Tag Archives: Senate Higher Education Committee

Washington Policy Committees Hear Impact of Potential Budget Reductions in Higher Education

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The Washington House and Senate policy committees on higher education heard from institutions and students about the consequences that lie ahead if state funding is reduced.

In December the Governor released a proposed operating budget for the four-year, public baccalaureate institutions that if implemented will have reduced state funding by 50% for these institutions in the last three years.

In February the four-year, public baccalaureate institutions were asked to provide potential impacts if state funding was reduced beyond the Governor’s proposed budget by an additional 15% and 30%.  It is the potential consequences of the loss of state funding at these levels that prompted the work sessions this morning in the House and this afternoon in the Senate.

Mike Reilly – Executive Director, Council of Presidents – presented an overview of the impact of the proposed budget models on the four-year, public baccalaureate sector.

According to the Council of Presidents,  the loss of state funding under consideration would drastically alter higher education in Washington sector-wide.

  • Reduced access for resident undergraduates (up to 3,000 slots under the Governor’s cut level alone and up to 10,000 at the higher reduction levels)
  • Fewer slots in STEM and other high-demand degree programs
  • Increased time to degree (each additional term costs students $6,000-$8,000)
  • Large increases in tuition
  • Loss of thousands of jobs, less student support

The Evergreen State College was represented by Ken Tabbutt, Interim Provost and Julie Garver, Director of Government Relations. Tabbutt expressed what is at stake not only for the state but for Evergreen students and for the College’s local and regional economies.

Committees Hit Ground Running Hearing Bills from the Opposite Chamber

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The Legislature wasted no time engaging in public hearings and work sessions on bills from the opposite chamber.

Yesterday marked the passage of another major deadline for the legislative session. All bills must have moved from their chamber of origin to the opposite chamber. Bills deemed necessary to implement the budget are omitted from this deadline.

One day after this deadline, committees in both chambers were back at work holding public hearings and work sessions to continue to move bills through the process.

The Senate Higher Education Committee held a public hearing on referred House bills. Among the legislation the committee heard today was a bill (SHB 1822) to establish the first online university in Washington with the Western Governors University.  

The bill came to the Senate after passing the House 70-26. The Council of Presidents (COP) testified with concerns regarding the potential impact on state financial aid programs.

COP suggested language be amended to SHB 1822 that would require the Higher Education Coordinating Board to obtain the approval of the Legislature before allowing students at Western Governors University-Washington to utilize state need grant dollars. Similar language was amended to the Senate version of the bill (SB 5136) in the Ways & Means Committee.  Senate Bill 5136 did not pass the Senate by the March 7 deadline.

The Committee also held public hearings on a range of other bills including legislation that would create consistency in student financial aid programs and add a student representative to community and technical college boards.

First Deadline Passes and Next Deadline Nears in Legislature

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This week marked the  first deadline in the 2011 legislative session. All House policy committees must have moved bills either to an appropriations committee or the floor by end of Thursday.  The Senate’s first deadline is Monday, February 21.

House Higher Education Committee

This week the House Higher Education Committee passed several bills, including two bills that would impact higher education tuition, financial aid, and accountability policies.

The substitute to House Bill 1795 – Higher Education Opportunity Act – adds statements about the state’s commitment to public funding and provides for tuition-setting authority by four year institutions for all students for four years, academic years 2011 through 2014 with the caveat that if institutions exceed tuition levels as follows: UW, WSU and WWU – 11% per year and TESC, CWU and EWU – 9% per year, they must provide financial aid to middle income students with the express purpose of mitigating the increases in tuition.

The bill also adds the  NGA Complete to Compete metrics with the addition of graduate and professional degrees, STEM and participation and completion for underrepresented students in STEM. Finally the bill requires a dashboard be developed on the Office of Financial Management’s website, requires changes in current financial aid criteria, establishes the Baccalaureate Degree Innovation program, and repeals performance agreements.

The Committee also moved HB 1666 which includes the recommendations from the Governor’s Task Force. The substitute that passed out of committee includes several changes to the bill.

The substitute passed out of committee makes several key changes to the funding mechanism in the bill, including changing the the date for increased flexibility for tuition-setting authority for the public baccalaureate institutions to the 2011-2012 academic year rather than the 2013-2014 academic year and changing the operating budget baseline year for funding higher education to fiscal year 2008 rather than 2011.

Senate Higher Education

This week the Senate Higher Education & Workforce Committee passed several bills this week, including the bill that includes the Governor’s Task Force recommendations for higher education and legislation that would alter how higher education is structured in Washington.

