Tuesday, November 18, 2014

News Links | November 18, 2014

SYSTEM NEWS | OPINIONS

In a year, state’s colleges see 11% rise in students from abroad
The number of international students studying in Washington state colleges and universities has increased by 11 percent in a year, while the number of U.S. students studying overseas has dropped. ... The three next most-popular campuses for international students are all community colleges: Seattle Central College (which dropped the “community” from its name earlier this year) with 1,952 students; Green River Community College in Auburn with 1,619, and Edmonds Community College with 1,393.
The Seattle Times, Nov. 17, 2014

Student storytellers emphasize persistence, importance of mentors and role models
“I’m learning how to learn,” said DesChamps, who earned her GED and studied at North Seattle College before arriving at UW. On Saturday, DesChamps was one of five local college students [included was David Alvarez, a former student at Seattle Central College, and Lucas Nydam, student at Whatcom Community College] who shared their stories before a crowd of high school and college students at “How I Got Into College,” a storytelling event presented by Education Lab and the University of Washington Dream Project.
The Seattle Times, Nov. 16, 2014

CPTC: November’s Unsung Hero
Cindy Overton is a firm believer that online learning is the way of the future, and the eLearning Support Specialist is a big reason Clover Park Technical College keeps up with the growing trend. “I’m all over it,” Overton said. Overton was selected the Unsung Hero for the month of November because of her dedication to increasing student success and educational access.
The Suburban Times, Nov. 17, 2014

Guest editorial: All our students deserve equal education access
Editorial by Maria D. Cuevas, is a sociology and Chicano studies instructor at Yakima Valley Community College, and Joy Howard, Joy Howard is affiliate faculty at the Center for Intercultural Learning and Teaching at Heritage University. The year 2014 marks the 60th anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education. On Wednesday we will join Humanities Washington, the state’s flagship humanities organization, for a conversation about education and invite you to join us. Since 1954, students across our state have experienced promising strides toward educational equality. Nevertheless, the dream of achieving, accessing and attaining equitable education remains elusive for many, particularly students of color.
Yakima Herald-Republic, Nov. 16, 2014

Appetite for history: Instructor makes food a centerpiece of SFCC course
While many instructors teach history through themes like social justice, military maneuvers or economics, Monica Stenzel uses a different – and perhaps more relatable – lens. She teaches history through food. And her choice ingredients – chocolate, coffee, booze – seem to really resonate with students, many of whom take her class simply because it’s a requirement at Spokane Falls Community College. “History,” Stenzel said, “should never be dull.”
The Spokesman-Review, Nov. 16, 2014

Tri-City schools building food pantries to help students in need
The families who show up on Friday afternoons seeking food at Kennewick schools and its district offices are out of options. Other volunteer-run food banks in town are closed before noon, said Jack Anderson, the district’s director of federal programs. Even if they were still open, most families lack the money needed to drive a car or take a bus to pick up a box. ... “We want to help our community,” said Ethan Flatau, service and activities board officer with the Associated Students of Columbia Basin College.
Tri-City Herald, Nov. 16, 2014

Truck drivers in short supply
A lack of interest in the profession, coupled with new industry regulations that have made hiring difficult, has resulted in a shortage of truck drivers across the nation and in Grays Harbor. ... Mike Kelly, dean of workforce education at Grays Harbor College, said most of the drivers he sees come through the College’s CDL program are in their 30s or 40s.
Bellingham Herald, Nov. 16, 2014

Tri-Cities Wine Festival announces top Northwest wines
Judges picked a Riesling by Woodinville’s Ancestry Cellars as the top wine out of more than 350 submitted to the 36th annual Tri-Cities Wine Festival. ... The college wines also performed well in the competition, racking up some gold medals and quite a few silver ones, Roth said. The students that competed were from Walla Walla Community College’s College Cellars, Yakima Valley Vintners from Yakima Valley Community College and Northwest Wine Academy from South Seattle College. Judges first tasted and ranked the college wines without knowing they were made by students, Littlefield said. A couple of them were just as good as many of the other wines submitted to the competition.
Tri-City Herald, Nov. 15, 2014

