House and Senate policy committees met before the February 4 policy cutoff to hear policy bills and take executive action. Members of the Washington State Student Services Commission (WSSSC) and Faculty Association of Community and Technical Colleges (FACTC) met on the hill to hear about legislative priorities and processes.

Senate higher education committee hears testimony on trustee appointments

Feb. 2— The Senate Higher Education and Workforce Committee at its hearing on Monday heard testimony from Senate gubernatorial appointees, including LaTasha Wortham from Tacoma Community College.

 “Community and technical colleges provide an access to education that not everyone would be able to have had it not been for this system,” she told the committee. “We know that there are students who are first-generation like me. Students of color who may not have opportunities that others have. Students that come from populations that are in poverty or low-income. The list goes on and on of the type of students that get to come through community and technical colleges in order to better their families and to better their lives –and, more importantly, to better our communities.”

Kayla Linadi, a student at Edmonds College, also testified at her confirmation hearing on her appointment to the board at Edmonds College.

“Edmonds College became a community that supported me and helped me find myself, my real voice,” she said. “I was honored to be appointed by Governor Bob Ferguson to serve as a student trustee for Edmonds College. I wanted to help ensure that student perspectives are represented at the decision-making table, and that policies reflect the real experiences of those they impact.”

State Board-requested bill heard in House higher education committee

Feb. 4 — The House Postsecondary Education and Workforce Committee at its hearing on Wednesday heard testimony on the State Board’s agency-requested bill, which would require the Washington State Board of Nursing (WABON) to modify certain nursing education program standards and allow nursing education programs to continue operation under national accreditation standards.

Rep. Debra Entenman, HB 2498’s prime sponsor and former trustee at Renton Technical College, testified that this bill would support diversity in the nursing workforce.

“I’m hoping that we can continue discussion with the nursing board, with our community colleges, with stakeholders in nursing, so that we could take down some of the barriers that some people really do feel are unnecessary,” she told her fellow committee members. “I wanted to make sure that we had this public hearing to talk about nursing — nursing in Washington — and the impact of some of the requirements.”

Tim Stokes, president at South Puget Sound Community College, testified in support of the bill.

“This bill aims to return WABON authority to the level the legislature granted it in the RCW,” he told the committee. “That authority was to establish the minimum standards for nursing programs to operate. They have far exceeded that authority, using over 54 WACs to create standards far beyond the standards of the three major national accrediting bodies.”

Michelle Andreas, vice president for instruction at South Puget Sound Community College, also testified in support of the bill, citing the difficulties the college's nursing program has experienced.

“Most recently, there was rulemaking around simulation. Simulation is a modality of instruction, nothing more,” she said. “The current rules that were in place covered all modalities of instruction – and yet WABON staff insisted on additional criteria, WACs, and standards, specifically for simulation.”

Jenni Martin, president at Spokane Community College, also testified in support of the bill.

“We must push to streamline and increase the nursing capacity in our communities, and I would say in particular, in the rural communities,” she said. “Because we need to find innovative ways to meet those workforce needs.”

Teresa Rich, president at Yakima Valley College, also testified in support of the bill.

“Our nursing programs already undergo rigorous review by national accrediting bodies that apply evidence-based, peer-reviewed standards to programs,” she said. For programs that have proven they meet these national standards, duplicating the process adds cost, administrative burden, and delays without improving program quality.”

The bill was heard as a courtesy in committee on the same day as policy cutoff and will not continue through the legislative process this session.

Student services, faculty representatives from colleges meet on hill

Feb. 5—Members of the Washington State Student Services Commission (WSSSC) and Faculty Association of Community and Technical Colleges (FACTC) joined State Board staff on the hill Thursday and Friday. Several legislators and legislative staff, including Rep. Dave Paul, chair of the House Postsecondary Education and Workforce Committee, and Rep. Mari Leavitt spoke about the challenges the legislature is facing this session.
Student services VPs sit in a hearing room with Rep. Dave Paul

Bill addressing student financial aid fraud heard in Senate fiscal committee

Feb. 4 — A bill aimed at safeguarding student financial aid fraud was up for a hearing during Thursday’s Senate Ways & Means Committee meeting. If passed, SB 6082 would direct the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee (JLARC) to conduct a systemic performance audit of fraud in financial aid at higher education institutions.

Arlen Harris, legislative director at the State Board, testified, speaking to the safeguards already in place at community and technical colleges.

“The JLARC study will reveal to you what I believe you may already know. The community and technical college financial aid departments are under-resourced and understaffed to capture all acts of fraud,” he said. “Another thing I’d like you to consider in this study is its due date in late ’27. It’ll be obsolete before it will be published.”

Sara Thompson Tweedy, president at Big Bend Community College, also testified on the bill.

“While I truly appreciate the intent behind this bill, it ultimately asks colleges to increase efforts around a problem that we already know exists and are addressing,” she told the committee. “What we lack are the resources to address it effectively. As you consider potential cuts to the community and technical colleges, I urge you to remember that budget reductions may force us to scale back precisely the staff and systems that keep us protected.”

The bill is not currently scheduled for executive action.

Trustees confirmed by the Senate

The Senate confirmed three trustees this week to the boards of their colleges:

Coming up next week

The House of Origin fiscal committee cutoff is Monday, February 9, when bills with a fiscal impact must be moved out of committee to continue in the legislative process this session. Legislators will spend the remainder of next week debating and voting on bills on the chamber floors.