News Links | July 1, 2014

SYSTEM NEWS | OPINIONS

New course can help vault students into college-level math About half of all students who graduate from Washington high schools and immediately enter community college require remedial math — usually called “developmental math”— before they can begin fulfilling their college-level math requirements. This fall, though, 11 school districts are piloting a new math class for high-school seniors who have struggled with the subject. Under an agreement with the state’s public colleges, students who get at least a B in the class, called “Bridge to College Mathematics,” will be admitted into college-level math, said Bill Moore, who is overseeing the project for the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges. The Seattle Times, June 30, 2014 Clark College introduces new technical program Clark College has introduced a new technical program while adjusting some existing programs to better meet the needs of local employers. Vancouver Business Journal, June 30, 2014 CPTC: Human Services Student Receives Volunteer Recognition Renee Glover is a helper. When the Human Services student at Clover Park Technical College started her internship at the Boys and Girls Club Lakewood Branch in March, she noticed only one staff member was provided for nearly 20 children in the tutoring room. Glover jumped in to help, and for three hours a day, five days a week she helps wherever she’s needed. The Suburban Times, June 30, 2014 YAY: Getting an education South Puget Sound Community College handed out more than 2,000 diplomas this spring, more than ever before in the school’s 51-year history. The increase results from more people seeking retraining after losing jobs during the recession and the high tuition costs of four-year universities that make community colleges look like a bargain. But whatever the reason, more people getting a higher education is good news for us all. Congrats, grads. The Bellingham Herald, June 30, 2014 Opinion: Cutting higher education money shortchanges students' futures This month, thousands of Washington high school seniors will stride across the stage and accept their diplomas. For those who are college-bound, the question is, “What are they walking into?” Lawmakers will answer that question in January when they reconvene to write the next two-year budget. The spending plan will influence everything from college tuition and course offerings, to academic advising and campus construction projects. Beth Willis, chair, Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges. Shaunta Hyde, vice chair, Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges. The Everett Herald, June 29, 2014   Letter: College clarification To the editor — The June 16 article, “What’s up with the high cost of college?” was excellent, especially the link between state budget cuts and higher tuition rates. However, we’d like to clarify that community and technical college classes are, indeed, rigorous. That’s why our transfer courses qualify for university credits and transfer students are accepted into competitive majors in sciences, math, engineering, computer science and business. Submitted by Marty Brown, executive director, State Board for Community and Technical Colleges. Yakima Herald, June 29, 2014 WCC grad: International student wants to make world contribution Honestly, I came to Whatcom Community College at first because the study abroad agency in my home country told me to. I had no idea about WCC or Bellingham. I was a city girl who had just graduated from high school in Jakarta, Indonesia. I was only 17 years old, but I knew I wanted to study abroad; I did not care where. The Bellingham Herald, June 28, 2014 South Whidbey students claim Skagit Valley College honors Ryan Foxworthy of Langley received the South Whidbey Center Academic Award from Skagit Valley College. South Whidbey Record, June 28, 2014 Opinion: When higher ed collaborates with business, students win Congratulations, you’ve graduated from college. Now what? For many students, that’s the question they find themselves struggling to answer soon after the strains of “Pomp and Circumstance” have died down. At Clark College in Vancouver, for example, the school works in collaboration with Insitu, the unmanned aerial vehicle company, to train workers in Southwest Washington. A recent grant funded by the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges enabled the school to work with Insitu to train 80 workers. ... In Moses Lake, educators at Big Bend Community College have partnered with high-tech companies to train workers for the region’s growing hub of data centers. ... Similar collaborations exist at South Seattle Community College, Shoreline Community College, Lake Washington Institute of Technology in Kirkland and schools throughout the state. Vancouver Business Journal, June 27, 2014 Clark College exploring new restaurant and fermentation science program Clark College is contemplating a new program that could help create thousands of new jobs in Clark County and capture millions of dollars of business annually that now escapes to Portland. Vancouver Business Journal, June 27, 2014 WCC grad: Veteran headed to university to take control of his life As an older, returning student and a U.S. veteran, I found the fresh start I needed at Whatcom Community College. As evidenced by my nombre, my parents are Mexican. We are a large family; I'm one of nine children. I am proud of my parents, who both dropped out of school, for moving to the United States for better jobs and a greater quality of life. My parents met in the states and did not stay together for very long. I was raised in the projects of Tacoma with my mother and two older brothers who dropped out of high school. The Bellingham Herald, June 27, 2014 College Awarded $25,000 for China Creek Enhancement The ongoing effort to enhance China Creek through the Centralia College campus received a boost this week when the college was awarded a $25,000 environmental grant. The Centralia Chronicle, June 27, 2014   Lake Washington Institute of Technology in Kirkland graduates more than 400 students The Lake Washington Institute of Technology in Kirkland announced this week that more than 400 students graduated in a variety of fields at the end of the spring quarter. Kirkland Reporter, June 27, 2014 Community's proud grads reach goals Given the opportunity, Vy Tran was determined to finish school. ... The Thailand-born teen, one of eight children raised by a single mother, overcame obstacles to graduate on time – with a diploma and an associate degree through the Running Start program at Green River Community College. Kent Reporter, June 26, 2014 Peninsula College students volunteer to offer diabetes guidance Peninsula College's second-year nursing students are volunteering to offer diabetes education information and screening. Peninsula Daily News, June 26, 2014 Walla Walla Community College keeps programs intact despite budget cuts In the end, the budget for the 2014-15 school year Walla Walla Community College’s Board of Trustees approved Wednesday contained no cuts to program offerings and didn’t place a limit on enrollment. Walla Walla Union-Bulletin, June 26, 2014 College 101 Introduces New Students to CPTC About 90 new students participated in Clover Park Technical College’s opening session of the College 101 course at the McGavick Student Center on the Lakewood campus June 20. The Suburban Times, June 26, 2014 Renton Technical to offer Bachelor's degrees next year Renton Technical College (RTC) will offer its first bachelor’s degree program option in winter 2015. Students will be able to earn a Bachelor of Applied Science degree in Application Development. Renton Reporter, June 24, 2014

