Senate committee hears bill to create virtual campus for community and technical colleges

The Senate Higher Education and Workforce Development Committee opened a public hearing on Senate Bill 5663 on a proposal to establish “a virtual campus for all Washingtonians,” Kelly Gunn, committee staff, said in briefing the panel.

The bill, sponsored by Senator Vandana Slatter, would direct the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges and related partners to do three things: convene a work group to design a virtual campus and a method for counting headcount or full‑time equivalent students; create and maintain a statewide website listing fully online course offerings by the 2026–27 academic year; and allow community and technical colleges to promote fully online programs beyond their service districts. Gunn said, “Before you is Senate Bill 5663, an act relating to establishing a virtual campus for all Washingtonians.”

Why it matters: supporters said easier discovery and streamlined cross‑enrollment would expand access, particularly for working students, rural residents and those who cannot relocate. Senator Vandana Slatter told the committee the bill is intended to…