Revised Code of Washington

Wash. Rev. Code § 28B.50.851 (2026)

Faculty tenure—Definitions

✓ current as of May 2026

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As used in RCW 28B.50.850 through 28B.50.869:

(1) "Administrative appointment" shall mean employment in a specific administrative position as determined by the appointing authority;

(2) "Appointing authority" shall mean the board of trustees of a college district;

(3)(a) "Faculty appointment," except as otherwise provided in (b) of this subsection, shall mean full time employment as a teacher, counselor, librarian or other position for which the training, experience and responsibilities are comparable as determined by the appointing authority, except administrative appointments; "faculty appointment" shall also mean department heads, division heads and administrators to the extent that such department heads, division heads or administrators have had or do have status as a teacher, counselor, or librarian; faculty appointment shall also mean employment on a reduced work load basis when a faculty member has retained tenure under RCW 28B.50.859;

(b) "Faculty appointment" shall not mean special faculty appointment as a teacher, counselor, librarian, or other position as enumerated in (a) of this subsection, when such employment results from special funds provided to a community or technical college district from federal moneys or other special funds which other funds are designated as "special funds" by the college board: PROVIDED, That such "special funds" so designated by the college board for purposes of this section shall apply only to teachers, counselors and librarians hired from grants and service agreements and teachers, counselors and librarians hired in nonformula positions. A special faculty appointment resulting from such special financing may be terminated upon a reduction or elimination of funding or a reduction or elimination of program: PROVIDED FURTHER, That "faculty appointees" holding faculty appointments pursuant to subsections (7) or (3)(a) of this section who have been subsequently transferred to positions financed from "special funds" pursuant to (b) of this subsection and who thereafter lose their positions upon reduction or elimination of such "special funding" shall be entitled to be returned to previous status as faculty appointees pursuant to subsection (7) or (3)(a) of this section depending upon their status prior to the "special funding" transfer. Notwithstanding the fact that tenure shall not be granted to anyone holding a special faculty appointment, the termination of any such faculty appointment prior to the expiration of the term of such faculty member's individual contract for any cause which is not related to elimination or reduction of financing or the elimination or reduction of program shall be considered a termination for cause subject to the provisions of this chapter;

(4) "Probationary faculty appointment" shall mean a faculty appointment for a designated period of time which may be terminated without cause upon expiration of the probationer's terms of employment;

(5) "Probationer" shall mean an individual holding a probationary faculty appointment;

(6) "Review committee" shall mean a committee composed of the probationer's faculty peers, a student representative, and the administrative staff of the community or technical college: PROVIDED, That the majority of the committee shall consist of the probationer's faculty peers;

(7) "Tenure" shall mean a faculty appointment for an indefinite period of time which may be revoked only for adequate cause and by due process.

[ 2015 c 55 s 229; 1993 c 188 s 1; 1991 c 294 s 2; 1991 c 238 s 68; 1988 c 32 s 2; 1975 1st ex.s. c 112 s 1; 1974 ex.s. c 33 s 1; 1970 ex.s. c 5 s 3; 1969 ex.s. c 283 s 33. Formerly RCW 28.85.851.]

Notes:

Reviser's note: The definitions in this section have been alphabetized pursuant to RCW 1.08.015(2)(k).

Construction—1993 c 188: "Nothing contained in this act shall be construed to alter any existing collective bargaining unit or the provisions of any existing collective bargaining agreement." [ 1993 c 188 s 5.]

Effective date—1993 c 188: "This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and shall take effect July 1, 1993." [ 1993 c 188 s 6.]

Severability—1993 c 188: "If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected." [ 1993 c 188 s 7.]

Intent—1991 c 294: "Improving the quality of instruction at our state institutions of higher education is a priority of the legislature. Recently, many efforts have been made by the legislature, the colleges, and the *higher education coordinating board to assess and improve the quality of instruction received by students at our state institutions. It is the intent of the legislature that, in conjunction with these various efforts, the process for the award of faculty tenure at community colleges should allow for a thorough review of the performance of faculty appointees prior to the granting of tenure." [ 1991 c 294 s 1.]

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

Construction—1991 c 294: "Nothing contained in this act shall be construed to alter any existing collective bargaining unit or the provisions of any existing collective bargaining agreement." [ 1991 c 294 s 6.]

