FINAL BILL REPORT

EHB 1403

C 129 L 03

Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description: Changing exceptional faculty award grants.

Sponsors: By Representatives Kenney, Cox, Grant, Fromhold, Jarrett, Conway, McIntire, Benson, Berkey and Upthegrove; by request of State Board for Community and Technical Colleges.

House Committee on Higher Education

Senate Committee on Higher Education

Background:

Endowment Fund. In 1990 the Legislature established the Exceptional Faculty Awards Program for community and technical colleges. The program is administered by the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges. When colleges and their foundations raise sufficient funds, they may apply to the state for matching funds. The combined funds form an exceptional faculty endowment that is managed by the college and its foundation. Only the interest earned on the endowment may be spent on awards. Awards support faculty development and in-service training, special projects and research, or salary bonuses to recipients.

State Match History. The Legislature originally appropriated $1.35 million for the program. Since 1998, 3.3 percent of the Education Savings Account has been directed to the program. The Education Savings Account receives unspent state general fund appropriations from each fiscal year. As of the end of Fiscal Year 2001, more than $4 million in state matching funds had been awarded. In 2002 the Legislature obligated the program fund balance of $2.5 million to partially cover the settlement costs of a lawsuit with part-time college faculty.

Program Guidelines. To receive a state match, a college and its foundation must raise at least $25,000. A college may receive no more than $100,000 in a single biennium. Matching grants are made in $25,000 increments.

Summary:

The program guidelines for the community and technical college Exceptional Faculty Awards Program are changed. To receive a state match for its endowment, a college and its foundation must raise at least $10,000 rather than $25,000. The biennial limit of $100,000 in matching funds for a single college is removed from statute. Instead, the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges will establish a limit.

Expenditures from the faculty awards trust fund may be used solely for the exceptional faculty award program.

Votes on Final Passage:

House 97  0

Senate 49  0    (Senate amended)

House 97  0    (House concurred)

Effective: July 27, 2003