SBCTC NEWS LINKS | Articles about – and of interest to – Washington state community and technical colleges
SYSTEM NEWS | OPINIONS
Colleges & universities happy about state budget
Higher education in Washington state dodged a real financial bullet when the governor signed the recent budget deal from the state legislature. Operating a school with less money from the state is a tough task. At CBC [Columbia Basin College] the result has been reduction in classes and staff in the past. Not knowing what state lawmakers would decide this year, school administrator Curt Freed says they were prepared, "planning for up to $ 3.5 million dollars to be cut that would mean between now and July, cutting these funds and that's a pretty significant and challenging thing to do."
KNDU TV, April 12, 2012
http://www.kndu.com/story/17402861/colleges-?autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=6937385&autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=6937385
State clears way for Technical Skills Center in Walla Walla
The Washington state legislature approved an additional $10,350,000 today to fund the construction and equipment for the Southeast Area Technical Skills Center in Walla Walla. The legislature has funded a total of $11, 519,000 during the 2011-13 biennium for this project. This funding marks the final step needed to put the facility into operation in Walla Walla. "This skills center will provide us more options for students throughout the Walla Walla Valley and help us better coordinate programs with Walla Walla Community College," said Superintendent Mick Miller. "Thanks so much to Senator Mike Hewitt and Representatives Maureen Walsh and Terry Nealey for their support representing this project in Olympia."
KEPR 19, April 12, 2012
http://www.keprtv.com/news/local/State-clears-way-for-Technical-Skills-Center-in-Walla-Walla-147165405.html
New Skills Center coming to Walla Walla
There's no shortage of sawdust as students build things like tables and chairs at Walla Walla High School. More than 11 million dollars from the state will build a new technical skills center as a part of a joint effort between the school district and Walla Walla Community College.
KEPR 19, April 12, 2012
Video: http://www.keprtv.com/news/local/New-Skills-Center-coming-to-Walla-Walla-147255535.html
Seaquist: Stresses link between higher education, economy
… state Rep. Larry Seaquist, D-Gig Harbor, chair of the House Higher Education Committee, stressed the importance of obtaining a college degree to keep pace with today’s economy and high-technology manufacturing jobs that require skilled labor. … Unfortunately, according to Seaquist, the state’s higher education system — hit hard by the recession and subsequent anemic recovery — is leaving many people behind, resulting in long-term unemployment and a two-tiered economy. … The higher education system is maxed out, Seaquist said, pointing out that $1 billion has been cut from higher education since 2008 and “student loan numbers are through the roof.”
Peninsula Gateway, April 12, 2012
http://www.thenewstribune.com/2012/04/12/2105236/seaquist-stresses-link-between.html
Tacoma’s Marrow offers a sophisticated yin-yang menu of unusual meats and vegetarian fare that doesn’t read gimmicky
Jaime Kay Jones … opened Marrow in partnership with Kyle Wnuk, a Tacoma native and Seattle Central Community College culinary arts graduate. Wnuk has cooked in a number of Tacoma kitchens, including Il Fiasco years ago, the Dash Point Lobster Shop and Dirty Oscar’s Annex – the fun and young bar on Sixth.
The News Tribune.com, April 12, 2012
LCC tutors earn a spot on Gov. Gregoire's All-Academic Team
Lower Columbia College students Kathren Rintoul and Brett Merritt share an intense interest in how things work. … Their curiosity serves the pair well in their work at LCC’s Tutoring Center — and last month they were named to the governor’s All-Academic Team. Gov. Chris Gregoire presented medallions and $750 scholarships March 22 to Rintoul, Merritt and 64 other students from community and technical colleges …
Longview Daily News, April 12, 2012
http://tdn.com/news/local/lcc-tutors-earn-a-spot-on-governor-s-all-academic/article_e35ff29c-821d-11e1-b9bd-001a4bcf887a.html
Student on CBC board could inspire new crop of leaders
We're sympathetic to Columbia Basin College's President Rich Cummins' dilemma about a proposal to add a student to the school's board of trustees. We won't dwell on his quandary, but one of his concerns is that the short length of service student board members could offer would limit their effectiveness. He also expressed worries about the potential conflicts that might arise from having a student be the governor and governed. On the upside, Cummins recognizes that students are the very population the board serves and their input is valuable.
