Tag Archives: Higher Education Coordinating Board

HECB Holds Final Meeting

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On June 28 the Washington Higher Education Coordinating Board (HECB) held its final meeting as a state agency.

The meeting focused primarily on the Board’s Call to Action and a dialogue with higher education stakeholders with regard to the current context of higher education in Washington and hopes for the new agency that will replace the HECB on July 1.

The Call to Action focuses on renewing the state’s commitment to serve more students. The call lays out the current context highlighting the reductions in state funding, the benefits of raising educational attainment, and the long-term impact of a disinvestment in higher education.

The call asks stakeholders and policymakers to maintain access and affordability with an eye to the future in this challenging fiscal environment.

As higher education institutions and states nationwide continue to grapple with new funding realities, we again stress the need to find new ways to invest in our children’s and our society’s futures by maintaining our historic commitment to educating all our citizens to higher levels. Institutions and states share this responsibility.

The Higher Education Coordinating Board will be replaced on July 1 by the Washington Student Achievement Council.

 

 

HECB Meets with An Eye to the Future

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On Thursday the Higher Education Coordinating Board held their monthly meeting in Olympia. 

The Board received an update from the State Economist on Washington’s economic and revenue forecast and  the impact to higher education.

The majority of the meeting was focused on current efforts to update the Strategic Master Plan for  higher education in Washington. The HECB is required to update its Strategic Master Plan four years after its development in 2008.

A handful of business, community and institutional representatives shared their perspectives with a focus on three key questions:

  • What are the looming policy issues for higher education over the next three to five years?
  • What should compromise the “public agenda” for higher education in Washington?
  • Where should the state focus our scarce resources to make progress toward increasing education attainment?

The representatives included David Fisher (Washington Roundtable), George Scarola (League of Education Voters), David Zeeck (The News Tribune), Jim Fridley (UW Professor/Council of Faculty Representatives), Mike Bogatay (Washington Student Association), Lloyd Butler (Pacific Northwest University), and faculty and students from the community and technical colleges.

Evergreen and Other Public Baccalaureates Talk Budget in Spokane

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Yesterday, President Purce, The Evergreen State College, and the presidents of the other five public baccalaureate institutions presented to the Higher Education Coordinating Board (HECB) an overview of their institutional budget requests for the 2011-13 biennium in Spokane.

All of the presentations focused on the impacts of state funding reductions on students, faculty, and the institutions and what is at risk as a result. This included conversations regarding reductions taken over the 2009-11 biennium, the recent across-the-board reduction fo 6.3%, and the Governor’s proposed 10% reduction for 2011-13. 

State law requires the HECB to “review, evaluate and make recommendations” on the operating and capital budget requests of the public colleges and universities.  The HECB is scheduled to adopt a set of budget recommendations in November and will then forward them to the state Office of Financial Management, which will use them to help prepare the Governor’s biennial budget proposal to the Legislature.

Tuesday on The Hill

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Though today was set to be a long way, both chambers adjourned earlier than expected after passing a handful of bills.

The House did not take action on the operating or capital budget. However, the House did pass three bills of interest to Evergreen.

Senate Bill 6355 passed with a vote of 96-0. SB 6355, a.ka. the system design bill,  implements the recommendations put forth by the Higher Education Coordinating Board’s (HECB) System Design Plan work during the interim.  The bill identifies a process for expanding the higher education system upon proven demand and for reaching the goals in the HECB’s Master Plan.

The bill passed with several amendments adopted to the bill.

  • Alters the current capital prioritization process for four-year, public baccalaureate institutions to require the Office of Financial Management to convene a group to rank higher education projects in single list by priority order.
  • Requires the Higher Education Coordinating Board (HECB) to consider the strategic and operational use of technology in higher education as part of the process of developing the state needs assessment and provides the HECB with additional direction in awarding grants from the Washington Fund for Innovation regarding improving the use of technology.
  • Restores provisions in current law that require the HECB to give strong priority to proposals made through the Washington Fund for Innovation that involve more than one sector of education.
  • Clarifies that review of major expansion is limited to proposed capital investment in entirely new institutions, campuses, branches, or centers as well as conversion of existing campuses, branches, or centers that results in a mission change.

Senate Bill 6355 now goes back to the Senate for concurrence.

Senate Bill 6357 passed the House with a vote of 97-0. 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 goes to the Governor for her signature.

Senate Bill 5543 passed the House with a vote of 71-27. SB 5543 was completely amended with new language put forth by the House Environmental Health Committee.

The new language requires every producer of mercury-containing lights (lamps, bulbs, tubes, or other devices containing mercury and providing illumination) sold in or into Washington for residential use to fully finance and participate in a product stewardship program; financing includes the Department of Ecology’s (Department) costs for administering and enforcing the program.  In addition the language requires:

  • All product stewardship programs must be approved and contracted by the Department but the product stewardship program is operated by a product stewardship organization.
  • Producers may participate in Department-approved independent plans that are individually or jointly financed and operated with other producers.
  • The product stewardship programs must be fully implemented by January 1, 2013.

