News Links | September 23, 2014

SYSTEM NEWS | OPINIONS

Clark College, WSUV students feel textbook sticker shock Textbook costs vary greatly, depending on the educational field. Nursing 110 requires students to buy 11 books, costing about $800 combined. However, students use those books throughout their program and in their careers. The Clark College bookstore introduced the option to rent textbooks in 2008. For the last two years, textbook rentals have made up 15 percent of textbook transactions, said Monica Knowles, bookstore manager. ... Beginning in January, Clark College will be one of 13 community colleges in Washington piloting an online business transfer degree that uses no traditional textbooks, but favors all open resource materials instead, said Connie Broughton of the Washington State Board of Community & Technical Colleges. The Columbian, September 22, 2014 Season change ushers in fall classes at Clark College With leaden skies and cooler temperatures, autumn arrived in Clark County on Monday. It also was the first day of fall quarter at Clark College. By 9 a.m., parking lots were packed, but lines were abnormally short at the bookstore advising office and even the financial aid office in Gaiser Hall. The Columbian, September 22, 2014 Highline College earns national diversity award Highline College received the 2014 Higher Education Excellence in Diversity Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine, the oldest and largest diversity-focused publication in higher education. Federal Way Mirror, September 22, 2014 LWTech trustees award $500 gift to outstanding, inspirational student The story of a recent Lake Washington Institute of Technology (LWTech) graduate was so compelling, the LWTech Board of Trustees moved to create a new award associated with the statewide Transforming Lives Award. Kirkland Reporter, September 21, 2014 Legal pot still banned on Bellingham’s college campuses The first recreational marijuana stores in Bellingham opened with long lines and much fanfare this July, but college officials say legal marijuana hasn’t had much effect on local campuses. As Western Washington University begins classes on Wednesday, Sept. 24, the city already has four recreational pot stores — more than Seattle — and another just opened in Maple Falls. Despite its widespread availability — at retail stores, medical marijuana outlets and on the black market — marijuana remains banned at WWU, Whatcom Community College and Bellingham Technical College. The Bellingham Herald, September 21, 2014 New program puts adults on path to high school diploma Yakima Valley Community College’s Adult Basic Education program is the road back to school for adults and out-of-school young people. This year, the college is launching an adult high school diploma program that will be offered to students in the adult education learning centers, including Ellensburg, allowing students to use their high school credits and on-the-job experience toward a high school diploma. Daily Record, September 20, 2014 Expanded FAA certificate authority at Big Bend Big Bend Community College's aviation program will be one of two in the Pacific Northwest authorized to award Restricted Airline Transport Pilot (R-ATP) certificates to graduates. The Federal Aviation Administration gave final approval for the change in August, Big Bend spokesperson Doug Sly said. Columbia Basin Herald, September 18, 2014 CPTC: Student finds second chance Frances Jordan can’t say where she’ll be in five years, but she knows where she’ll be when Fall Quarter starts Sept. 22. “I’m going to be in class.” Jordan finished her first quarter in the Health Unit Coordinator Program at Clover Park Technical College this summer, putting her one step closer to her goal of working in a medical setting. The Suburban Times, September 18, 2014 Life in China Creek China Creek has changed a lot since people moved into Centralia, and that is likely to continue. What was once thought of as a drainage ditch to purge the city of water during heavy rains has been getting treated much more holistically. “Now people are much more interested in urban creeks and urban wild spaces,” said Centralia College associate professor Dr. Stephen Norton. Before the college and the Centralia Stream Team took the initiative to revitalize the creek, anyone who walked by could see it was in rough shape in a lot of places. Since the creation of the Kiser Natural Outdoor Learning Lab, things have really started to change. The Centralia Chronicle, September 16, 2014 Pierce College: helping veteran students succeed For many veterans, transitioning into civilian life can be a daunting experience, and navigating the benefits and services available to them can seem downright impossible. For those pursuing an education, managing classes, work and family life only adds to the pressure and challenge of leaving the structure of the military. At Pierce College Puyallup, veterans can lean on Marty Jonquiere, who has made it his mission to help veteran students obtain the services and resources they need to be successful. As a retired Air Force and Air Force Reserves member, Jonquiere understands the struggles veteran students go through. The Suburban Times, September 15, 2014 Pierce College Foundation Provides Scholarship Opportunities for Students In the past academic year alone, the Pierce College Foundation has distributed more than $160,000 in scholarships to students who need it most, and a new round of awards will be available soon. Starting Aug. 28, students can begin applying for scholarship funds by completing a profile on the WashBoard.org. South Sound Talk, August 19, 2014

