SENATE BILL REPORT

                   SB 6770

              As Passed Senate, February 12, 2000

Title:  An act relating to the exceptional faculty awards program.

Brief Description:  Allowing exceptional faculty awards to be used for faculty development and in‑service training.

Sponsors:  Senators Kohl‑Welles, Sheahan and Costa; by request of State Board for Community and Technical Colleges.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Higher Education:  2/2/2000, 2/4/2000 [DP].

Passed Senate, 2/12/2000, 41-0.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION

Majority Report:  Do pass.

  Signed by Senators Kohl-Welles, Chair; Shin, Vice Chair; Bauer, Finkbeiner, Horn, Jacobsen, McAuliffe, Sheahan and B. Sheldon.

Staff:  Jean Six (786-7423)

Background:  The 1990 Legislature established the Exceptional Faculty Awards Program, a state matching grant program that assists community colleges and technical colleges to provide awards for the recognition of exceptional faculty.  The program was well-received and 1995-96 depleted the original allocation of $1.35 million.  The 1998 Legislature decided that a portion of the education savings account should be a permanent revenue source for the exceptional faculty program.

 Each public community or technical college or its foundation is eligible to apply to the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC) for grants in increments of $25,000 when the college can match the state funds with equal cash donations from private sources.

The proceeds from the endowment fund are to be used by the colleges to pay expenses for faculty awards which may include: in-service training, temporary or substitute replacement costs directly associated with faculty development programs or conferences, publication and dissemination of exemplary projects, etc.  Each year, the colleges are required to report to the SBCTC and the Legislature on program income and uses in making the awards.

Summary of Bill:  Use of the award is expanded to include improvement of the faculty as a whole.  Faculty development activities become eligible for a matching grant.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

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

Testimony For:  This is a slight modification but we believe it will help us in our efforts to recruit and retain quality faculty.  This is an excellent opportunity to recognize the work of the faculty.  We will be able to target high demand skills for all of our faculty.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  PRO:  Ron Crossland, SBCTC; Susan Levy, WFT; Jack O=Harah, President, Edmonds Community College.