RCW to read as follows:

It is the intent of the legislature that, at the same time additional capital or operating funds are approved for the purposes of sections 3 through 7 of this act, enrollment lids at existing baccalaureate institutions of higher education should be raised at the upper-division level insofar as doing so would increase participation rates in underserved areas.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. The University of Washington is responsible for ensuring the expansion of upper-division and graduate educational programs in the central Puget Sound area under rules or guidelines adopted by the higher education coordinating board. The University of Washington shall meet that responsibility through the operation of at least two branch campuses. One branch campus shall be located in the Tacoma area. Another branch campus shall be located in the Bothell-Woodinville area.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. Washington State University is responsible for providing upper-division and graduate level higher education programs to the citizens of the Tri-Cities area, under rules or guidelines adopted by the higher education coordinating board. Washington State University shall meet that responsibility through the operation of a branch campus in the Tri-Cities area. The branch campus shall replace and supersede the Tri-cities university center. All land, facilities, equipment, and personnel of the Tri-cities university center shall be transferred from the University of Washington to Washington State University.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. Washington State University is responsible for providing upper-division and graduate level higher education programs to the citizens of the southwest Washington area, under rules or guidelines adopted by the higher education coordinating board. Washington State University shall meet that responsibility through the operation of a branch campus in the southwest Washington area.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. Washington State University and Eastern Washington University are responsible for providing upper- division and graduate level programs to the citizens of the Spokane area, under rules or guidelines adopted by the higher education coordinating board. Washington State University shall meet its responsibility through the operation of a branch campus in the Spokane area. Eastern Washington University shall meet its responsibility through the operation of co-located programs and facilities in Spokane.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 7. Central Washington University is responsible for providing upper-division and graduate level higher education programs to the citizens of the Yakima area, under rules or guidelines adopted by the higher education coordinating board.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 8. A new section is added to chapter 28B.80 RCW to read as follows:

In rules and guidelines adopted for purposes of this act, the higher education coordinating board shall ensure a collaborative partnership between the community colleges and the four-year institutions. The partnership shall be one in which the community colleges prepare students for transfer to the upper-division programs of the branch campuses.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 9. A new section is added to chapter 28B.80 RCW to read as follows:

Before approving any institutional request to acquire facilities in an area assigned in sections 3 through 7 of this act, the higher education coordinating board shall ensure that creative and cost-effective methods of serving the needs of each assigned area are considered, including but not limited to:

(1) Exploring the possibility of time-sharing existing college or university facilities for instructional and administrative purposes;

(2) Using rented facilities; and

(3) Utilizing telecommunication technology.

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

(1) The Spokane intercollegiate research and technology institute is hereby created.

(2) The institute shall be operated and administered as a multi-institutional education and research center, housing appropriate programs conducted in Spokane under the authority of Washington State University, Eastern Washington University, and the community colleges of Spokane. Gonzaga University and Whitworth College may participate as full partners in any academic and research activities of the institute. Washington State University shall act as administrative and fiscal agent for the institute.

(3) The institute shall be operated and administered through a cooperative arrangement of the institutions of higher education participating in the institute.

(4) The institute shall house education and research programs specifically designed to meet the needs of the greater Spokane area.

(5) The coordination of programs and activities at the institute shall be subject to the authority of the Spokane joint center for higher education under RCW 28B.25.020.

(6) The establishment of any education or research programs at the institute and the lease, purchase, or construction of any site or facility for the institute shall be subject to the approval of the higher education coordinating board pursuant to RCW 28B.80.340.

Sec. 11. Section 98, chapter 370, Laws of 1985 and RCW 28B.25.020 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) The joint center for higher education shall coordinate all undergraduate and graduate degree programs, and all other seminars, courses, and programs of any type offered in the Spokane area by Washington State University and by Eastern Washington University outside of its Cheney campus. The joint center for higher education shall not coordinate the intercollegiate center for nursing.

(2) The joint center for higher education shall coordinate the following higher education activities in the Spokane area outside of the Eastern Washington University Cheney campus:

(a) Articulation between lower division and upper division programs;

(b) The participation of Washington State University in its joint engineering program with Gonzaga University and in its joint engineering management program with Eastern Washington University and Gonzaga University; ((~~and~~))

(d) Programs offered through the intercollegiate research and technology institute created by section 10 of this act.

(3) The participating institutions in the joint center for higher education shall maintain jurisdiction over the content of the course offerings and the entitlement to degrees.

(4) Disputes regarding which programs are to be coordinated by the joint center for higher education shall be arbitrated by the ((~~council for postsecondary education~~)) higher education coordinating board or its successor agency. The decision of the arbitrating agency shall be binding.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 12. A new section is added to chapter 28B.80 RCW to read as follows:

Eligible students residing in the areas to be served by the branch campuses created by sections 3 through 7 of this act may participate in a demonstration project administered by the higher education coordinating board. The educational opportunity grant project will be designed to permit the students to complete their upper division coursework at any eligible accredited baccalaureate institution of higher education, as defined in RCW 28B.10.802(1) and as further identified by the board. Each participating student may receive up to two thousand five hundred dollars per academic year, not to exceed the student's demonstrated financial need, for that coursework.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 13. A new section is added to chapter 28B.80 RCW to read as follows:

In order to be eligible for the demonstration project outlined in section 12 of this act, students must be placebound residents of the state of Washington who are needy as defined in RCW 28B.10.802(3), and have completed the associate of arts degree or its equivalent.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 14. Authorization for the programs, increases, and facilities described in this act is subject to legislative appropriation.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 15. Sections 3 through 7 and 14 of this act are each added to Title 28B RCW.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 16. Section 13, chapter 72, Laws of 1983 1st ex. sess., section 1, chapter 408, Laws of 1985 and RCW 28B.30.510 are each repealed.