(1) ((Beginning with the 2007-08 academic year and ending with the 2016-17 academic year, tuition fees charged to full-time resident undergraduate students, except in academic years 2009-10 and 2010-11, may increase no greater than seven percent over the previous academic year in any institution of higher education. Annual reductions or increases in full-time tuition fees for resident undergraduate students shall be as provided in the omnibus appropriations act, within the seven percent increase limit established in this section. For academic years 2009-10 and 2010-11 the omnibus appropriations act may provide tuition increases greater than seven percent. To the extent that state appropriations combined with tuition and fee revenues are insufficient to achieve the total per-student funding goals established in subsection (2) of this section, the legislature may revisit state appropriations, authorized enrollment levels, and changes in tuition fees for any given fiscal year.

     (2) The state shall adopt as its goal total per-student funding levels, from state appropriations plus tuition and fees, of at least the sixtieth percentile of total per-student funding at similar public institutions of higher education in the global challenge states. In defining comparable per-student funding levels, the office of financial management shall adjust for regional cost-of-living differences; for differences in program offerings and in the relative mix of lower division, upper division, and graduate students; and for accounting and reporting differences among the comparison institutions. The office of financial management shall develop a funding trajectory for each four-year institution of higher education and for the community and technical college system as a whole that when combined with tuition and fees revenue allows the state to achieve its funding goal for each four-year institution and the community and technical college system as a whole no later than fiscal year 2017. The state shall not reduce enrollment levels below fiscal year 2007 budgeted levels in order to improve or alter the per-student funding amount at any four-year institution of higher education or the community and technical college system as a whole. The state recognizes that each four-year institution of higher education and the community and technical college system as a whole have different funding requirements to achieve desired performance levels, and that increases to the total per-student funding amount may need to exceed the minimum funding goal.

     (3))) By September 1st of each year beginning in ((2008)) 2011, the office of financial management shall report to the governor, the *higher education coordinating board, and appropriate committees of the legislature with updated estimates of:

     (a) The total per-student funding level that represents the sixtieth percentile of funding for ((comparable)) similar institutions of higher education in the global challenge states((, and the progress toward that goal that was made for each of the public institutions of higher education)); and

     (b) The tuition that represents the sixtieth percentile of resident undergraduate tuition for similar institutions of higher education in the global challenge states.

     (((4))) (2) As used in this section, "global challenge states" are the top performing states on the new economy index published by the progressive policy institute as of July 22, 2007. The new economy index ranks states on indicators of their potential to compete in the new economy. At least once every five years, the office of financial management shall determine if changes to the list of global challenge states are appropriate. The office of financial management shall report its findings to the governor and the legislature.

     (((5) During the 2009-10 and the 2010-11 academic years, institutions of higher education shall include information on their billing statements notifying students of tax credits available through the American opportunity tax credit provided in the American recovery and reinvestment act of 2009.)) (3) Institutions of higher education, in collaboration with relevant student associations, shall aim to have all students who can benefit from available tax credits that mitigate the costs of higher education take advantage of these opportunities. These tax credits include the American opportunity tax credit provided in the American recovery and reinvestment act of 2009, the lifetime learning credit, and other relevant tax credits for as long as they are available.

     (4)(a) Institutions shall make every effort to communicate to students and their families the benefits of such tax credits and provide assistance to students and their families on how to apply.

     (b) Information about relevant tax credits shall, to the greatest extent possible, be incorporated into financial aid counseling, admission information, and individual billing statements.

     (c) Institutions shall, to the greatest extent possible, use all means of communication, including but not limited to web sites, online catalogues, admission and registration forms, mass email messaging, social media, and outside marketing to ensure information about relevant tax credits is visible and compelling, and reaches the maximum amount of student and families that can benefit.

     (5) In the event that the economic value of the American opportunity tax credit is reduced or expires at any time before December 31, 2012, institutions of higher education shall:

     (a) Develop an updated tuition mitigation plan established under RCW 28B.15.102 for the purpose of minimizing, to the greatest extent possible, the increase in net cost of tuition or total cost of attendance for students resulting from any such change. This plan shall include the methods specified by the four-year institution of higher education to avoid adding additional loan debt burdens to students regardless of the source of such loans;

     (b) Report to the governor and the relevant committees of the legislature on their plans to adjust their tuition mitigation plans no later than ninety days after any such change to the American opportunity tax credit.

