News
January 16, 2004
Contact: Lorna Sutton, Director of Communications, SBCTC, 360-704-4310
Community and technical college board to discuss public policy issues, tuition waivers Jan. 21-22
OLYMPIA – A position paper highlighting where the community and technical college system stands on a variety of public policy issues facing higher education in Washington state will be discussed by the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges when it meets Wednesday and Thursday, Jan. 21-22, in Olympia.
The document highlights the important role two-year colleges play in providing workforce training, basic skills and academic transfer education. It outlines projected enrollment demand in key areas and identifies steps the state and the college system need to take to maintain educational opportunity and support the state’s economic future.
Following up on discussions at previous meetings, the board is scheduled to preview the document and a communications plan at the study session Wednesday and adopt it on Thursday.
Wednesday’s study session will also include a briefing on tuition waivers, meaning students may attend free or pay reduced rates, depending on the waiver. Both mandatory and optional waivers have been the subject of extensive study by the community and technical college system over the last several months because of legislative recommendations and others factors.
The colleges grant “course-based” tuition waivers to students enrolled in basic skills, apprenticeship and parent education classes. An array of other waivers may be provided to students who meet certain criteria.
Many of these were originally established by the Legislature or, in the case of basic skills, by the federal government. In the early 1990s, most of the responsibility for granting waivers was transferred to the State Board. The State Board, in turn, has required the colleges to grant some waivers and allowed the colleges discretion in providing other waivers.
For the past several months, four task forces have been analyzing waivers, with their results provided to a Tuition Waiver Policy Committee comprised of college presidents, vice presidents and State Board staff. At Wednesday’s study session, the State Board will hear the recommendations of the policy committee. Constituent groups will also have an opportunity to address the board.
Following the meeting will be further discussions among the college presidents, with the State Board expected to take action on policy recommendations in March.
A report on fall quarter 2003 enrollment is on the agenda for Thursday. The preliminary report shows two-year college enrollment was stable compared to fall 2002. Total headcount was 259,620, which was a decline of 0.3 percent from the previous fall. However, when measured in full-time equivalents (FTEs), enrollment was up by 0.6 percent to 157,606. These numbers represent enrollments from all funding sources: state, contract and student-funded.
State Board staff predict the college system will exceed the state-funded enrollment FTE target for 2003-04 by 13,400 FTEs, or 10 percent. The preliminary report shows nursing enrollments grew by 11 percent over the previous fall and other health occupations programs grew by 14 percent. The number enrolled in worker retraining also continued to grow, from 10,138 students in fall 2002 to 10,559 in fall 2003.
The board will meet in a study session Wednesday from 1 to 5:15 p.m. and conduct regular business Thursday from 8:30 to 11:15 a.m. Both sessions will take place in the Snyder Conference Room at the SBCTC office, 319 SE Seventh Ave, Olympia. The board has also scheduled a dinner meeting Wednesday with leaders of the state community and technical college trustees association. All meetings are open to the public.
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The meeting agenda and background materials are posted on the State Board Web site at: http://www.sbctc.ctc.edu/general/a_board/.
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