This week both the House Higher Education Committee and the Senate Higher Education and Workforce Development Committee held public hearings on legislation referred to committee.

This morning the House Higher Education Committee held public hearings on four bills:

• HB 1089 – Regarding instructional materials provided in a specialized format.
• HB 1221 – Regarding the rights of certain higher education students involved in military service.
• HB 1424 – Regarding administrative consistency in student financial aid programs.
• HB 1425 – Concerning the higher education coordinating board’s responsibilities with regard to health sciences and services authorities.

The Evergreen State College testified in support of HB 1221, advocating for the predictability and stability this bill would offer veterans attending higher education institutions in Washington.

In the afternoon, the Senate Higher Education & Workforce Development Committee focused on higher education reform through governance.  The Committee held a public hearing on three bills that proposed different reforms to the state’s current higher education governance structure.

• SB 5182 – Establishing the office of student financial assistance by eliminating the higher education coordinating board and transferring its functions to various entities.
• SB 5107 – Creating efficiencies in the Washington state college and university system by consolidation.
• SB 5108 – Abolishing the council of presidents.

The Evergreen State College, as the current Chair of the Council of Presidents, provided testimony on behalf of all the four-year, public institutions in opposition to abolishing the Council.