[2011 1st sp.s. c 10 § 7; 2009 c 540 § 1; 2007 c 151 § 1.]

NOTES:

     *Reviser's note: The higher education coordinating board was abolished by 2011 1st sp.s. c 11 § 301, effective July 1, 2012.

     Findings -- Intent -- Short title -- 2011 1st sp.s. c 10: See notes following RCW 28B.15.031.

RCW 28B.15.068
Tuition fees increase limitations -- State funding goals -- Reports -- "Global challenge states" -- Notification of availability of American opportunity tax credit (as amended by 2011 1st sp.s. c 50).

(1) Beginning with the 2007-08 academic year and ending with the 2016-17 academic year, tuition fees charged to full-time resident undergraduate students, except in academic years 2009-10 and 2010-11, may increase no greater than seven percent over the previous academic year in any institution of higher education. Annual reductions or increases in full-time tuition fees for resident undergraduate students shall be as provided in the omnibus appropriations act, within the seven percent increase limit established in this section. For academic years 2009-10 and 2010-11 the omnibus appropriations act may provide tuition increases greater than seven percent. To the extent that state appropriations combined with tuition and fee revenues are insufficient to achieve the total per-student funding goals established in subsection (2) of this section, the legislature may revisit state appropriations, authorized enrollment levels, and changes in tuition fees for any given fiscal year. In order to facilitate the full implementation of chapter 10, Laws of 2011 1st sp. sess. for the 2011-12 academic year and thereafter, the institutions of higher education are authorized to adopt tuition levels that are less than, equal to, or greater than the tuition levels assumed in the omnibus appropriations act, subject to the conditions and limitations in this chapter and the omnibus appropriations act.

     (2) The state shall adopt as its goal total per-student funding levels, from state appropriations plus tuition and fees, of at least the sixtieth percentile of total per-student funding at similar public institutions of higher education in the global challenge states. In defining comparable per-student funding levels, the office of financial management shall adjust for regional cost-of-living differences; for differences in program offerings and in the relative mix of lower division, upper division, and graduate students; and for accounting and reporting differences among the comparison institutions. The office of financial management shall develop a funding trajectory for each four-year institution of higher education and for the community and technical college system as a whole that when combined with tuition and fees revenue allows the state to achieve its funding goal for each four-year institution and the community and technical college system as a whole no later than fiscal year 2017. The state shall not reduce enrollment levels below fiscal year 2007 budgeted levels in order to improve or alter the per-student funding amount at any four-year institution of higher education or the community and technical college system as a whole. The state recognizes that each four-year institution of higher education and the community and technical college system as a whole have different funding requirements to achieve desired performance levels, and that increases to the total per-student funding amount may need to exceed the minimum funding goal.

     (3) By September 1st of each year beginning in 2008, the office of financial management shall report to the governor, the *higher education coordinating board, and appropriate committees of the legislature with updated estimates of the total per-student funding level that represents the sixtieth percentile of funding for comparable institutions of higher education in the global challenge states, and the progress toward that goal that was made for each of the public institutions of higher education.

     (4) As used in this section, "global challenge states" are the top performing states on the new economy index published by the progressive policy institute as of July 22, 2007. The new economy index ranks states on indicators of their potential to compete in the new economy. At least once every five years, the office of financial management shall determine if changes to the list of global challenge states are appropriate. The office of financial management shall report its findings to the governor and the legislature.

     (5) During the 2009-10 and the 2010-11 academic years, institutions of higher education shall include information on their billing statements notifying students of tax credits available through the American opportunity tax credit provided in the American recovery and reinvestment act of 2009.

[2011 1st sp.s. c 50 § 928; 2009 c 540 § 1; 2007 c 151 § 1.]

NOTES:

     Reviser's note: *(1) The higher education coordinating board was abolished by 2011 1st sp.s. c 11 § 301, effective July 1, 2012.

     (2) RCW 28B.15.068 was amended twice during the 2011 legislative session, each without reference to the other. For rule of construction concerning sections amended more than once during the same legislative session, see RCW 1.12.025.

     Effective dates -- 2011 1st sp.s. c 50: See note following RCW 15.76.115.

     Captions not law -- 2007 c 151: "Captions used in this act are not any part of the law." [2007 c 151 § 3.]