SBCTC NEWS LINKS | Articles about – and of interest to – Washington state community and technical colleges
SYSTEM NEWS | OPINIONS
Campuses step up efforts to welcome gays, lesbians
At Everett Community College in Washington, implementing a Safe Zone program emerged from one of the college's strategic initiatives: "To promote a positive and healthy climate by valuing diversity and through nurturing open communication, mutual respect and integrity." … "The intent is simply to make all students--most notably LGBT students--comfortable," said Darryl Dieter, ECC's director of institutional research and adviser for the Triangle Alliance, the college's LGBT student group.
Community College Times, May 19, 2011
Adult Education
The recession has encouraged many adults to go back to school. Is going back to school worth it? We hear from listeners about their experiences. Callers mention community colleges in general, WorkSource, Worker Retraining program, Olympic College, Shoreline CC, Seattle Community Colleges.
KUOW FM, The Conversation with Ross Reynolds, May 20, 2011
http://www.kuow.org/program.php?id=23475
Running Start students face tuition increase
Denise Graham speaks for the Washington State Board for Technical and Community Colleges, "Running start students would be paying about $315 a year for a full-time student in addition to the fees that they already pay, which are about $300 a year in parking, lab and course fees and administrative fees."
KUOW Public Radio, May 20, 2011
http://www.kuow.org/northwestnews.php?storyID=136513562
Running Start students might pay part of tuition costs
At Olympic College, the number of students in Running Start has grown steadily, said college spokeswoman Jennifer Hayes. Last year, 674 students took classes, and 705 have so far this year. But with that growth has come a growing gap of about $2,340 per full time student between how much it costs to educate Running Start students and how much the state allocates for them. In past sessions, colleges have asked the state for more money to cover the cost.
Kitsap Sun, May 20, 2011
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2011/may/20/running-start-students-might-pay-part-of-tuition/
Op ed: Help CBC retain students by investing in them
By Bob Rosselli, CEO of the Columbia Basin College Foundation. … The community college system alone has seen cuts of over $166 million over the past two years. The upcoming biennial budget will further reduce the community college share of higher education dollars by an additional $300 million. For CBC, this will amount to a little over a $6 million cut. Twenty years ago, higher education consumed 20 percent of the state budget, but today that figure has dropped to 10 percent. Should the proposed cuts in the current biennium be enacted, the higher education's portion of the budget will wither to 8 percent. Clearly, the burden for financing an education is shifting from the state to the private individual.
Tri-City Herald, May 20, 2011
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2011/05/19/1496013/help-cbc-retain-students-by-investing.html
Op-ed: We still need science teachers
By Mary Whitfield is a Chemistry instructor at Edmonds Community College. … While the program is formally a partnership with Edmonds Community College, prerequisites can be taken at any Washington community college with the remaining two years to be completed on the CWU-Lynnwood campus.
The Herald, May 20, 2011
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20110521/OPINION03/705219986/-1/OPINION
Clover Park Tech instructor wins award
Kelly Hollowell, computer network/information systems security instructor at Clover Park Technical College, has received the 2011 Excellence Award from the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development (NISOD) …
The News Tribune, May 21, 2011
Immigrant's once-uncertain future now in focus
When Jennylyn Aganda was a sophomore, she and her parents were facing deportation back to the Philippines. Jennylyn was 15, an aspiring dancer, honor student, varsity tennis player and cheerleader. … She studied criminal justice for a year at Yakima Valley Community College for a year before deciding to switch to nursing. ... she graduated from college, a member of Washington State University's Class of 2011, with a grade-point average of 3.54.
Yakima Herald-Republic, May 21, 2011
http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2011/05/21/immigrant-s-once-uncertain-future-now-in-focus
Labor: Training key to healthy workforce
But some Clark County companies can’t find the workers they want, even now, especially in electronics and other high-tech fields. The biggest weakness of the county’s work force is its lower levels of education . Census data show that 15.5 percent of Clark County’s adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree. That’s lower than the state (19.9 percent) and lower than the U.S. (17.6 percent). … John Marck, president of Sharp Microelectronics of the Americas in Camas, has said that Clark County’s low educational attainment, and not enough focus on science and technology, has forced him to look beyond the region to recruit new hires. … Columbia Vista spends $300,000 annually on training and education programs for its workers. … Through a partnership with Clark College, for example, it brings an instructor on site each year to walk workers through the principles of pneumatics, hydraulics and electricity.