Editorial: Community colleges buoy our education goals
Budget writers for the Washington state Legislature face an extraordinary challenge this year. For the 2015-2017 budget, they must address a number of expensive court-ordered mandates, including the behemoth McCleary decision, which requires fully funding basic education. While McCleary points to a specific constitutional obligation to K-12 schools, budget writers must be cognizant of what comes before K and after 12. Early childhood education prepares children to learn, which leads to higher high school graduation rates. But a high school diploma is only a starting point. By 2016, about three-fourths of available jobs in Washington will require at least some type of postsecondary credential. ... That’s why the Legislature must increase funding for higher education in the 2015-2017 budget. The State Board for Community and Technical Colleges is seeking $176 million in additional funding, in large part to address basic education– that is, classes to help people earn high school diplomas.
The Olympian, Nov. 14, 2014

Many veterans don't apply military skills to civilian jobs, study finds
As the economy continues to add thousands of jobs, many men and women in uniform are finding better employment chances once they get out of the military, even if many of those jobs do not use their military skills. A study conducted by the University of Phoenix and Harris Poll shows that while post-service unemployment rates are declining for veterans, more than half — 61 percent — of employed veterans report that they are or were in jobs beneath their skill sets. Of those, 72 percent said that they accepted such positions because they were unemployed and needed the work. ... Many groups across the country offer specialized programs to connect veterans with employers. At Bellevue College, “Project Success” was a program to partner veterans transitioning from active duty with employment services and recruiting directors for employers such as Boeing, Amazon and IBM.
Issaquah Reporter, Nov. 14, 2014

Everett honors artists who’ve made a difference
The Everett Cultural Arts Commission's 2014 recipients of the Mayor's Arts Awards and the Richard Wendt Award of Excellence will be honored Wednesday. ... The coveted Wendt Award of Excellence winner is former Everett Community College art instructor Russell Day, now 101. The Wendt is given annually to a person who has demonstrated support of the arts throughout his or her life. Day, who influenced such artists as Dale Chihuly and Chuck Close, certainly deserves this lifetime achievement award.
Everett Herald, Nov. 14, 2014

High School 21+ program at YVCC offers a fresh start
Beginning in January, Yakima Valley Community College will offer students 21 and older another option to obtain their high school diploma. Under its new High School 21+ program, individuals can apply previously earned high school credit toward their diploma, then finish the rest of the credits by taking classes at one of the YVCC campuses or learning centers.
Yakima Herald, Nov. 14, 2014

YVCC trustees to weigh increasing tuition discount for student athletes
Yakima Valley Community College may offer even cheaper tuition to student athletes as a means of being more competitive.
KIMA TV, Nov. 14, 2014

Port composite recycling tech center featured on TV program
The Port’s composite initiative, the Composite Recycling Technology Center, was a topic on TVW’s Inside Olympia program that debuted Thursday night. Half of the program features the Port’s Director of Business Development, Jennifer States and Mary Kaye Bredeson, the Executive Director of The Center of Excellence for Aerospace and Advanced Manufacturing [Everett Community College]. ... The Composite Recycling Technology Center is a joint project of the Port of Port Angeles, the City of Port Angeles, Clallam County and Peninsula College.
KONP, Nov. 14, 2014

Green River's court reporting program receives Realtime grant
The U.S. Department of Education recently awarded a five-year grant of nearly $550,000 to the Green River Community College court reporting program, the National Court Reporters Association (NCRA) announced today. The funding is part of the Training for Realtime Writers grants under the Higher Education Act passed by Congress in 2009.
The Auburn Reporter, Nov. 13, 2014

Celebrating veterans at Pierce College
The Pierce College community gathered on both campuses in honor of Veterans Day, sharing stories about the service members in their lives and listening to the experiences of several of our own who have served in the past.
The Suburban Times, Nov. 13, 2014

CPTC celebrates veterans
The Clover Park Technical College community gathered for the annual Veterans Day Ceremony at the McGavick Event Center Nov. 13. Hosted by CPTC’s Associated Student Government, the ceremony included several local ties with student, staff and faculty veterans.
The Suburban Times, Nov. 13, 2014

Pierce College welcomes new dean
After only a month into her position as the new dean of business and social sciences, Dr. Sachi Horback already has big plans for her time at Pierce College.  With a background in cross cultural studies, the licensed clinical psychologist always maintained an interest in teaching, and hopes her leadership role at Pierce will allow her to collaborate with all areas of the college to improve student learning. ... Most recently, prior to taking on her role at Pierce, Horback held a mixed admin/faculty role at South Puget Sound Community College. She not only taught psychology, but also worked as an eLearning specialist and consultant for outcomes assessment and professional development.
The Suburban Times, Nov. 13, 2014

