Thursday morning students, trustees, faculty, and presidents from the six public baccalaureate institutions met for breakfast with over a dozen legislators, from both chambers and both sides of the aisle, to discuss the proposed supplemental budgets, the interim, and what the tea leaves have to say about higher education in Washington.

The hour with legislators focused on appreciation for the investment in student state financial aid proposed in the 2010 budgets, the need to maintain this investment and the investment in institutions, and what the public baccalaureate sector needs to do to prepare for the 2011 session.

Legislators commented on the need to both increase collaboration among institutions  in order to ease the process of earning a degree for students. Others commented on the need to provide leadership on higher education funding at the state level and not leave the full responsibility on the shoulders of the Legislature.  

In the afternoon the House Education Appropriations took action on Senate Bill 6357. SB 6357 tasks the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC), in consultation with numerous other persons and entities, with developing policies for awarding academic credit for learning from work and military experience, military and law enforcement training, career college training, internships and externships, and apprenticeships. The bill now moves to the Floor for further consideration.