News Links | January 27, 2015

SYSTEM NEWS | OPINIONS

Education official from China gets a warm welcome in Rainier They held up dragons and Chinese and American flags. And when their guest entered the school auditorium Monday morning, 450 students at Hudson Park Elementary said hello to Zhang Yonghe in unison: “Nin hao.” Zhang, the principal of Xi’an University of Science and Technology Affiliated Middle School in China’s Shaanxi Province, is visiting Rainier schools this week as part of the China Exchange Initiative. ... Zhang has a busy agenda ahead of him — including checking out St. Helens High School’s automotive program and Lower Columbia College to see how vocational training programs — before he returns to China on Thursday. Longview Daily News, Jan. 27, 2015 Armijo to leave Hanford’s Mission Support Alliance, new president named Pasco native and civic leader Frank Armijo will be leaving his job as president of Hanford’s Mission Support Alliance to do more corporate work for Lockheed Martin. ... Armijo, the son of migrant farm workers, was the first in his family to attend college and has been a strong supporter of Tri-City education programs. ... He has served on the board of trustees for Columbia Basin College, which he attended. Tri-City Herald, Jan. 26, 2015 CPTC: A design network Linda Brent (’95) gained more from the Architectural Engineering Design Program atClover Park Technical College than her degree. She formed bonds with her peers that helped pave her career path. “You build camaraderie with your school mates and it carries on,” Brent said. “You support each other, and I think that was a great part.” The Suburban Times, Jan. 26, 2015 Say hello to another select crew of reader columnists The South Sound abounds with talented writers. Unfortunately, they share the plight of talented musicians and artists everywhere: Most don’t have the chance to make a living at it, so the public rarely sees their work. We’re doing our best to fix that. Every year, we in the opinion section pick a handful of exceptional nonprofessionals to feature as reader columnists atop our Monday pages. Back to the new lineup: Karrie Zylstra Myton teaches English at Bates Technical College. Like pretty much everyone else here, she’s a compulsive writer. She’ll start off this group’s columns Monday with a piece on becoming an unlikely Seattle Seahawks fan. The News Tribune, Jan. 25, 2015 LCC adds business administration program to its growing stable of 4-year degrees Responding to demand from students and employers, Lower Columbia Collegelaunched a new a four-year business degree program this month. “We really thought business administration would be a key program,” said LCC president Chris Bailey. “We have large manufacturing (companies) here, but we also have a lot small businesses, which are our real bread butter.” The program is the third bachelor’s degree program available at LCC through its partnership with Cheney-based Eastern Washington University, adding to the applied technology and interdisciplinary studies bachelor’s programs started in 2013. Longview Daily News, Jan. 24, 2015 Simulation gives a glimpse into Skagit’s poverty Things were not going well for the poor family of four. Keith, a 33-year-old father and ex-offender, couldn’t find steady work due to his criminal record. Casey, a 28-year-old mother, struggled to find time to work at her full-time job, buy gas, apply for food stamps and attend night school at the college. The couple’s 10-year-old daughter, Kathy, was put in the custody of Child Protective Services after being found wandering around town by herself. These situations were not real. They were part of a poverty simulation put on Friday morning at Skagit Valley College by Community Action of Skagit County. But for 48 attendees, many of whom hadn’t experienced poverty in real life, the simulation was illustrative of the tough and real choices made every day by people living with few resources. Skagit Valley Herald, Jan. 24, 2015 Remote testimony for state Senate meetings a go at CBC The principal and select students of Delta High School are scheduled to be the first to use a new remote testimony setup at Columbia Basin College. The decision comes less than two weeks after Senate staff began reviewing potential sites away from Olympia for public testimony. ... A test run of the a similar set up at Spokane Community College in November allowed several members of the public to testify to Padden’s state Senate Law & Justice Committee. The Tri-City Herald, Jan. 23, 2015 More high school students using Big Bend's Running Start program More high school students are taking advantage of Big Bend Community College’sRunning Start program than ever before. More than 350 high school students enrolled at Big Bend for both the fall and winter 2014 quarters, which is double the 172 students who enrolled in 2013. iFIBER One News, Jan. 23, 2015 Students examine diversity in MLK events “If you think about it, why is our entire town pretty much one big race?” That question from a seventh-grader was raised as students at Liberty Bell High School reflected on the teachings of Martin Luther King Jr. last week. ... During his talk, Donte Quinine asked students to pair up, look each other in the eye, and say whatever comes to mind when they think about terms such as Native American, gay or lesbian, poor, Latino or white. Quinine, the director of Student Life, Outreach and Recruitment at Wenatchee Valley College, was impressed by students’ willingness to talk about these subjects. Methow Valley News, Jan. 23, 2015 CPTC: Winter Quarter President’s