Senate Bill 5543 now goes to the Senate for concurrence.

Policy Committees Continue Work

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Today, House and Senate policy committees continued to work bills from the opposite chamber through the legislative process.

The Legislature will experience a small break from the usual weekend work that has dominated their Saturdays and Sundays for the last couple of weeks. Most legislators are planning to travel to their districts and connect with their constituents.

Then Monday it will be back to the hard work of moving bills as policy committees in the House prepare for the deadline to consider policy bills from the Senate on February 23 and the Senate does the same by February 26.

Several bills of interest to Evergreen were heard by committees in both chambers. None of the bills listed below were moved out of committee today.

Washington House

This morning the  House Higher Education Committee held a public hearing  on Senate Bill 6467. SB 6467 allows institutions of higher educationo to award honorary degrees to individuals who were students at those institutions in 1942 but did not graduate because they were ordered into an internment camp.

In the afternoon, the House State Government and Tribal Affairs Committee held a public hearing on Senate Bill 6401. SB 6401 establishes an alternative selection process for selecting mechanical or electrical subcontractors for general contractor/construction manager projects. Evergreen has supported the development of an alternative process throughout the session.

Washington Senate

On the other side, the Senate Higher Education & Workforce Development Committee took up House Bill 2930 in the afternoon. HB 2930 directs the Higher Education Coordinating Board to give priority to selecting Future Teachers Scholarship recipients to those individuals who are seeking specialty endorsements in math as well as individuals who are uniquely qualified to help schools address the achievement gap. Evergreen has supported the legislation since its introduction and continues to encourage policymakers, through testimony, to keep in mind students seeking endorsements in English Language Learners and special education.  

Policy Committees Return to Work

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House and Senate policy committees returned to their committee work with a vengeance today. 

Several bills of interest to Evergreen were heard by legislative committees. None of the bills listed below were moved out of committee today.

Washington House

The House Education Committee held public hearings on several bills related to improving basic education in Washington. In particular, the Committee held a public hearing on Senate Bill 6696. Senate Bill 6696 comprises several policy changes to K-12 to make Washington more competitive for Race to the Top dollars, including policies and structural changes in the areas of school and teacher evaluation, assessment, and preparation.

The House Higher Education Committee held public hearings on two bills of interest to Evergreen. Senate Bill 6355, a.ka. the system design bill,  implements the recommendations put forth by the Higher Education Coordinating Board’s (HECB) System Design Plan work during the interim.  The bill identifies a process for expanding the higher education system upon proven demand and for reaching the goals in the HECB’s Master Plan.

The Committee also heard Senate Bill 6357. SB 6357 requires The College Board in consultation with the four-year sector, workforce training and education board, private career schools, business, and labor to develop 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.

In the afternoon the House Ways & Means Committee held a public hearing on House Bill 3178. HB 3178 makes several policy changes that impact the Department of Information Services as well as state agency IT services and programs. In particular, the bill:

  • Grants the Department of Information Services (DIS) authority over personal computer (PC) purchase and replacement, including development of a PC replacement policy for the state.
  • Requires state agencies purchasing cellular or mobile phone service to purchase it through the state Master Contract, unless a waiver is granted by the Office of Financial Management.
  • Requires state agencies and the Information Services Board to develop policies regarding data storage and retention.
  • Restricts information technology (IT) spending by state agencies for the 2009-11 biennium.

The Council of Presidents is working with the sponsor of the bill, Rep. Carlyle, and leadership in the House to exempt higher education from the bill.

Later in the day, the Senate Higher Education & Workforce Development Committee held a public hearing on three bills Evergreen has tracked. House Bill 2858, intitiated by the four-year, public institutions, provides institutions of higher education the authority to participate in group purchasing agreements.House Bill 2973  includes, in the definition of “resident student,” a student who resides in Washington and is on active military duty stationed in one of nine Oregon border counties. In addition, the bill adds a student who resides in Washington and is the spouse or dependent of a person who resides in Washington and is on active military duty stationed in an Oregon border county to the definition of “resident student.”

Finally, House Bill 2638 provides a specialized-format version of instructional material may not require that the student return the specialized-format version.

Latest at the Legislature February 12

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The Senate and the House spent another long day on the floor. As I am writing this blog, both Chambers continue to caucus and prepare for a long night.

Here are some highlights since yesterday.

The House took action on a teacher education bill today. House Bill 3068 passed with a vote of 95-0. HB 3068, which Evergreen supports, allows individuals who participated in one of the Recruiting Washington Teachers programs for high school students to participate in the Pipeline for Paraeducators conditional scholarship program.