Senate Bill 5182 would eliminate the Higher Education Coodinating Board  (HECB) and create the Council for Performance and Accountability in Higher Education. The Council membership includes the six four-year institution presidents, one private nonprofit president, the executive director of the SBCTC, and a community or technical college president, or their designees.

The purpose of the council is to develop performance-based measures and goals for each state university, regional university, and the state college, linked to the role, mission, and strategic plan of the institution of higher education including (a) indicators and goals that measure outcomes concerning cost, quality, and timeliness of student progress toward degrees and certifications; (b) benchmarks and goals for long-term degree production, including discrete benchmarks and goals in particular fields of study; (c) the level of resources necessary to meet the performance outcomes, benchmarks, and goals, subject to legislative appropriation; (d) indicators and goals that measure outcomes concerning recruitment, retention, and success of students from diverse, underrepresented communities; and (e) a system of consequences for exceeding or for failing to achieve the goals or benchmarks. In addition the Council would perform the essential state governance functions previously assigned to the HECB.

The bill also creates the Office of Student Financial Assistance (Office) that administers all state and federal financial aid and the advanced college tuition payment program. The Office is under the supervision of the Council.

The Committee also moved SB 5717 which includes the recommendations from the Governor’s Task Force.

The substitute that passed out of committee includes several changes to the bill. The primary change is the elimination of the Washington Pledge Scholarship provisions. In addition the proposed bill adds three new accountability factors; requires institutions of higher education to report enrollments, completion ratios, and market penetration; and requires the HECB to analyze performance data and reports eachinstitution’s performance improvement under the baccalaureate degree incentive program.

Next Steps

Next week the Legislature will focus on the appropriation committees in both chambers (i.e. Senate Ways & Means, House Ways & Mean, and House Education Appropriations). Appropriation committees must move bills out of committee and to the floor by Friday, February 25.

To find out the status of legislation introduced this session be sure to check out either the Washington Legislature’s website or Evergreen’s bill tracking.

Senate Appropriations Committee Hears Higher Education Related Legislation

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This afternoon Senate Ways & Means heard a series of bills that would impact higher education.

Senate Bill 5758  streamlines the management of tuition and trust funds dedicated to maintenance and small capital projects at Central Washington, Eastern Washington, and Western Washington Universities, and The Evergreen State College.

Steve Trotter, Executive Director for Operational Planning and Budget for The Evergreen State College, testified in support of SB 5758 along with a representative for CWU, EWU, and WWU.  The Office of Financial Management testified with concerns.

In addition, the Committee heard SB 5304 and SB 5576.  Senate Bill 5304 would require the Caseload Forecast Council to  forecast the anticipated number of students eligible for the State Need Grant Program and the College Bound Scholarship Program who are also expected to attend an institution of higher education and to submit these forecasts to the Governor and the members of the legislative fiscal committees; and Senate Bill 5576 streamlines the management of tuition and trust funds dedicated to maintenance and small capital projects at the University of Washington and Washington State University.

The Evergreen State College signed-in, in support of both SB 5576 and SB 5304.

Finally, the Committee heard Senate Bill 5518 which would mandate that employees of state agencies or political subdivisions may only be paid by electronic transfer to an employee’s account at the employee’s designated financial institution. Each employee must designate such an account in order to receive payment. The Evergreen State College took no position on this bill.

Senate Higher Education Committee Hears Legislation

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This morning the Senate Higher Education & Workforce Development Committee considered several bills. 

The Committee held a public hearing on five bills ranging from the establishment of the University Center of North Puget Sound to the development of common course numbering for two- and four-year institutions.

Senate Bill 5654 would require the Higher Education Coordinating Board and the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges convene representatives from each of the institutions of higher education, to establish a single set of common course numbers and common course descriptions for all common lower division courses at all institutions of higher education.

Evergreen testified with concerns on SB 5654 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.

Senate Bill 5608  would require Western Washington University to coordinate and participate with Olympic College, Everett Community College, Skagit Valley College, Whatcom Community College, Bellingham Technical College, Northwest Indian College to provide a program that leverages the leadership of returning veterans. The Evergreen State College signed-in, in support of the bill.

Senate Bill 5719 would fix tuition for students who identify as individuals with disabilities under the federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The Council of Presidents testified in opposition to SB 5719 with the primary concern being fiscal. The bill would reduce tuition revenues for institutions that would negatively impact the education and service  provided to all students.  The Evergreen State College signed-in opposed.

Finally the Committee held public hearings on two additional bills that Evergreen took no position on. Senate Bill 5674 would create the aerospace training student loan program.