The Columbian, May 22, 2011
http://www.columbian.com/news/2011/may/22/labor-training-key-healthy-workforce/
$50,000 donation fuels Peninsula College scholarship program — if challenge is met
A donation to United Way of Clallam County has sparked a $50,000 challenge to create a scholarship program for Peninsula College students in financial need.
If the Peninsula College Foundation raises $50,000 by Aug. 31, United Way will match the amount, said Jody Moss, United Way executive director.
Peninsula Daily, May 22, 2011
Is lack of home grown IT talent our own fault?
The whole immigration policy and immigrant "brain drain" controversy aside, there's the major issue of a shortage of home-grown talent … among the "Top 10" states for talent shortages are New Jersey, Texas, New York, Massachusetts, Illinois, Washington, Connecticut, Virginia and Washington, D.C. … Ed Lazowska, a longtime University of Washington computer science professor, has been railing about the lack of capacity at the UW, saying that program is oversubscribed by four to one. … Western Washington University’s computer science department has been notified that it might be on the chopping block amid budget cutting, and Eastern Washington University is evaluating its graduate program in computer science. … Lazowska’s seniors are being offered salaries straight out of college as high as $105,000. The emails he quotes in that piece will just blow you away at the opportunities these kids are offered, such as this: “I’m a senior who transferred to UW from Shoreline Community College. My employment history is zilch – a little retail, that’s it. Yet [top tech company] offered me a $30/hr internship just based on the fact that I’m in UW CSE.”
IT Business Edge, May 23, 2011
http://www.itbusinessedge.com/cm/blogs/hall/is-lack-of-home-grown-it-talent-our-own-fault/?cs=47079
Connell prisoner degree program on chopping block
… prison officials saw successes with the associate degree program, and they partnered with Walla Walla Community College to get a grant from [a] foundation is led by Doris Buffett, sister of billionaire Warren Buffett. … The Walla Walla program is expected to continue at least at a reduced level, and the Monroe Correctional Complex's associate degree program is entirely paid for by another private foundation grant. For now, Connell officials are waiting for the state Legislature to pass the new state budget so they can see how much money they will have for education -- including associate degrees, vocational training and GED programs.
The News Tribune, May 23, 2011
http://www.thenewstribune.com/2011/05/23/1676258/budget-cuts-threaten-associate.html#ixzz1NCzWZe4B
Aerospace center did what was promised: create jobs
Sue Ambler, director of the state's workforce development council, said the center was a good idea and that a statewide training effort was needed. And Mike Mires, the dean of instruction for Spokane Community College, was on hand to support the idea of a network of training facilities.
The Herald, May 23, 2011
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20110523/BIZ/705239943/1005
Bellevue College chief takes job at online school
In a surprise move, longtime Bellevue College President Jean Floten will become Washington chancellor of a private, nonprofit online school with a modest state enrollment but big plans.
Seattle Times, May 23, 2011
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2015123614_wgu23m.html
TRENDS| HORIZONS | EDUCATION
UW's Phyllis Wise Says Funding Model Must Change
KUOW FM, May 20, 2011
http://www.kuow.org/program.php?id=23457
Why would-be engineers end up as English majors
CNN, May 20, 2011
http://www.cnn.com/2011/US/05/17/education.stem.graduation/index.html?iref=NS1
POLITICS | LOCAL, STATE, NATIONAL
In Our View: Help for Students
Middle-income families would benefit from ‘Opportunity Scholarships’ … House Bill 2088, prime sponsored by state Rep. Tim Probst, D-Vancouver, is an excellent approach to increasing access to higher education in tough economic times.
The Columbian, May 20, 2011
http://www.columbian.com/news/2011/may/20/in-our-view-help-for-students/
Op-ed: Don't delay implementation of I-1029's home-care worker training requirements
Seattle Times, May 20, 2011
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2015108767_guest21rolf.html
Compiled by the Washington State Board for Community & Technical Colleges
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