Tag Archives: House Higher Education

House Higher Education Executive Session Amends Performance Agreement, Student Loan and Teacher Preparation Bills

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The House Committee on Higher Education met this morning to pass several bills out of committee.

House Bill 2979, establishing performance agreements for institutions of higher learning, received two amendments by Representatives Sells and Wallace. The amendments would establish space in performance agreement committees for faculty and student representatives, as well as establish high employer demand programs of study and require the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee to conduct an evaluation of the higher education performance agreements and make recommendations to the Governor and Legislature regarding their continuation and expansion.

House Bill 2930, providing for conditional scholarships and loan repayment programs for potential teachers in high-demand fields, was introduced as a proposed substitute bill. The substitute would bill would take effect in the 2013-2014 school year and increase the amount of the award for both the Future Teachers Conditional Scholarship and Loan Repayment Program and the Alternate Routes to Certification Conditional Scholarship Program to cover the full cost of attendance or $15,000 per academic year, whichever is less. In addition, the substitute bill stipulates that teachers in high-demand fields receive loan reimbursement per year of service, while students in non-high-demand fields receive one year of loan repayment for every two years of service.

Finally, a proposed substitute to House Bill 2854 would add career colleges to the list of institutions and agencies that must be
consulted when the HECB conducts periodic assessments of the HELP program, remove the reference that requires students to be enrolled in an “academic” field of study, clarify that students can be enrolled in an aid-eligible certificate program and still qualify for HELP, and clarify that students enrolled in both academic and technical associate degrees are eligible.

All of these bills received enough votes in the committee to be referred to fiscal or rules committees.

Members of Higher Education Community Weigh in on Bill that Would Change State Need Grant Eligibility

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On Wednesday the House Committee on Higher Education held a public hearing on House Bill 2936, introduced by Representative Anderson in an effort to increase efficiencies in the state financial aid system. Evergreen did not testify during the hearing.

The intent of the bill, as articulated by Representative Anderson, would be to encourage younger students to enter higher education and keep financial aid paced with budget cuts. The mechanisms proposed to accomplish these goals – limiting State Need Grant eligibility to individuals under the age of twenty-nine and cutting off the award after two years – came under criticism by individuals testifying. Those voicing opposition included the State Higher Education Coordinating Board, the Council of Presidents, the State Board of Community and Technical Colleges, members of the Council of Faculty Representatives, the Washington Student Association, the State Workforce Board, and the Independent Colleges of Washington State. Concerns included the exclusion of older students, who represent high percentages of community and trade college students as well as those who transfer into baccalaureate programs from community colleges, as well as those who do not move through the higher education system in traditional time frames.

Bills Move Quickly

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A familiar and quick-paced trend has appeared on The Hill. Bills are introduced, heard via a public hearing one day and the next are moved out of committee either to the floor or an appropriations committee.

This is to be expected as committee cut-off dates near (early next week) and the Legislature approaches the half-way mark in the session (4th week is next week).

So here is the latest news:

Evergreen Supported Legislation

The Senate Govenrment Operations & Elections held a public hearing and moved Senate Bill 5041. SB 5041 encourages agencies to contract and purchsefrom veteran-owned businesses. Evergreen supported the legislation which was reinforced with testimony in favor of the bill by The Council of Presidents.

The House Higher Education Committee held a public hearing on House Bill 2930. House Bill 2930 extends the Future Teacher Conditional Scholarships to students seeking a mathematics endorsement.

Evergreen testified in support of the bill and encouraged policymakers to work towards offering similar scholarship opportunities in the future to individuals seeking endorsements in special education and ELL. 

Legislation of Concern to Evergreen

The House Commerce & Labor Committee held a public hearing on House Bill 2805. House Bill 2805 requires contractors on public works projects (i.e. higher education capital projects) that are over $1 million to provide additional reporting. 

Evergreen expressed concerns with regard to additional reporting at a time of declining resources and the potential for increased costs to public works projects.

HB 2805 is expected to be moved out of committee later today.

Bills of Interest to Evergreen

The Senate Ways & Means Committee held a public hearing on Senate Bill 6572. Evergreen did not weigh in during the public hearing but is tracking this legislation as it moves through the process.