TRENDS| HORIZONS | EDUCATION

Where Does the LMS Go From Here? Faculty members and students want their future learning management systems to be customizable and full of features, but a new study finds they still use the systems’ basic functions most often. Inside Higher Ed, September 23, 2014 Wage Data Done Right Measuring the job-market returns of college credentials is complex work, according to researchers who gathered here this week for a meeting on higher education data. That makes it challenging, or even risky, for policy makers to use those metrics to hold colleges accountable. One reason is that earnings data could penalize institutions with a heavy focus on the liberal arts, teacher training or other relatively low-wage fields. Colleges might also shy away from enrolling students who are from lower-income backgrounds and less academically prepared. Inside Higher Ed, September 19, 2014 Following in a Sibling's Footsteps The college enrollment decisions of older siblings could be an important cue to whether and where their younger siblings attend college, according to a new study by researchers from Harvard University and the College Board. Ultimately, the research aims to determine the power of peers’ decisions on college enrollment, and siblings are the easiest peers to identify in available data. Inside Higher Ed, September 19, 2014 Predicting Where Students Go A trio of senior college enrollment officials gave a peek into how they decide which students to recruit. The process now involves number-crunching students’ demographic and economic information — not just sending chipper ambassadors to every nearby high school, mailing glossy books to students’ homes and relying on gut instincts. Inside Higher Ed, September 19, 2014 In Our View: Let The Buyer Beware While studies have shown that a college education is more important than ever for providing long-term financial security, the plight of students at Corinthian Colleges serves as a warning shot to consumers, as a lesson that you don't always get what you pay for, and as a reminder of caveat emptor — let the buyer beware. The Columbian, September 19, 2014 Uncluttering the Pathway to the Diploma Community-college students who register for their college-level classes before the term begins are 11 times more likely to persist into their second year, while students whose instructors enforce strict attendance policies are nearly three times as likely to complete remedial-mathematics courses. Those are two examples of the "low-hanging fruit" ripe for picking by colleges that are struggling to graduate more students, according to a report released on Thursday by the Center for Community College Student Engagement at the University of Texas here. The Chronicle of Higher Education. September 18, 2014

POLITICS | LOCAL, STATE, NATIONAL

Student Advocacy Group Calls for Changes to Work-Study The Federal Work-Study Program needs to be revamped to help serve more low-income students, says a report released Monday by Young Invincibles, a student advocacy group. Inside Higher Ed, September 23, 2014 What would 15% cut mean for state’s colleges? Double-digit tuition increases. Class cuts that would make it harder to finish a degree in four years. Enrollment cutbacks that would make it more difficult to get admitted to a state university. Washington’s public college and university presidents, warning that a hypothetical 15 percent cut to higher education would be devastating to public colleges and universities, are in a standoff with the state Office of Financial Management (OFM) over fiscal planning for the next two years. The Seattle Times. September 22, 2014 What You Need to Know About Monday’s Student-Loan Default Rates The U.S. Department of Education is scheduled to release today its annual cohort default rates, which describe what percentage of college graduates are defaulting on their student loans. Here’s what you need to know. The Chronicle of Higher Education, September 22, 2014 'It's On Us' The White House launched a major public awareness campaign about campus sexual assault on Friday -- the aim of which, President Obama said, is no less than to "fundamentally shift" how the country thinks about campus sexual assault. Inside Higher Ed, September 22, 2014 'This Week' Podcast: 'Undermining Pell' Grants / Digital Accessibility for Disabled Students "This Week," Inside Higher Ed's weekly news podcast, this week featured a discussion between the New America Foundation's Stephen Burd, Editor Doug Lederman and the moderator Casey Green about the foundation's new report assessing how successfully (or not) colleges are using their Pell Grant funds to enroll low-income students. And in our other segment, Kyle Shachmut of the National Federation of the Blind's Massachusetts chapter argued for legislation designed to ensure that colleges make digital educational materials accessible to students with disabilities. Inside Higher Ed, September 22, 2014 Fight Over Digital Accessibility Advocates for students with disabilities and groups representing colleges and universities are sparring over federal legislation that would set new standards for accessible technology on campuses. Inside Higher Ed, September 19, 2014 Education Dept. Imposes Financial Restrictions on ITT The U.S. Education Department has placed financial restrictions on ITT Educational Services Inc., citing the company’s failure to submit financial statements by a mandatory deadline. The for-profit education provider disclosed in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Thursday that the department had put it on “heightened cash monitoring” status, which restricts how it can receive student-aid funds. ITT warned investors in July that it might face financial restrictions over its failure to turn in a series of financial statements and audits from last year by a June 30 deadline. The Chronicle of Higher Education, September 19, 2014