Senate Bill 5636 would create the University Center of North Puget Sound. The bill assigns management and leadership of the University Center at Everett Community College to WSU to meet demands for baccalaureate and graduate degrees in Everrett, north Snohomish Island, and Skagit counties and Washington, particularly in high employer demand programs of study.

Regulatory Relief Legislation Heard in Senate Higher Education

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This afternoon the Senate Higher Education & Workforce Development Committee held public hearings on a handful of bills that institutions of higher education argued would increase efficiencies and provide regulatory relief.

The institutions of higher education – including two-year and four-year public institutions – testified in support of Senate Bills SB 5516, SB 5517, and SB 5519

Senate Bill 5516 allows advance payments for equipment maintenance services for institutions of higher education. Specifically higher education institutions may make payments in advance for equipment maintenance services to be performed up to 60 months (5 years) after such payment.

Senate Bill 5517 exempts institutions of higher education that do not use archives and records management services from payment for those services.

Senate Bill 5519 changes public contracting authority. Specifically the bill removes the 2 percent target for higher education institution’s total goods and services be purchased each year from inmate programs. However, institutions must endeavor to purchase goods and services from correctional industries based on quality, service, delivery, and value. In addition the bill modifies various public contracting limits and procedures.

The Evergreen State College signed-in to support all three pieces of legislation. No further action is scheduled for these bills at this time.

Senate Higher Education Committee Holds Public Hearing

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This morning the Senate Higher Education & Workforce Committee heard several proposed bills, ranging from regulatory relief to three-year degrees.

The following bills were heard:

  • SB 5268 – Enacting the college efficiency and savings act.
  • SB 5442 – Requiring the development of accelerated baccalaureate programs at state colleges and universities.
  • SB 5483 – Regarding administrative consistency in student financial aid programs.
  • SB 5484 – Concerning the higher education coordinating board’s responsibilities with regard to health sciences and services authorities.
  • SB 5443 – Requiring the higher education coordinating board to develop a grant program to encourage training for students studying in the medical field to work with individuals with developmental disabilities

The Council of Presidents testified on behalf of the four-year, public institutions in support of the value of providing pathways for students who wish to accelerate their degree attainment as proposed in SB 5442 and shared what institutions are currently doing to serve theses student . However, concerns were expressed about the requirement in the bill to create a three-year degree without attending summer classes or enrolling in more than a full-time class load during the regular academic year.

House and Senate Committees hear Governor’s Bill Implementing Task Force Recommendations

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The House Higher Education Committee and the Senate Higher Education and Workforce Committee held public hearings today on House Bill 1666. The legislation has yet to be assigned a bill number in the Senate.

As Gov. Chris Gregoire and the Task Force announced in December, the proposal would alter the policies that currently structure funding, transfer, and accountability for higher education in Washington.

The bill would set degree production targets to increase 27 percent over 2010 levels by 2018. In addition, the legislation establishes a state funding baseline, tuition flexibility and funding levels for four-year public baccalaureate institutions comparable to institutions in other states; creates an endowment for low and middle income students who wish to obtain a baccalaureate degree and a tax credit for businesses that contribute; adopts new performance measures for four-year public baccalaureate institutions and creates a program to incentivize progress; and requires the creation of a one year transferrable certificate and other measures to ease student transfer and increase recognition of prior learning.

Both committees heard from business, including the big ones (i.e. Microsoft and Boeing), members of the Task Force, faculty, and the institutions of higher education, including The Evergreen State College.  The testimony was clearly in favor of the work of the Task Force and the elevation of higher educatin in the minds of those in Olympia but was accompanied with the need to continue to work on the bill.

No further action is scheduled for the bill at this time.

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.

Faculty Highlighted in the House and Budgets the Focus of the Senate

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Led by Chair Seaquist the House Higher Education Committee continued its efforts to inform and educate itself about higher education in Washington.

This morning the Committee focused on faculty at both two- and four-year institutions in Washington. Faculty from Washington’s comprehensive institutions, including Evergreen, provided members with insights into who faculty are and what challenges they face in the classroom. Faculty from the research institutions and the community and technical colleges also shared their perspective.

In the afternoon, Higher education advocates, inlcuding the Higher Education Coordinating Board (HECB) and the Council of Presidents (COP), spoke specifically to the impacts of declining state resources for higher education during the  January 19 Senate Higher Education & Workforce Development Committee’s work session.

Chair Rodney Tom focused the two-hour work session on the impact of reductions in state funding in recent years, highlighting the potential impact of the Governor’s proposed budget.

The work session provided the opportunity for higher education institutions to speak to specific impacts to their institutions through testimony and answer questions from policymakers.