Concerning the appointment of presidents of institutions of higher education.
HB 1337 modifies governance rules for Washington's public universities by requiring student and faculty representatives on governing boards. It mandates that each university's board include one student (appointed annually from student-elected candidates) and one faculty member (appointed for three years from faculty nominations), with both excluded from voting on faculty hiring or discipline matters (except for presidential appointments). The bill affects all public universities, including the University of Washington, Washington State University, and regional campuses, by altering board composition and appointment processes. Key changes include standardized term lengths for board members and specific selection procedures for student/faculty roles, aiming to enhance academic community input in leadership decisions. The legislation declares an emergency to expedite implementation.
Bill status
in committee
1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2026
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Jan 12, 2026
Last action Jan 12, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison
What changed between versions
Bill
→
Substitute Bill
·
4 edits
MODERATE
The bill was amended to shift its focus from establishing a new public selection process for university presidents to amending existing laws governing the composition and powers of university governing boards. The changes mandate that student and faculty members serve as regents or trustees, define their specific terms and appointment methods, and restrict their voting rights on faculty hiring and tenure matters to ensure they do not interfere with academic freedom.
Scope change
The bill's scope changed from creating a new standalone process for hiring presidents to modifying the structural governance rules of existing institutions (University of Washington, WSU, regional universities, Evergreen State College, and community colleges).
REQUIREMENT
Removed the requirement for public notice and a public forum for priority candidates when appointing presidents, which was the original intent of the bill.
Added restrictions preventing student and faculty regents from voting on matters related to the hiring, discipline, or tenure of faculty members and personnel.
ELIGIBILITY
Added specific requirements for student and faculty members to serve on governing boards, including their term lengths, appointment sources, and qualifications.
DEFINITION
Replaced the focus on 'priority candidates' with detailed definitions of board composition and the specific roles of student and faculty members across multiple institutions.
Floor votes
How they voted
No floor votes recorded yet.
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
9
Key actions
3
Committee
4
Jan 12, 2026
Introduced
By resolution, reintroduced and retained in present status.
lower
Feb 21, 2025
Committee
Referred to Rules 2 Review.
lower
Feb 19, 2025
Lower · Passed
Minority; do not pass.
lower
Feb 19, 2025
Lower · Passed
Executive action taken in the House Committee on Postsecondary Education & Workforce at 1:30 PM.
lower
Feb 18, 2025
Lower · Passed
Public hearing in the House Committee on Postsecondary Education & Workforce at 1:30 PM.
lower
1 primary · 4 co-sponsors
Sponsors
Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Gerry Pollet
DDemocratic
Co
Greg Nance
DDemocratic
Co
Joel McEntire
RRepublican
Co
Julia Reed
DDemocratic
Co
Nicole Macri
DDemocratic
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