Scholarship recipient named Congratulations to Katie Stock, Clover Park Technical College Winter Quarter President’s Scholarship recipient. Stock is a student in the Architectural Engineering Design Program and is a part-time intern with a mechanical engineering firm. She is also CPTC’s Associated Student Government president for the 2014-2015 academic year. The Suburban Times, Jan. 23, 2015 Clark College announces new name for Corporate & Continuing Education Clark College’s Corporate & Continuing Education organization has changed its name to Clark College Economic & Community Development (ECD). The name change, said Associate Vice President Kevin Witte, better reflects the evolving role that the division of the college plays within the community and within the region. Vancouver Business Journal, Jan. 23, 2015 CPTC president participates in local MLK events Clover Park Technical College President Dr. Lonnie L. Howard was invited to speak at Harrison Preparatory’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Assembly Jan. 16. Dr. Howard and his son, Matthew, both spoke on the topic “A Dream Set in Motion” with their talk “America: Past, Today & Future.” The Suburban Times, Jan. 23, 2015 RTC to offer first bachelor's degree this spring Renton Technical College (RTC) is now offering its first Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS) degree in Application Development. The BAS in Application Development program is designed for students who have earned an information technology related associate’s degree and are looking to take the next step toward earning a bachelor’s degree. Renton Reporter, Jan. 22, 2015 Paul Hirai Honored with Industry Leadership Award "This is a great honor," Paul Hirai says in a quiet voice. He is talking about being the recipient of the 2015 Industry Leadership Award at the Washington-Oregon Potato Conference. "It's an honor just to get nominated by that group." Hirai, who says he's 85 and a half years old, lives in Moses Lake with his wife Virginia, whom everyone calls "Ginny." ... As a member of the Big Bend Community College Foundation, Hirai was asked by the Foundation to run a 550-acre farm that had been donated by Paul Lauzier. Located in the black sands area, the farm needed a lot of attention and it was necessary to dril a shallow "sand" well. The foundation sold the farm after three or four years, according to Hirai. But that didn't end his involvement with the college. Columbia Basin Herald, Jan. 22, 2015 EdCC alumnus Benjamin Kanligi awarded grant Edmonds Community College and Northwest Community College Initiative program alumnus Benjamin Kanligi was awarded a prestigious grant offered by the U.S. Department of State Alumni Engagement Innovation Fund. Kanligi — a participant in the NWCCI — studied at EdCC in 2012-13 as an international student from Ghana and earned a certificate in Business Information Technology. Edmonds Beacon, Jan. 22, 2015 Opinion: Brent: Hospitality industry can feed county growth I am bullish on the hospitality industry in Clark County. I expect to see the number of eating and drinking establishments grow by 15 to 20 in the next year.  ... Creating a strong workforce and a center of expertise at Clark College could attract new restaurant business to Clark County. If Clark County could get restaurant penetration levels up to that of Multnomah County, Ore., which is 250 percent higher than Clark County's per capita rate, we would create 5,900 new restaurant jobs. The Columbian, Jan. 22, 2015 Opinion: Bagherpour: Skilled workforce vital to community Photo: Veronique Johnson, 26, of Vancouver, from left, leads team members — Seunghyun Roh, 20, of Vancouver, Sam Scofield, 19, of Battle Ground, and Ryan Medick, 19, of Vancouver — through a lesson in material strength at Clark College. Jobs in manufacturing have historically been the key to providing unskilled American workers with stable, living-wage jobs. These unskilled jobs, however, no longer exist. Automation, higher quality standards and other factors in the shifting economy have resulted in fewer opportunities for unskilled workers. ... Clark County data show that more than 40 percent (around 2,100) of high school graduates will not enroll in any kind of college, but will join the workforce directly after high school graduation. These young people need to have the skills to get into entry-level jobs that will lead to living wages. The Columbian, Jan. 22, 2015 Army listening session draws hundreds as JBLM job cuts loom The Army is looking to reduce the number of troops by 2020, and Joint Base Lewis-McChord is one of the bases around the country that could be impacted. Army officials are giving surrounding communities a chance to voice their concerns, and hundreds in the South Sound showed their support. The army is holding 30 listening sessions across the country. This was an Army listening session where the community was told the numbers would count. Hundreds of people took the message to heart and packed theClover Park Technical College in Lakewood, including city and state leaders. Governor Jay Inslee was among those who spoke in support of JBLM. KING 5, Jan. 21, 2015 Around campus: A look at campus life at various community and junior colleges When Ashley Lewis first toured Clover Park Technical College, (Wash.) the aspiring cosmetologist knew it was the place for her. “Having both a degree and a cosmetology license, you can’t pass that up,” she said. Lewis enrolled in the Cosmetology Program last year and recently ended an eight-year career in business management. Community College Week, Jan. 19, 2015

