Zeiger bill eases access to higher education options
Rep. Hans Zeiger – (360) 786-7968
Zeiger bill eases access to higher education options
A bill that would create one Web site for Washington students to get information they need to obtain a degree passed the House Higher Education Committee on Feb. 7.
House Bill 1320 would require the Washington Student Achievement Council to establish and maintain a statewide Online Transfer and Student Advising system by Sept. 1, 2014, in conjunction with other state agencies and higher education institutions.
“This bill would save the state of Washington money in the long run by accelerating the transfer of students from one institution to another,” said Zeiger, R-Puyallup. “It would also address the challenges we continually hear about when it comes to advising students and matching them with their education and career pathways.”
The proposed legislation states that the Online Transfer and Student Advising system is to assist students to access higher education programs quickly and speed completion of their educational programs by clarifying and simplifying the process for exploring programs, resources and transferability of courses.
“In a time when our higher education institutions have seen significant cutbacks in recent budget cycles, I believe this bill would create greater efficiency for our institutions through improving online transfer and advising opportunities,” Zeiger said. The bill is now headed to the House Appropriations Committee for consideration.