CPTC: Teaching excellence, encouraging creativity
Loreta Sandoval has taught ever since she graduated from college in the Philippines in 1978. As a military spouse she traveled and moved often, and at each duty station Sandoval taught soldiers. Teaching became her passion. Sandoval first taught at Clover Park Technical College in 1992 as an Adult Basic Education instructor before her husband received orders to Fort Polk, Louisiana less than a year later. Sandoval returned to CPTC in 1996, where she has been ever since.
The Suburban Times, Nov. 13, 2014

The Journey of a Musical – The World Premiere of “Back in the World” at the Bishop Center
Alex Eddy is a Grays Harbor College graduate and former student of Lynne Lerych. He took her playwriting class and along the course of his education, fell in love with writing musicals. ... When Alex and Lynne decided to collaborate and come up with a musical, Lynne brought forth her old drafts for him to preview. ... “Back in the World” is the first full scale musical that Lynne and Alex have created.
Grays Harbor Talk, Nov. 7, 2014

TRENDS| HORIZONS | EDUCATION

Debt-averse teens
Students born in the mid-1990s or later are overwhelmingly in favor of going to college, but they’re not too keen on taking out loans to pay for it, a new poll found. More than 80 percent of the survey's participants – whom the researchers refer to as “Generation Z” – said that obtaining a college degree is important to having a career. At the same time, 67 percent of the respondents said they are worried they won’t be able to afford college and, on the whole, they’re opposed to acquiring student debt.
Inside Higher Ed, Nov. 18, 2014

Recession and completion
More first-time students enrolled in college in 2008, as the recession was beginning, than in previous years. But a smaller percentage of this group made it to graduation, according to new data the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center released today. The study draws from a database that tracks 96 percent of the nation’s total enrollment. It is the third annual installment of completion data from the nonprofit center, and the first look at six-year graduation rates for students who entered higher education as the economy soured.
Inside Higher Ed, Nov. 18, 2014

International enrollment up
The number of international students enrolled at U.S. universities increased by 8.1 percent, to 886,052 in 2013-14, according to "Open Doors," an annual report on student mobility published by the Institute of International Education. The number of Americans studying abroad increased by 2.1 percent, to 289,408 in 2012-13.
Inside Higher Ed, Nov. 17, 2014

The shrinking academic workforce
The academic workforce is shrinking. Not by much, mind you: the number of faculty members and administrators at colleges eligible to award federal financial aid declined by a mere 7,500 from 2012 to 2013, according to new Education Department statistics. But the dip, however small, is the first in many years. And it comes after a period of steady and at times sharp expansion of college staffs, which often accompanied sizable increases in student enrollments.
Inside Higher Ed, Nov. 14, 2014

POLITICS | LOCAL, STATE, NATIONAL


State schools chief: No more tests for high school graduation
Washington state’s top education official wants to stop requiring students to pass high-stakes exams before they can graduate from high school, a proposal that would reverse years of standardized testing policy in the state. The idea from state schools chief Randy Dorn comes as Washington schools are transitioning to a new set of standardized tests based on the Common Core State Standards. Under a plan approved by the Legislature last year, students in the class of 2019 and beyond will be required to pass the new Common Core-based tests in language arts and math to receive a high school diploma.
The Olympian, Nov. 15, 2014

State school board chief: New revenue essential to McCleary
The Washington State Board of Education doesn't see a way to fully fund K-12 schools without finding new sources of state revenue, said its executive director, Ben Rarick. The board is meeting Thursday and Friday in Vancouver to discuss the transition to career and college-ready standards, and impacts of more rigorous graduation requirements. But Rarick said the biggest challenge the board faces is addressing the state Supreme Court's directive that legislators fully fund K-12 education. At its September meeting, the board adopted a resolution acknowledging that new state revenue is necessary to comply with the Supreme Court's McCleary decision.
The Columbian, Nov. 12, 2014

Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles elected vice chair of Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education
Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles, D-Seattle, on Nov. 11 was elected the Vice Chair of the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE) during the commission’s semi-annual meeting held in Denver. One of four regional higher education compacts in the U.S., WICHE and its 15 member states and U.S. territory work collaboratively to expand educational access and excellence for all citizens of the West.
Ballard News-Tribune, Nov. 12, 2014