The Senate took action on three bills that Evergreen has tracked and weighed-in this session. Senate Bill 5041 encourages state agencies and institutions of higher education to increase contracts with veteran-owned businesses. Evergreen worked with the sponsor of the bill, Sen. Kilmer, during the interim to revise the original language of the bill. Evergreen strongly supports SB 5041 which passed with a strong vote of 48-0.

Senate Bill 6355, a.ka. the system design bill, passed the Senate 47-0. SB 6355 implements the recommendations put forth by the Higher Education Coordinating Board’s (HECB) System Design Plan work during the interim. Evergreen was represented in this work by Don Bantz, Provost.  The bill identifies a process for expanding the higher education system upon proven demand and for reaching the goals in the HECB’s Master Plan.

Evergreen also supported the passage of Senate Bill 6357. SB 6357 requires The College Board in consultation with the four-year sector, workforce training and education board, private career schools, business, and labor to develop 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 policies must address, but are not limited to, issues regarding verification, accreditation, transfer of academic credit, licensing and professional recognition, and financial aid.

Finally, Governor Gregoire is expected to take action on three bills that are intended to provide costs savings on Monday, February 15 – House Bill 2998, House Bill 2921, and Senate Bill 6382.

The bills, part of an agreed upon package by both the House and Senate, seek additional state savings by suspending state employee monetary performance-based awards through June 30, 2011; modifying appropriations for 2009-11 (does not impact Evergreen) by reducing approprations by $45.4 million; and continuing the freeze on salary and wage increases for exempt and Washington Management Service (WMS) employees of state agencies and institutions of higher learning is extended through June 30, 2011.

Bills Galore in Higher Education Committees

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Evergreen ran the gauntlet this morning in an attempt to be in multiple places at once. On Tuesdays, the House and Senate higher education committees meet at the same time. As a result, Tuesdays are always a high exercise day as higher education folks strategically move from one committee to the other and back again.

Amid this structured chaos, Evergreen was able to weigh in on multiple bills heard in both committees that impact higher education in various ways.

In the House Higher Education Committee, The Evergreen State College spoke to the College’s support for HB 2858 and HB 2854. House Bill 2858, a.k.a. the purchasing bill, would allow four-year, public institutions to participate in group purchasing. The use of group purchasing would provide Evergreen with additional cost savings.

House Bill 2854 moves forward policy implemented during the 2009 legislative session. HB 2854 would build on the establishment of the Higher Education Loan Program (HELP) by creating the HELP account, establish criteria for student participation and establish annual limits on loans to be granted under this program. The Evergreen State College testified in support, along with students, the HECB, and career colleges. Taking the lead from the sponsor of the bill, Rep. Kenney, Evergreen’s testimony: (1) emphasized the importance of first funding grants and work study opportunities for students before considering loans and (2) recognized the important of low-interest, public loan options for students pursuing a college education.

In addition, Evergreen expressed concerns regarding House Bill 2655 and House Bill 2822. House Bill 2655 implements the Higher Education Coordinating Board’s System Design Study completed in 2009. Evergreen is concerned that the bill, as drafted, does not reflect the recommendations of the HECB’s study. Evergreen is working, through the Council of Presidents, with the HECB to ensure that the final draft does reflect the hard work of the System Design Work Group. Evergreen also expressed similar concerns regarding Senate Bill 6355 the companion bill to HB 2655.

Finally, House Bill 2822 would require higher education institutions to include proposed tuition and fee rates for the next two-year period as a component of the institution’s proposed operating budget outlines submitted to the HECB. The Evergreen State College, along with the University of Washington, and community colleges acknowledged the work of the HECB on tuition policy over the past year, but expressed concerns regarding the limits that HB 2822 would place on an institution’s ability to consider tuition as the last dollar in once the state established appropriation and financial aid funding levels.

On the Senate side, Evergreen supported Senate Bill 6357 which would create consistency with regard to academic recognition of prior experience.

Finally, Evergreen expressed opposition to Senate Bill 6358 which would fiscally penalize students if they accumulate more than 125 percent of credits, drop more than 25 percent of credits, or remain on academic probation for more than one quarter or semester. Evergreen is concerned the proposed policies outlined in the bill would negatively impact retention and the pursuit of a college education for students.

Legislature Week 2: What is Happening

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Several work sessions and public hearings are scheduled on critical issues that impact higher education the second week of session. To learn more follow the links below.

This week the focus of the appropriations committees (i.e. Senate Ways & Means and House Ways & Means) will be a review of the Governor’s proposed supplemental budgets, both capital and operating.

In addition, the higher education policy committees (i.e. House Higher Education and Senate Higher Education & Workforce Development) plan to tackle several critical issues impacting Washington’s institutions of higher learning, including system design, tuition policy, and financial aid.