Effective date—Application—1991 c 294: "This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and shall take effect July 1, 1991, and shall apply to all faculty appointments made by community colleges after June 30, 1991, but shall not apply to employees of community colleges who hold faculty appointments prior to July 1, 1991." [ 1991 c 294 s 7.]

Severability—1991 c 294: "If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected." [ 1991 c 294 s 8.]

Severability—1969 ex.s. c 283: See note following RCW 28A.150.050.

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 8 cases, 1974–1983 · leading case: Smith v. Greene, 545 P.2d 550 (Wash. 1976).

Sort: Relevance Newest Treatment

Smith v. Greene, 545 P.2d 550 (Wash. 1976). · cites it 4× “) RCW 28B.50.851 (3). Under the terms of his third 1-year contract with Community College District No.”

Rutcosky v. Bd. of Trs., 545 P.2d 567 (Wash. Ct. App. 1976). · cites it 3× “1 RCW 28B.50.851 (3) provides: “‘Probationary faculty appointment’ shall mean a faculty appointment for a designated period of time which may be terminated without cause upon expiration of the probationer’s terms of employment;” (Italics ours.”

Butler v. Repub. Sch. Dist., 661 P.2d 1005 (Wash. Ct. App. 1983). “" 2 The professor's appointment was pursuant to RCW 28B.50.851(3) which provides: "'Probationary faculty appointment' shall mean a faculty appointment for a designated period of time which may be terminated without cause upon expiration of the probationer's terms of employment;"…”

Barnes v. Washington State Cmty. Coll. Dist. No. 20, 529 P.2d 1102 (Wash. 1975). · cites it 8× “868, as amended in 1970, does seem to fully provide for the extension of tenure to previously promoted faculty members, and in light of this it is difficult to see what, if anything, the amendment to RCW 28B.50.851 (2) was intended to add. RCW 28B.”

Causey v. Bd. of Trs. of Cmty. Coll. Dist. V, 638 P.2d 98 (Wash. Ct. App. 1981). · cites it 2× “2 RCW 28B.50.851(3). We also conclude that the *652 board could deny Causey tenure because the 1979 contract reduction-in-force procedure was not the exclusive response available in the event of declining enrollment.”

Bowing v. Bd. of Trs. of Green River Cmty. Coll. Dist. No. X, 521 P.2d 220 (Wash. Ct. App. 1974). · cites it 3× “” RCW 28B.50.851. RCW 28B.50.852 requires the appointing authority (the Board of Trustees) to establish rules implementing the faculty tenure statutes.”

Eyre v. Big Bend Cmty. Coll., 672 P.2d 1270 (Wash. Ct. App. 1983). “) Also, the cases cited from other jurisdictions in support of the opinion above do not treat the precise question here present and so are not apposite.”

McLachlan v. Tacoma Cmty. Coll., 541 P.2d 1010 (Wash. Ct. App. 1975). “RCW 28B.50.851 (2), (3) and (4). As such, they were entitled to continuing evaluation by a review committee composed primarily of their faculty peers, RCW 28B.”

— Wash. Rev. Code § 28B.50.851(1) — 2 cases

Smith v. Greene, 545 P.2d 550 (Wash. 1976). “) RCW 28B.50.851 (3). Under the terms of his third 1-year contract with Community College District No.”

Barnes v. Washington State Cmty. Coll. Dist. No. 20, 529 P.2d 1102 (Wash. 1975). “868, as amended in 1970, does seem to fully provide for the extension of tenure to previously promoted faculty members, and in light of this it is difficult to see what, if anything, the amendment to RCW 28B.50.851 (2) was intended to add. RCW 28B.”

— Wash. Rev. Code § 28B.50.851(2) — 1 case

— Wash. Rev. Code § 28B.50.851(3) — 3 cases

Causey v. Bd. of Trs. of Cmty. Coll. Dist. V, 638 P.2d 98 (Wash. Ct. App. 1981). “2 RCW 28B.50.851(3). We also conclude that the *652 board could deny Causey tenure because the 1979 contract reduction-in-force procedure was not the exclusive response available in the event of declining enrollment.”

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