TRENDS| HORIZONS | EDUCATION

Most Expensive Colleges The U.S. Department of Education on Monday released its rankings of the most and least expensive colleges in the country -- an annual ritual that some lawmakers are eyeing for elimination in the coming reauthorization of the Higher Education Act. Inside Higher Ed, July 1, 2014 When to Intervene Students, faculty members and administrators agree: If they came across a student spewing discriminatory slurs or physical threats on social media, the author should receive a warning or face some form of disciplinary action from his or her institution. But does that responsibility give colleges and universities the right to actively monitor students on social networks? No way, students say, according to a report that explores whether universities have a duty to involve themselves in online conversations to protect faculty, staff and students. Inside Higher Ed, July 1, 2014 How One University Helps Student-Aid Recipients Make Good Choices Even though student debt doesn’t seem to be a big problem for Duke students, the financial-aid staff—which includes eight counselors and a separate loan-office staff that also works with graduate students—does a number of things to help students make good financial decisions. The Chronicle of Higher Education, July 1, 2014 What 8 States Are Doing to Build Better Pathways From High School to Careers Eight states are tackling a growing disconnect between the nation’s education system and its economy by exposing more middle-school and high-school students to jobs, making education relevant to careers, and beefing up alternatives to the four-year college degree, according to a new report from the Pathways to Prosperity Network. The Chronicle of Higher Education, July 1, 2014 Corinthian Puts Heald College Up for Sale The fire sale has begun. Corinthian Colleges Inc. disclosed on Monday that it hoped to sell all 12 of its Heald College campuses as part of its agreement with the U.S. Department of Education to "teach out" some of the 107 colleges it owns in the United States and Canada, and sell the rest. It is required to detail its full intentions on Tuesday. The Chronicle of Higher Education, July 1, 2014 More Time for Corinthian (Note: A spokeswoman for the Education Department said Tuesday morning that the deadline remains in place and that the plan is due today.) The U.S. Department of Education apparently has revised its July 1 deadline to reach an agreement with Corinthian Colleges on a plan to sell or close the for-profit chain's 107 campuses and online programs. Inside Higher Ed, July 1, 2014 Hedging Bets A new report argues that Western universities should take a more strategic approach to using transnational, or cross-border, higher education as a way to hedge against anticipated declines in international students that may result from the continuing development of higher education capacity in Asia. Inside Higher Ed, July 1, 2014 New Research Points to Gaps in Student-Loan Counseling Each year a larger share of new graduates leave four-year colleges with student-loan debt, and the average balance of those who borrowed is higher, too. Student-loan default rates are on the rise. With those trends in motion, questions of how well students understand their debt have taken on new urgency. The Chronicle of Higher Education, June 30, 2014 Controlled Crash? The U.S. Department of Education has until tomorrow to reach an agreement with Corinthian Colleges on a plan to sell or shut down the for-profit chain’s 107 campuses. If they fail, the federal government could lose more than $1.2 billion in discharged student loans. Inside Higher Ed, June 30, 2014 High court vs. Legislature: Who will blink first in K-12 funding battle? The state Supreme Court and the Legislature will face off on school funding again this fall in what some see as a test of their respective constitutional power and political will. The Everett Herald, June 29, 2014 Time running out for McCleary family to benefit from their own case When his parents sued the state, Carter McCleary was a 7-year-old second grader. Today, he’s driving. His sister Kelsey was 13 and in seventh grade. Now, she’s halfway through college. One is running out of time to see much effect from the landmark case that bears his family’s name. The other missed out entirely. The News Tribune, June 27, 2014 Digital Feedback Many lower-income students wrestle with doubts about belonging in college -- particularly first-generation college students. Yet while experts say doling out positive reinforcement could improve graduation rates, systematic methods of giving students a pat on the back remain rare. Inside Higher Ed, June 27, 2014 What Is This Assessment Telling Me to Do? College-entrance examinations give students a score—bravo, kid, you got a 1400!—and not much else. But a new wave of low-stakes assessments offers them guidance. ... Mr. Markle, senior research and assessment adviser in ETS’s higher-education division, described the importance of ”noncognitive” attributes—such as a commitment to meeting goals—that predict success in college. He helped create SuccessNavigator, a new ETS product, to measure such qualities. The 30-minute online assessment was designed to help colleges advise students, especially those likely to struggle and drop out. The Chronicle of Higher Education, June 27, 2014 Officials tout STEM education to Tri-City business leaders More people, especially women and the economically disadvantaged, need to be inspired to pursue science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM, careers, a state business advocate told Tri-City business leaders Wednesday. The Tri-City Herald, June 25, 2014 A Smart Way to Skip College in Pursuit of a Job Could an online degree earned in six to 12 months bring a revolution to higher education? This week, AT&T and Udacity, the online education company founded by the Stanford professor and former Google engineering whiz Sebastian Thrun, announced something meant to be very small: the “NanoDegree.” The New York Times, June 17, 2014