Senate Bill 6572 eliminates several inactive funds and accounts and transfers any remaining balances in these accounts to the General Fund. In addition, any balances in the School Construction Revolving Fund are transferred to the General Fund.

The accounts and funds to be eliminated include: City and County Advance Right-of-Way Revolving Account; Community and Technical College Fund for Innovation and Quality Account; Dairy Products Commission Facility Account; Data Processing Building Construction Account; Education Technology Account; Energy Efficiency Construction Account; Fruit Commission Facility Account; Geothermal Account; K-20 Technology Account; Morrill Account; Personal Health Services Account; Prescription Drug Purchasing Account;Regional Transportation Investment District Account; Purpose District Research Services Account; Two-year Student Child Care in Higher Education Account; Warren G. Magnuson Institute Trust Account; Washington Fruit Express Account; and Washington Service Corps Scholarship Account.

No further action has been scheduled on this bill.

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.

Bills Moving to Floors for Action

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A handful of bills have moved to the House and Senate floor for action this week.

House Bill 2561, a.k.a the Jobs Creation bill, was passed by the House 57-41 on Wednesday.

House Bill 2561: (1) Authorizes the State Finance Committee to issue $861 million in general obligation bonds, to be known as Jobs Act Bonds (Act), for the purpose of creating jobs by constructing capital improvements that lead to energy-related cost savings in public schools, state colleges and universities, and other public facilities; (2) Appropriates funds for grants to public school districts, public higher education institutions, state and locally-owned facilities, and facilities owned by subdivisions of the state; and (3) Directs the Secretary of State to submit the short title, intent and bond authorization sections of the Act to the people for adoption and ratification or rejection in the next general election to be held in the state.

In addition, Senate Bill 2561, if enacted, would be a vehicle by which Evergreen could seek funding for the design and construction of the Biomass Gasification Project that the College is seeking funds for a feasibility study this session. Evergreen will continue to work to move this successfully move this bill through the Senate.

The House amended HB 2561 to correct the name  of the account that funds are drawn from to pay debt service and directs the State Treasurer to move funds to pay debt service to the bond retirement. In addition, changes were made to the time in which a project that does not use Energy Savings Performance Contracting must verify energy and operational savings for 10 years  or until the project has paid for itself, whichever is shorter.

Engrossed House Bill 2651 now moves to the Senate Ways & Means Committee for consideration.  

House Bill 2858 was passed by House Higher Education on Wednesday. House Bill 2858 provides institutions of higher education the authority to participate in group purchasing agreements.

Kathleen Haskett, Evergreen’s Purchasing & Contracts Manager, testified in support of HB 2858. She expanded on the changes the bill would provide for higher education purchasing policies and the potential costs savings to the institution.

More and more bills are expected to move to the floor and opposite chamber this week and next as the first cut-off date (February 2) looms for policy bills.

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.

House Higher Education Talks Tuition and Budget

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The House Higher Education Committee today held a work session that focused on tuition and the Governor’s proposed 2010 supplemental budget.

Representatives from the Governor’s Office along with the Higher Education Coordinating Board and the Washington Student Association (WSA) provided invited testimony to the Committee regarding their concerns and hopes about tuition policy and budget this session.

George an Evergreen student shared his personal story with legislators along with several other students organized through WSA.

Legislators raised questions regarding higher education costs, the level of budget reductions passed in the 2009 session, and efforts towards worker retraining.

Legislature Week 1: What’s Happening

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The Legislature is doing anything but dragging its feet this session. Several work sessions and public hearings are scheduled on critical issues that impact higher education. 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 budget, released in mid-December.

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 high skills and wages, tuition policy, budget, governance, and technology.

New Fiscal Analyst for House Higher Education

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In October, Higher Education welcomed a new fiscal analyst for higher education in the House of Representatives – Serah Stetson. 

Serah formerly held a positin as a fiscal analyst for General Government Operatings in the Office of Policy Research and prior to this role was a financial aid adminstrator in Washington.

Stetson replaces long-time higher education fiscal analyst Debbie Driver who recently took an analyst position with Transportation.