Signed by Governor Jay Inslee

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that requires community and technical colleges establish a faculty diversity program.

Highlights:

• Alleges research establishes that students from underrepresented minorities are far more likely to complete degrees or workforce training certification programs if the faculty and staff of the college reflect the diversity of the student body. Therefore, the legislature intends for the state's community and technical colleges to develop and implement plans to increase faculty and staff diversity (Sec. 1).

• Requires the Student Success Support Program to be based on research or documented evidence of success at institutions with comparable student populations. In tandem with guided pathways implementation, student success support programs may include evidence-based elements such as (Sec. 4.d):

• Equity competent academic advising services;

• Equity competent career development programming;

• Clear information regarding financial aid and financial literacy; and

• Inclusive curriculum and teaching practices.

• Requires the college board must collect data and assess the impact of the 200 additional full-time tenure-track faculty on student completion rates and convene representatives of faculty, staff, and administration to report on outcomes as a result of increasing full-time tenure-track faculty (Sec. 5.c).

• Requires a selection committee consisting of the following to assist with the application selection process (Sec. 6-3.a):

• One community or technical college president;

• One community or technical college vice president for student services or student instruction;

• Two faculty counselors employed at a community or technical college; and

• One community or technical college student.

• Requires the college board to adopt rules regarding the minimum hiring standards for a faculty counselor. At a minimum, these must include (Sec. 7):

• A graduate or professional degree in a related field;

• Completion of appropriate graduate coursework; and

• Standards established by the state board for community and technical colleges.

• Classifies an “eligible student" as someone who meets the following criteria (Sec. 8-1):

• Is a resident student;

• Demonstrates financial need;

• Has indicated they will attend an institution of higher education or is making satisfactory progress in a program, as defined in rule by the office, at an institution of higher education;

• Fills out the Washington application for state financial aid; and

• Does not qualify for federally funded student financial aid because of their citizenship status.

• Specifies a student who is entitled to veterans administration educational assistance benefits based on the student's relationship as a spouse, former spouse, or child to an individual who has separated from the uniformed services with any period of honorable service after at least ninety days of active duty service, and who enters an institution of higher education in Washington within three years of the service member's date of separation (Sec. 9.o).

• A person who is not a citizen of the United States of America is considered a “nonresident student”, unless the person meets and complies with all applicable requirements and is one of the following (Sec. 9.b):

• A lawful permanent resident;

• A temporary resident;18

• A person who holds "refugee-parolee," "conditional entrant," or U or T nonimmigrant status with the United States citizenship and immigration services;

• A person who has been issued an employment authorization document by the United States citizenship and immigration services that is valid as of the date the person's residency status is determined;

• A person who has been granted deferred action for childhood arrival status before, on, or after June 7, 2018, regardless of whether the person is no longer or will no longer be granted deferred action for childhood arrival status due to the termination, suspension, or modification of the deferred action for childhood arrival program; or

• A person who is otherwise permanently residing in the United States under color of law, including deferred action status.

Full Bill Text