POLITICS | LOCAL, STATE, NATIONAL

Student-Aid Leaders Call for Alternatives to Obama’s College-Rating System The departing chair of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators offered his alternative on Monday to President Obama’s forthcoming college-rating system, calling for a system based on "social responsibility." The Chronicle of Higher Education, July 1, 2014 Let’s Shrink the Fafsa, Senator Tells Financial-Aid Officers Sen. Lamar Alexander defended his plan to scrap the Free Application for Federal Student Aid before a skeptical crowd of financial-aid administrators on Monday, telling them that the lengthy form is beyond repair. The Chronicle of Higher Education, July 1, 2014 Editorial: No simple answers for state budget It’s early, but the preliminary sparring over Washington’s budget already is underway.Gov. Jay Inslee has directed state agencies to work up budgets that reflect 15 percent spending cuts, notably excepting big expenditures such as K-12 education, debt service, pensions and Medicaid, which is hands-off as far as the federal government is concerned. Still in play are higher education and corrections, to name two. The Spokesman-Review, June 28, 2014 House Republicans Announce Three Higher Ed Act Bills House Republicans on Thursday released a package of three bills that kick off their step-by-step approach to rewriting the Higher Education Act. Inside Higher Ed, June 27, 2014 Proposals by House Republicans Seek to Ease College-Application Process The U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Education and the Workforce announced on Thursday a series of bills intended to reform the college-application process. Outlined in a news release, the proposals tackle the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, the availability of college metrics to families, and students’ financial literacy. The Chronicle of Higher Education, June 27, 2014 Senate Democrats Urge U.S. to Block New Enrollments at Corinthian Twelve Senate Democrats on Thursday urged the Education Department to stop Corinthian Colleges Inc., the for-profit educator that recently said it would sell or close its campuses amid a financial crisis, from enrolling new students. The Chronicle of Higher Education, June 26, 2014 Senate Votes, 95 to 3, in Favor of Job-Training Legislation The U.S. Senate passed the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, which would streamline federal job-training programs, by a vote of 95 to 3 on Wednesday. The bill now moves to the House of Representatives. The Chronicle of Higher Education, June 25, 2014 Guest: Fightin’ words from the state Supreme Court on education At the League of Education Voters, we support an ample, equitable, stable education funding plan. While we supported the re-definition of “basic education” developed in 2009 (it includes smaller class size, full-day kindergarten, transportation, materials and supplies) upon which McCleary is based, we advocated that the definition should also include early learning and higher education. The Seattle Times, June 19, 2014