The legislature finds that the state has a vital interest in ensuring that higher education institutions are maintained in the state in sufficient numbers and located in such locations, as to be accessible to as many citizens as possible. Adequate educational opportunities are essential to the economic, intellectual, and social well-being of the state and its people. Washington’s independently-governed private nonprofit higher education institutions are a necessary part of the state’s higher educational resources. They provide educational diversity and choice for all residents of the communities in which they are located, communities which may not otherwise be served directly by a public baccalaureate-granting college or university.

The legislature further finds that some of the factors that contribute to educational costs are beyond the control of these higher education institutions and their governing boards. The factors include the need to modify facilities to render the facilities accessible to individuals with disabilities, the necessity of modernizing structures to keep them safe and efficient, and the demands of energy conservation and resource utilization. Many of these needs are associated with the public functions these institutions perform and the requirements of the state and federal governments. Compounding the problem is the fact that the cost of these renovations are borne entirely by the institutions.

Because these institutions serve an important public purpose addressing both the needs of individuals and the needs of the state, and because the performance of that public function can be facilitated at no expense or liability to the state, the legislature declares it to be the public policy of the state of Washington to enable the building, providing, and utilization of modern, well-equipped, efficient, and reasonably priced higher educational facilities, as well as the improvement, expansion, and modernization of such facilities, in a manner that will minimize the capital cost of construction, financing, and use of such facilities. The intention of this policy is to improve and ensure the quality and range of educational services available to the citizens of this state. The intent of the legislature is to accomplish these and related purposes, and this chapter shall be liberally construed in order to further these goals.