Tri-City Herald, April 13, 2012
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2012/04/13/1901975/student-on-cbc-board-could-inspire.html
Changes will make GED test harder, more expensive / Exam will be computer-based
Chelsie Hill hopes earning a GED diploma will bring her a step closer to achieving her goals … “I missed a lot of school,” said Hill, who took a portion of the General Educational Development test Wednesday at Spokane Falls Community College. “I passed most of my classes, but it just became overwhelming.” The test she took will look much different starting in 2014. Changes are coming for GED testing in Spokane and nationwide, drawing concerns from some college officials. … “It’s a lot different than a written test,” said Kyla Bates, GED chief examiner with the Institute for Extended Learning, part of Community Colleges of Spokane. “We’re encouraging people to get their GED before the change goes into effect if they’re concerned about that.”
The Spokesman Review, April 13, 2012
http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2012/apr/13/changes-in-store-for-ged-test/
Cantwell to visit Olympic College for launch of new aerospace training program
Up to 50 students will participate in new grant-funded program aimed at helping close the job skills gap. U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell will visit Olympic College on Friday afternoon to mark the launch of a new aerospace training program made possible by a grant she helped secure last fall. The training program is made possible by a $20 million Department of Labor grant that was awarded to Air Washington … a consortium of 11 community and technical colleges across the state, as well as several aerospace training organizations.
Kitsap Peninsula Business Journal, April 13, 2012
http://kpbj.com/business_daily/2012-04-13/cantwell_to_visit_olympic_college_for_launch_of_new_aerospace_training_pro
EDITORIAL: Seattle Community College is right to scrap protest restrictions
Seattle Times, April 13, 2012
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/editorials/2017969337_edit13communitycolleges.html
TRENDS| HORIZONS | EDUCATION
Do Price Controls Help Students?
Critics say recent attempts to charge more for high-demand community college courses hurt low-income students. But they're hurt more, Nate Johnson says, if the only classes open to them are at costlier private colleges.
Inside Higher Ed, April 13, 2012
Born This Way: The new weird science of hardwired political identity
As a general rule, the authors wrote, liberals are more open-minded in their pursuit of creativity, novelty, and diversity, whereas conservatives seek lives that are more orderly, conventional, and better organized. Rare midlife conversions aside, our parties are groups of two different kinds of people, they said, divided not by class or geography or education but by temperament. … UC-Berkeley developmental psychologists Jack and Jeanne Block tracked down just over 100 23-year-olds they had closely observed two decades earlier. … They found that even in nursery schools, liberals had been self-reliant and resilient, able to develop close relationships and willing to easily cast off routine. The conservatives had been distrustful of others and anxious when facing uncertainty, quick to take offense and experience guilt. The Blocks felt they had found that the origins of adult partisanship manifest at an age often defined by its innocence to the world of politics. If the Blocks’ sandbox profiling is right, it would mean that ideologies are not free-floating philosophies to which free agents can attach themselves but manifestations of deeply held personality traits. [Thanks to HDC Advance.]
The New Yorker Magazine, 8, 2012
http://nymag.com/print/?/news/features/liberals-conservatives-2012-4/
POLITICS | LOCAL, STATE, NATIONAL
Gregoire says session was the toughest in her time as governor
The Olympian, April 13, 2012
http://www.theolympian.com/2012/04/12/2067200/gregoire-says-past-session-her.html#storylink=cpy
FRIDAY LITE
Golf Boys ‘Oh Oh Oh’ or Rolling in the Deep Rough
Someone – who shall remain nameless, but it rhymes with Scary Scarnetiaux – double-dog dared me to include the PGA dudes’ viral video. Being Friday the 13th, I took the dare. Clicks add up to support charitable causes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PM2NocuEihw
Tuition In Tough Times
With the economic downturn hitting scholarship funds, how are students paying for college?
http://www.theonion.com/articles/tuition-in-tough-times,8615/
Compiled by the Washington State Board for Community & Technical Colleges
1300 Quince St SE | PO Box 42495 | Olympia, Washington 98504 | www.sbctc.edu
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Sherry Nelson | communications and outreach associate
Washington State Board for Community & Technical Colleges
1300 Quince St SE · PO Box 42495 · Olympia WA 98504-2495
slnelson@sbctc.edu | p (360) 704-4308 | f (360) 704-4415 | c (206) 369-6509
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