TRENDS| HORIZONS | EDUCATION

Bending the cost curve Online education can “bend the cost curve” of an undergraduate degree, according to a working paper from the National Bureau of Economic Research, but whether the lower tuition is caused by a boost in productivity — as opposed to more competition — is still undetermined. Inside Higher Ed, Jan. 27, 2015 Undocumented and stressed Undocumented college students have a much higher level of anxiety than the population at large, likely caused by a unique set of challenges they face as a result of their legal status. Concerns related to finances, fear of deportation and a sense of isolation weigh heavily on undocumented students, according to a study released today from the Institute for Immigration, Globalization and Education at the University of California at Los Angeles. Inside Higher Ed, Jan. 26, 2015 Interfaith interaction (or lack thereof) The majority of college students say their campuses feel inclusive of many different faiths, according to research presented here Friday, but only 3 percent of students say they actually participate frequently in interfaith programming on campus. The Campus Religious and Spiritual Climate Survey, discussed during a presentation at the annual meeting of the Association of American Colleges and Universities, examined how academic, social, and functional features of a college influence the way students interact with each other across religions. Inside Higher Ed, Jan. 26, 2015 What students want from college ratings A national poll of college and high school students about college ratings systems finds that the two factors in which they are most interested are the percentage of students working in their field one and five years after graduation, and the ability of graduates to repay their loans. Inside Higher Ed, Jan. 23, 2015 Intellectual connections Integrative learning. It sounds good, and it’s a cornerstone of the Association of American Colleges and Universities’ Liberal Education and America's Promise (LEAP) initiative to advance liberal education. But what is integrative learning, exactly, and how can liberal arts advocates use it to make their case for a broad education – especially in an increasingly jobs-focused environment? A series of sessions focused on that question Thursday at AAC&U’s annual meeting here. Inside Higher Ed, Jan. 23, 2015 A Quiet Revolution in Helping Lift the Burden of Student Debt Has the student loan crisis already been solved? This might seem an absurd question. Student loan debt is at a record high of $1.1 trillion, and the average undergraduate who borrows to attend school graduates nearly $30,000 in debt. Almost 20 percent of student borrowers are in default. Yet a couple of little-noticed legislative tweaks to a small, obscure loan repayment program — revisions made under two very different presidents — appear to have created the conditions for far-reaching changes in how a college education is bought and paid for. The result may make it much easier for students to get out from under their debts. The New York Times, Jan. 24, 2015 Students leave over $2.9 billion in free college money on the table U.S. high school graduates left over $2.9 billion in free federal grant money on the table last academic year, according to a new analysis by NerdScholar, the higher education team at NerdWallet. Their mistake? Not completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or the FAFSA. NerdWallet, Jan. 12, 2015

POLITICS | LOCAL, STATE, NATIONAL

Obama proposal to tax college accounts worries GET director A proposal by the Obama administration to eliminate the tax benefits of college savings accounts would be “devastating” for Washington’s program, called Guaranteed Education Tuition(GET) as well as those run by other states, the GET program’s director said. The News Tribune, Jan. 25, 2015 Obama’s proposed changes to 529 college savings plans would reduce benefits President Obama is proposing a radical change to the 529 college savings plans held by millions of families, which would require those who use them to rethink their approach to college savings. As part of his plan to simplify the tax code and help the middle class, one of the 529 plan’s most attractive benefits would be eliminated: Money could no longer be withdrawn tax-free. (The new rules would apply only to new contributions.) The New York Times, Jan. 22, 2015