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House Higher Education Holds Public Hearings on Credit Related Legislation

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This the fourth week of session kicked off with a public hearing in House Higher Education on a handful of bill that could have impacts on the credits student earn for a higher education degree.

House Bill 1522 would require collaboration among higher education institutions and state agencies to incrase the number of students who receive credit for prior learning and increase the types of credits awarded for prior learning.

Evergreen testified in support of the legislation. Evergreen recognizes prior academic credit through the College’s Prior Learning from Experience (PLE) Program. Evergreen typically has 30 students a year enter our PLE program, and just over 20 a year finish with “extra” credits earned for their prior learning.  

Evergreen asked the Committee to clarify language regarding the goal to standardize programs to ensure the legislation will allow Evergreen to collaborate with the work group identified in this legislation and continue our current policy which we believe serves student well.

House Bill 1525 etablishes a work group to create a single set of common course numbers and common course descriptions for all common lower division courses at all public institutions of higher education. 

Evergreen testified in support of the intention of the bill to make transfer as seamless as possible, but asked to be exempted from the legislation because Evergreen does not offer courses and does not have course numbers. Instead, the College offers single, comprehensive programs rather than a series of separate courses.  In addition, we expressed concern that if directed to adopt courses and a numbering system, Evergreen would greatly restrict the transfer policy that is currently in place.

House Bill 1394 lifts restrictions on higher education institutions with respect to meetings, personal services contracts, equipment purchases, out-of-state travel and hiring.  The Evergreen State College signed-in to support this legislation but did not testify.

The Committee also moved several bills forward through the process for further consideration including:

  • House Bill 1221 – Regarding the rights of certain higher education students involved in military service
  • House Bill 1424 – Regarding administrative consistency in student financial aid programs.
  • House Bill 1425 – Concerning the HECB’s responsibilities with regard to health sciences and services authorities.

2011 Legislative Session: Week 4

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During the fourth week of the 2011 legislative session committees will continue to hold public hearings on proposed legislation.

This week the focus of the appropriations committees (i.e. Senate Ways & Means ,  House Ways & Means, House Education Appropriations, and House Capital Budget) will be on legislation that impacts the state’s revenues (i.e. tax exemptions), an overview of various human service and health programs, and a report on the economic and revenue forecast.

In addition, the higher education related committees (i.e. House Higher Education and  Senate Higher Education & Workforce Development) are scheduled for public hearings on a wide range of bills, including the Governor’s Higher Education Task Force recommendations, financial aid, transfer, and prior learning credits.

Budget Committees Focus on Issues that Impact Higher Education

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On Thursday the Budget Committees took up a range of issues that impact higher education.

Capital Budget
The House Capital Budget Committee held a public hearing on the Governor’s proposed capital budget for 2011-13. 

 The Governor’s proposed budget woud provide $17.2 million in new state funding for the Communications Laboratory Building Renovation, the Science Center Lab I Second Floor Renovation and Life Safety Code Compliance. Additionally, the Governor appropriates $8.2 million of Evergreen’s building account funds in the capital budget for a variety preventative maintence and building repairs.

John Hurley, Vice President for Finance and Administration testified for The Evergreen State College.

House Ways & Means
The House Ways & Means Committee held a work session on the Governor’s proposed biennial budget for higher education.

The Governor’s proposed biennial budget reduces state funding for Evergreen by 26.3% for the 2011-13 biennium. In addition, the proposed tuition revenue generated leaves Evergreen’s General Operating Fund budget in deficit. The Governor’s budget does not take into account costs associated with over-enrollments and assumes greater  tuition revenue raising capacity. Under this proposal tuition revenue represents 63% Evergreen’s budget compared to 57% last biennium.

Senate Ways & Means
The Senate Ways & Means Committee held a public hearing on Senate Bill 5162 which would alter the current retire/rehire practices at higher education institutions in Washington.

Governance Focus of Work Session in the House

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This morning the House Higher Education Committee held a work session on higher education governance.

The hearing provided the first opportunity to hear about some of the details that can be expected in  the Governor’s legislation to reform current education structures in Washington. The bill to implement the Governor’s proposal for education governance reform is expected next week.

The Committee heard a presentation from Leslie Goldstein, higher education policy analyst for the Governor. She provided an overview of the process, intentions and goals with regard to the development of the Governor’s proposal to reform how education is structured.

In addition, the Committee heard several overviews regarding different governance structures in the United States and how higher education is currently structured from the Higher Education Coordinating Board and the State Board of Community and Technical Colleges.  

Note: All committee presentations can be found on the House Higher Education Committee’s website by clicking on Committee Meeting Documents, selecting the date and work session, and then selecting the presentation

House and Senate Higher Education Committees Hold Hearings on Bills

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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.

Work on Education Begins in the U.S. House

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This week education committees in the U.S. House began their work on both budgetary and policy issues that will likely be the focus of much of their work during this Congress.

The House Education and the Workforce Committee, formerly the Education and Labor Committee, convened on Tuesday for its first meeting of the 112th Congress.
 
Committee Chairman John Kline (R-MN) opened the organizational meeting by welcoming committee members and highlighting the unique challenges the committee faces. 

At the meeting, members voted upon a set of rules that will govern the committee in the 112th Congress. Veteran member Rep. Tim Bishop (D-NY) introduced an amendment to the rules that would have protected many education programs from spending cuts. The amendment reads:
 
“The Committee shall not report any bill or other matter that, with respect to matters within the Committee’s jurisdiction, (1) abolishes the Department of Education, (2) reduces the maximum Pell grant award, (3) eliminates student aid programs, or (4) otherwise has the effect of threatening student achievement and the nation’s global competiveness, including by reducing funding for programs that aid disabled or disadvantaged students.”
 
The amendment failed 22 to 17.

Obama Administration Plans to Increase Education Support to Military Families

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The Obama administration announced today the beginning of a series of efforts to help increase support for military families, including higher grants from the Department of Education.

Specific details are not yet clear, but a White House news release says the department will examine ways to customize financial-aid programs to fit the needs of military families, and to be “more sensitive to the financial fluctuations of Guard and Reserve personnel.”

Governor’s Task Force Recommendations Focus of Hearing

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This afternoon the House Higher Education Committee held the first work session on the recommendations put forth by the Governor’s Task Force on Higher Education.

In December, the Governor’s Task Force on Higher Education announced recommendations to improve accountability and performance of the state’s colleges and universities, and consider whether changes should be made in the way the state governs its higher education system

The Committee heard from several panels that included a mix of task force members, staff to the Governor, and representatives from industry. Members of the Committee engaged the panels in a dialogue regarding process, outcomes, and the committment of business to ensure the recommendations are successful.

House Passes Supplemental Budget for Current Fiscal Year

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The proposed supplemental budget for the current fiscal year moved from the Washington House to the Washington Senate today.

This morning the Washington House voted 55-43 to pass House Bill 1086.

Legislators are trying to close a $588 million shortfall in the fiscal year that ends this June. The House’s proposed supplemental reduces the budget shortfall by $340 million, leaving approximately $260 million in the red for the year.

House Bill 1086 now goes to the Senate for further consideration. It is expected that the Senate Ways & Means Committee will take up the bill tomorrow afternoon