SBCTC NEWS LINKS | Articles about – and of interest to – Washington state community and technical colleges
SYSTEM NEWS | OPINIONS
OC Poulsbo campus darkened by squirrel
A squirrel venturing too close to Puget Sound Energy equipment sparked a power outage that caused the cancellation of classes at Olympic College's Poulsbo campus Friday [the 13th] morning.
Kitsap Sun, May 13, 2011
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2011/may/13/oc-campus-darkened-squirrel/
Yakima Native's Story Turned into Will Ferrell Film
Carver attended Davis High School and Yakima Valley Community College in the 1950's before moving to Port Angeles. … YVCC instructor Herb Blisard teaches an entire course on Carver, and says the author had worldly appeal.
KAPP TV, May 12, 2011
http://www.kapptv.com/article/2011/may/12/yakima-natives-story-turned-will-ferrell-film/
Governor signs bill to bring WSU to Everett
Washington State University is coming to Everett with hopes of offering its first class in the fall of 2012. WSU President Elson Floyd made the pronouncement Thursday moments after Gov. Chris Gregoire signed a new law giving the research university a path to a permanent presence in the city.
The Herald, May 13, 2011 (Everett CC)
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20110513/NEWS01/705139898
Study shows value of Everett Community College to area
Everett Community College contributes $301.8 million to the local economy each year through added alumni earnings and operations, officials said.
Everett Herald, May 14, 2011
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20110514/BIZ/703269963/1005
Job prospects better (a little) for college graduates
New grads are still facing stiff competition from their own peers, last year's grads and grads from earlier classes," she said. "Entry-level hiring has not returned to pre-recession levels." The good news is that more jobs are being advertised and there is an increase in job recruitment, Johnson said, as evidenced by a career fair Wednesday at Yakima Valley Community College.
Yakima Herald, May 15, 2011
http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2011/05/15/job-prospects-better-a-little-for-college-graduates
University plan will expand access to four-year degrees
Op-ed by Sens. Haugen and Harper. Senate Bill 5636, freshly signed into law by Gov. Gregoire, will make is possible for Washington State University to manage the University Center at Everett Community College and, at long last, open the door for the establishment of a four-year university presence in Snohomish County.
Everett Herald, May 15, 2011
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20110515/OPINION03/705159980/-1/OPINION
Running Start students may have to pay percentage of tuition
For the first time next fall, high school students in the Running Start program at Yakima Valley Community College [and others] may start paying up to 10 percent of their tuition. The state House passed a bill last week that allows for the charge. But before it's enacted, legislators and Gov. Chris Gregoire must reconcile their budgets, and the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges must vote on whether and how much to charge the students.
Yakima Herald, May 15, 2011
Whatcom Community College to host pilot program for veterans this fall
Whatcom Community College is wanting to make sure military veterans feel welcome and have the resources available to them to succeed in the academic world. Starting this fall, the college will be one of two pilot sites in the country for the Edge4Vets Program, designed to help veterans transition from the military to civilian life by identifying their skills and strengths and providing social support.
Bellingham Herald, May 16, 2011
YVCC faculty, staff agree to pay cut to save jobs, programs
To save jobs and programs, the faculty and classified unions at Yakima Valley Community College have agreed to a two-year, 3 percent pay cut. YVCC is the only member of the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges to have reached such an agreement, said John Boesenberg, human resource director for the Olympia-based organization. The group represents 34 schools. "They are protecting educational options for our students," President Linda Kaminski said. "This is a very unselfish thing they did."
Yakima Herald, May 17, 2011
Kennewick woman follows father’s footsteps with auto repair shop
As a little girl Jennifer Bayless would listen to her dad and brother talk about cars, yearning to speak that special language that most girls don’t even care about. Now, Bayless, 32, is fluent in car talk. When she graduated from Kamiakin High School in 1997, she broke the news to him that she wanted to start the automotive program at Columbia Basin College.
Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business, May 2011
http://www.tricitiesbusinessnews.com/2011/05/kennewick-woman-follows-father%e2%80%99s-footsteps-with-auto-repair-shop/
USA Funds Awards $2.5 Million in Higher Education Grants
USA Funds, a nonprofit organization that helps American families benefit from postsecondary education, has awarded the South Puget Sound Community College Foundation $31,500 in funding for scholarships for the All Washington Academic Team members. (Note: This is not new funding. The Northwest Educational Loan Association, long-time All Washington Academic Team supporter, used a new, online grant application format this year. This award is the channel through which NELA’s commitment has been renewed for the coming year. USA Funds and NELA are parts of the same parent organization.)
PRNewsWire, May 17, 2011
Bates celebrates graduates at commencement ceremony
The Suburban Times, May 17, 2011
CBC students, Pasco Wrecking fix veteran's car
Two students at Columbia Basin College's automotive program have spent a lot of time on a Chevrolet Caprice belonging to Sanchez, who's been deployed in Iraq. The soldier didn't know if he'd have a useable car on his return until a couple of weeks ago.
Tri-City Herald, May 17, 2011
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2011/05/17/1492869/cbc-students-pasco-wrecking-fix.html
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2011/05/16/1492206_a1492194/gallery-fixing-soldiers-car.html
Governor steers $3 million to train 500 in state for aerospace jobs
Roughly $700,000 will go to the aerospace training and research centers in Everett, Renton and Spokane to be used for tuition and fees and labs. About 135 students will be trained with that $700,000. … "Our shared success depends on having skilled and talented people ready to step in and build not only the world's leading jetliners, but also a future that will make us all proud," [Boeing’s Ray] Conner said. "These investments will fund training opportunities and allow for better alignment between business, our community and technical colleges."
