HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  HB 1935

             As Reported By House Committee On:

                      Higher Education

Title:  An act relating to higher education.

Brief Description:  Creating an endowed chair in the graduate school of public affairs at the University of Washington.

Sponsors:  Representatives Reams, L. Thomas, Jacobsen, Goldsmith, Appelwick, Blanton, Skinner, Thibaudeau, Chopp, Dyer, Thompson and Basich.

Brief History:

  Committee Activity:

Higher Education:  1/30/96, 2/1/96 [DP].

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION

Majority Report:  Do pass.  Signed by 11 members:  Representatives Carlson, Chairman; Mulliken, Vice Chairman; Jacobsen, Ranking Minority Member; Mason, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Basich; Benton; Blanton; Delvin; Goldsmith; Scheuerman and Sheahan.

Staff:  Suzi Morrissey (786-7120).

Background:  In the past decade, the Legislature has created four programs designed both to match state funds with private donations and to attract exemplary faculty and graduate students to Washington's public colleges and universities.  Through the Distinguished Professorship and Graduate Student Fellowship programs, state funds are equally matched with private donations to create endowed positions at the public baccalaureate institutions.

In the Community College Exceptional Faculty Awards program, state funds and private donations are equally matched either to reward outstanding service by individual faculty members or to fund faculty development activities.

Through the Warren G. Magnuson Institute for Biomedical Research and Health Professions Training, individuals engaged in research into diabetes, Parkinson's disease, osteoporosis, and other medical disorders receive funding and support.  Funding for the institute is provided through a combination of methods, including the earnings on an endowment created when state funds were doubly matched by private donations or federal funds.

Summary of Bill:  The Legislature intends to improve the training of University of Washington students preparing for leadership positions in public service.  In order to accomplish that goal, the Legislature establishes a permanent chair in the graduate school of public affairs at the university.  The chair will be funded equally by state and private monies.

The sum of $750,000 is appropriated to the University of Washington in order to establish an endowment for a permanent chair in the graduate school of public affairs.  The university must provide an equal amount of private matching funds or the appropriation will lapse.

Appropriation:  The sum of $750,000 from the general fund.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  Approximately 85 percent of the graduates of the University of Washington's graduate School of Public Affairs remain in the state of Washington.  If the school had an endowed chair filled with public service practitioners who served one- or two-year rotating terms, students and other faculty in the program would benefit from the real world perspective that could be injected into the school's degree programs.  Proponents of the legislation also envision this proposal as a means to raise the stature of the School of Public Affairs.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Representative Bill Reams, prime sponsor; Earl Hale (pro); and Margo Gordon and Paul Demitricedis, University of Washington graduate School of Public Affairs (pro).