News Links | May 26, 2015

SYSTEM NEWS | OPINIONS

Rookie goes from watching Sounders to playing for them Darwin Jones has watched his share of Seattle Sounders games at CenturyLink Field, and on Saturday he got to play in one. ... ones is from Des Moines. He played three seasons with Mount Rainier High School, and with club teams Highline Premier and Washington Premier before going on to play for Highline College and UW, where he was an all-Pac-12 player as a junior and senior. The News Tribune, May 24, 2015 Former Kennewick High grad spreads college dream When Cinthia Alvarez graduated from Kennewick High School six years ago, she had no hope for the future. She knew she could get into college. She had a 3.8 grade-point average and was active in student clubs. But Alvarez, who moved with her family to the U.S. from Mexico when she was 12, was an undocumented immigrant. ... Alvarez was getting ready to move back to Mexico when someone with the College Assistance Migrant Program told her she could attend Columbia Basin College without being a citizen or a green card holder. Now, at 23, she is a Washington State University Pullman graduate and a soon-to-be U.S. citizen. Tri-City Herald, May 24, 2015 Milestone: P.C. Automotive Technology Program gets national accreditation The Automotive Technology Program at Peninsula College has received accreditation by the National Automotive Technician’s Education Foundation. Peninsula College’s program has been accredited under the Master Automotive Service Technician designation. Sequim Gazette, May 23, 2015 Bellevue College board approves WSU partnership After months of conversation, officials from Bellevue College and Washington State University are on the brink of signing a partnership agreement, bringing the former community college under the state university's wing. Bellevue College trustees unanimously voted on Thursday, May 22 to authorize the school's president, David L. Rule, to sign a non-binding document called a 'memorandum of understanding.' Bellevue Reporter, May 22, 2015 Parks Enforcement cadets celebrate graduation and academy’s 25th anniversary More than 300 friends and family members were in attendance as 36 cadets graduated April 24 from Skagit Valley College’s Parks Law Enforcement Academy during a ceremony which coincided with a celebration of the Academy’s 25th anniversary. Skagit Valley Herald, May 22, 2015 Solar cars take to the track The main thing is, the sun was out. The sun has to be out, because sunlight is the crucial ingredient in a solar car race. And the solar cars are the namesake event at the Solar Races and Energy Fair each spring. The event is sponsored by the Grant County PUD, REC Silicon, Puget Sound Energy, Big Bend Community College and the Moses Lake School District. Columbia Basin Herald, May 22, 2015 Bits 'n' Pieces: Clark College student helps Rose Festival bring history to life She can do it! And, she can sign it for you! Clark College student Adeena Wade was a finalist in last year's Rose Festival "Search for Queen Thelma" contest, which would have seen her portraying first-ever Rose Festival Queen Thelma Hollingsworth — if she'd won. The Columbian, May 22, 2015 Our Voice: WGU Washington sets successful college model Four years ago Washington state lawmakers established an innovative, online college degree program that is quickly proving to be among the most successful and efficient models ever launched. The state Legislature created WGU Washington through a partnership with the nationally accredited Western Governors University in an attempt to help place-bound, busy adults find a way to fit college into their lives. It is doing so well that program leaders were asked to expand their model for community colleges around the state. The Washington State Board of Community and Technical Colleges now will offer an online business associate’s degree thanks to help from WGU Washington. Tri-City Herald, May 22, 2015 Opinion: Anti-bullying movement has ignored Muslims When I was a kid, bullying was often treated as an unhappy but inevitable part of childhood. I experienced it, and perpetuated it, without much intervention from adults. Recent documentaries like “Bully” and anti-bullying campaigns like Dan Savage’s It Gets Better Project have challenged conventional thinking and encouraged us to confront bullying as a cultural phenomenon. Despite these shifts, some Muslim Americans in our region say they feel overlooked by these campaigns even as their children suffer regular harassment and bullying — often over their religion. “Recently schools across America have taken a stronger stance against bullying,” says Maryam Hussain, a Bellevue College student who lives in Kirkland and says anti-bullying campaigns more often focus on race or sexual orientation than religion. The Seattle Times, May 21, 2015 CBC holds memorial service for fallen service members Columbia Basin College held a memorial for fallen service members in Washington today. Veterans who attend CBC laid wreaths at the school's Veterans Memorial in Pasco. Each shared stories of friends who died overseas. KEPR TV, May 21, 2015 CPTC: Military Appreciation Month When Andrew Lander separated from the Army after five years of service, he found himself missing the camaraderie he felt amongst his soldiers. Lander enrolled at Clover Park Technical College, where VA registration clerk Glenda Epps helped him navigate his military benefits and directed him to the Veterans Resource Center on campus. He found mentors in former Veteran Navigator Jonathan Wagner, current navigator Shawn Durnen and a community of other student veterans. The Suburban Times, May 20, 2015

TRENDS| HORIZONS | EDUCATION

Community college continues to pay off for some grads Two years ago my colleague Jon Marcus wrote about surprising research showing that many community college grads were out-earning bachelor's degree holders. It was particularly true for those with vocational two-year degrees, in fields such as air-traffic control, dental hygiene or prison management. ... So Mark Schneider, one of the researchers behind these studies, went back to the data in four states, to examine not only immediate post-graduation employment outcomes, but also five and 10 years later. He found that, over the long term, everyone is making more money. The B.A.'s do catch up; their annual salary increases are larger than those of community college grads. "But even 10 years later, there are many students with certificates and associate's degrees in fields where they make more money than the B.A.'s," said Schneider, a vice president at the American Institutes for Research and a former commissioner of the National Center for Education Statistics. US News and World Report, May 26, 2015 Students feel unprepared for job market Only one in five college students say they feel "very prepared" to join the workforce, according to the results of McGraw-Hill Education's annual student workforce readiness survey. Inside Higher Ed, May 22, 2015 Winning or losing with sports Across the country, many two-year colleges are turning to their students and examining whether or not athletic programs fit the profile of their institutions. When there is a lack of student interest, it can be hard for colleges to justify the cost of running the programs, which are often expensive. Inside Higher Ed, May 22, 2015

POLITICS | LOCAL, STATE, NATIONAL

Democratic bill on Pell for prisoners A group of six Democratic members of the U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday introduced legislation that would reinstate Pell Grant eligibility for incarcerated college students. Congress in 1994 banned the use of Pell Grants by prisoners in state and federal prisons. However, the U.S. Department of Education is expected to announce an limited waiver of the ban under the experimental sites program, sources have said. If that experiment is successful, it could help advocates make the case that Congress should drop the ban. Inside Higher Ed, May 22, 2015