The Herald, May 18, 2011
http://heraldnet.com/article/20110517/BIZ/705179841/1005
TRAC's solar power plans a potential win for county
Franklin County is looking at two proposals, one that would provide solar-heated water and another that would generate electricity. A great partnership could be formed by using either project as a lab for students in the new solar certification program at Columbia Basin College. We've read about these students in action and, once again, CBC impresses us by continuing to provide diverse educational opportunities in tough economic times.
Tri-City Herald, May 18, 2011
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2011/05/18/1494082/tracs-solar-power-plans-a-potential.html
Local View: Tuition burden for students steadily grows
CBC students, Pasco Wrecking fix veteran's car
Chelsea Schulz and Carlos Edwards, both first-year automotive technology students at Columbia Basin College, have volunteered to get the 1980's Chevrolet Caprice up and running again for Chris Sanchez of West Richland, an Army specialist who recently finished a deployment in Iraq. Sanchez bought the car, which ended having a lot of problems
Tri City Herald, May 17, 2011
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2011/05/17/1492869/cbc-students-pasco-wrecking-fix.html
Boeing to add 600 workers in Renton this year
Governor Chris Gregoire announced a new training initiative to put people to work and get Boeing more skilled workers as it expands. The governor is directing $3 million in discretionary federal job training funds that she has control over. Some of that is going to Renton Technical College for establishment of a training program for assemblers. Other colleges will also be getting some of that money, the focus being on the unemployed, low-income adults and returning veterans.
KING 5 News, May 17, 2011 (See video link with Steve Hanson, Renton TC president, and students)
http://www.king5.com/news/business/Times--122004644.html
Skagit Valley College students protest loss at Whidbey Campus
Various student government members and leaders banded together and approached the board with their concerns over the recent cut of the student activity adviser position in next year’s budget. With a budget gap projected at just over $5.5 million, the Whidbey Island campus is set to see the loss of 11 staff members and reduced time for others in the 2011-2012 school year.
Whidbey News Times, May 18, 2011
http://www.pnwlocalnews.com/whidbey/wnt/news/122064013.html
TRENDS| HORIZONS | EDUCATION
For-Profit Colleges: Targeting People Who Can’t Pay
NPR, May 12, 2011
http://www.npr.org/2011/05/12/136238528/for-profit-colleges-targeting-people-who-cant-pay
Audio: http://www.npr.org/player/v2/mediaPlayer.html?action=1&t=1&islist=false&id=136238528&m=136238669
College Presidents Are Too Complacent
The Chronicle of Higher Education, May 15, 2011
http://chronicle.com/article/College-Presidents-Are-Too/127529
Op-Ed Contributor: Major Delusions
Why are college grads irrationally optimistic about the future
New York Times, May 15, 2011
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/15/opinion/15Sharot.html?_r=1&emc=eta1
Op-Ed Contributors: Your So-Called Education
New research questions how much you really learn in college.
New York Times, May 15, 2011
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/15/opinion/15arum.html?emc=eta1
Chronicle: The Quiet Revolution in Open Learning
"Then, the Education and Labor Departments decided to do something highly uncharacteristic of large federal bureaucracies: They began to talk. To one another. Constructively. What they devised could change higher education for huge numbers of students, many of whom will never attend a community college at all. … The concept is simple: Community colleges that compete for federal money to serve students online will be obliged to make those materials—videos, text, assessments, curricula, diagnostic tools, and more—available to everyone in the world, free, under a Creative Commons license. The materials will become, to use the common term, open educational resources, or OER's."
The Chronicle of Higher Education, May 15, 2011
http://chronicle.com/article/The-Quiet-Revolution-in-Open/127545/
Older unemployed workers suffer acutely
The News Tribune, May 16, 2011
http://www.thenewstribune.com/2011/05/15/1666167/older-unemployed-workers-suffer.html
In the Market for Transfers
Dickinson hopes partnership with community colleges will attract applicants when number of high school graduates in region dips. First, the college has to make the newcomers feel welcome.
Inside Higher Ed, May 17, 2011
Op-ed: Will Washington's public college students pay more tuition for less quality?
Guest columnist Brendan Williams reflects on the roots of the Washington Legislature's plan to let public colleges and universities set their own tuition rates. He says he's skeptical that this will be an opportunity for higher education improvement rather than an opportunity to pay more and get less.
Seattle Times, May 17, 2011
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2015071516_guest17williams.html
POLITICS | LOCAL, STATE, NATIONAL
State preps for July shutdown as budget talks stall
Top officials in Washington state started preparing Monday for a potential government shutdown in July as lawmakers stalled in their bid to reach a budget compromise.
Seattle Times, May 17, 2011
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2015071888_specialsession17.html
Bill eases training requirements for veterans
Gov. Chris Gregoire signed into law Monday a bill that says military veterans who seek civilian employment will not have to repeat training in areas where they are already experienced. The law calls for developing a process to evaluate training for educational credit or professional licensing requirements for cosmetologists, barbers, manicurists, engineers, land surveyors, security guards and people in a wide range of health professions.
Kitsap Sun, May 17, 2011
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2011/may/17/bill-eases-training-requirements-for-veterans/
Compiled by the Washington State Board for Community & Technical Colleges
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