UW health sciences campus

AN ACT Relating to establishing a health sciences campus of the 1
University of Washington; adding new sections to chapter 28B.20 RCW; 2
creating new sections; and providing an expiration date.3
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:4
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that with the coming 5
"silver tsunami" our state needs additional services from behavioral 6
health, dental, nursing and relevant providers. The state further 7
finds that the University of Washington behavioral health and medical 8
sciences programs are nationally renowned, with the expertise for the 9
needed additional services.10
Therefore, the legislature intends to create the University of 11
Washington health sciences campus in order to provide the necessary 12
services that our communities require. 13
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. The Evergreen State College is abolished 14
effective July 1, 2026, and its powers, duties, and functions are 15
hereby transferred to the University of Washington under chapter 16
28B.20 RCW as the University of Washington health sciences campus. 17
All references to The Evergreen State College in the Revised Code of 18
Washington shall be construed to mean the University of Washington 19
health sciences campus. The University of Washington health sciences 20
S-0350.1
SENATE BILL 5424
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2025 Regular Session
By Senators Braun, Boehnke, Dozier, and King
Read first time 01/22/25. Referred to Committee on Higher Education
& Workforce Development.
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campus shall assume ownership responsibility for all land, buildings, 1
and property of The Evergreen State College. 2
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. A new section is added to chapter 28B.20 3
RCW to read as follows: 4
(1) The University of Washington health sciences campus is 5
established effective July 1, 2026. 6
(2) The University of Washington health sciences campus shall 7
assume ownership of all land, buildings, and property of The 8
Evergreen State College in this chapter. 9
(3) The mission of the University of Washington health sciences 10
campus is to provide baccalaureate and graduate degrees that are 11
integral to supporting the health care system and meeting the health 12
needs of Washingtonians. The mission will be achieved by working in 13
partnership with the health care sector and business and industry, as 14
well as local and global organizations to develop academic programs 15
that foster economic vitality and create prosperous, healthy 16
communities. 17
(4) The board of regents of the University of Washington shall 18
appoint a nine-member advisory committee consisting of representation 19
from the health care sector, business, and community representatives 20
to provide advice and counsel regarding the administration of the 21
University of Washington health sciences campus. The advisory 22
committee must work with relevant stakeholders in determining what 23
degrees will be offered to meet the health care system's workforce 24
needs. At minimum, the degrees offered must support the nursing, 25
dental, and behavioral health provider workforce. The curriculum for 26
each respective degree must be singularly focused on preparing 27
students for a profession in their health care field. For purposes of 28
this subsection, "the behavioral health provider workforce" means 29
addiction counselors, mental health counselors, therapists, social 30
workers, and related providers. 31
(5)(a) The board of regents of the University of Washington 32
shall: 33
(i) Immediately appoint a new interim chancellor of the 34
University of Washington health sciences campus and begin a 35
comprehensive search for a chancellor and leadership of the 36
institute; 37
(ii) Conduct a formal program review of all academic degrees and 38
programs offered by The Evergreen State College and identify closure 39
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dates for programs not aligned with the university's mission by July 1
1, 2028. The University of Washington health sciences campus has 2
until July 1, 2030, to close programs not conforming with the 3
academic mission; and 4
(iii) Establish a coordinating and planning council responsible 5
for long-range and strategic planning, interinstitutional 6
collaboration, collaboration with the community served, and dispute 7
resolution for the university. The coordinating and planning council 8
must include the following individuals: 9
(A) The chancellor of the University of Washington health 10
sciences campus, or his or her designee; 11
(B) The provost of the University of Washington health sciences 12
campus, or his or her designee; 13
(C) The president of South Puget Sound Community College;14
(D) A student enrolled at the University of Washington health 15
sciences campus, following the full establishment of the campus, 16
which may be no later than July 1, 2030, appointed by the 17
coordinating and planning council; 18
(E) The chair of the board of regents of the University of 19
Washington, as the nonvoting chair; 20
(F) A community leader appointed by the chair of the board of 21
regents of the University of Washington; and 22
(G) A community leader appointed by the mayor of Olympia.23
(b) The coordinating and planning council may appoint other 24
groups, as appropriate, to advise on administration and operations, 25
and may alter its own composition by agreement of all the members.26
(6) By July 1, 2026, the board of regents must adopt a policy 27
that establishes credit or course equivalencies for all credits 28
earned from The Evergreen State College. If a suitable equivalency 29
does not exist at the University of Washington health sciences 30
campus, credits or course equivalencies may be awarded for comparable 31
alternatives at the University of Washington, Seattle; University of 32
Washington, Bothell; or University of Washington, Tacoma. It is the 33
legislature's intent that students who earned credits from The 34
Evergreen State College are awarded sufficient credits or course 35
equivalencies from the University of Washington to maintain their 36
current academic standing. 37
NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. A new section is added to chapter 28B.20 38
RCW to read as follows: 39
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(1) By July 1, 2028, the board of regents of the University of 1
Washington shall submit a 10-year plan to the appropriate committees 2
of the legislature on financial solubility and sustainability of the 3
University of Washington health sciences campus including, but not 4
limited to: 5
(a) Current and projected enrollment of the University of 6
Washington health sciences campus as well as tuition revenue;7
(b) Current and planned academic program offerings in alignment 8
with the mission of the institute and regional, state, and national 9
needs; 10
(c) Capital construction needs based on the change in mission of 11
the institute; 12
(d) Current and expected operating budget needs to address the 13
change in mission of the institute; 14
(e) Current and future plans to meet ongoing debt servicing needs 15
of The Evergreen State College; and 16
(f) Planned sales or other dispositions of any properties 17
formerly owned by The Evergreen State College. 18
(2) This section expires August 1, 2029. 19
NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. The code reviser shall note wherever The 20
Evergreen State College's duties are transferred or consolidated 21
under this act to the University of Washington health sciences 22
campus. The code reviser shall prepare legislation for the 2026 23
regular session that changes all statutory references from The 24
Evergreen State College to the University of Washington health 25
sciences campus.26
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