This week marked the first meeting of the Higher Education Steering Committee charged to establish the Council for Higher Education.

In the 2011 legislative session the Washington Legislature passed Senate Bill 5182 which eliminates the Higher Education Coordinating Board on July 1, 2012 and creates the Council for Higher Education and the Office of Student Financial Assistance.

The legislation established the Higher Education Steering Committee, chaired by Governor Gregoire, to make recommendations regarding the functions and purpose of the Council for Higher Education.

The meeting served to introduce committee members and to provide context and background information. The Committee spent a good part of the meeting engaged with Dennis Jones and Aims McGuinness,  National Center for Higher Education Management Systems, around the topic of higher education governance in the United States.

The committee also reviewed the possible state-level higher education governance functions that may be established under the Council of Higher Education. This will serve as a foundation for future discussions regarding the essential functions that should be performed at the state level.

The next meeting of the Steering Committee is scheduled for October 10.