SBCTC NEWS LINKS | Articles about – and of interest to – Washington state community and technical colleges
SYSTEM NEWS | OPINIONS
Seattle Boat Show reeling 'em in
[Dave] Friant, a senior manager at Microsoft, figured out how to build a stable boat from cardboard 29 years ago, when he was taking an engineering-physics class on fluid dynamics at Bellevue Community College (now Bellevue College). Later, he published a book with step-by-step directions. Friant has sold "thousands of books" — he's not sure quite how many — in 116 countries.
Seattle Times, January 24, 2011
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2014020422_boatshow25m.html
Belfair Library Hosts Northwest Author Jan Walker
A teacher at Tacoma Community College, Walker accompanied a group of students to the facility at the request of one student, a prison corrections officer. … Thirteen years later, Walker would return to McNeil, part of her 19-year career teaching adult felons inside the state’s prison system. … In her memoir, she shares moments of her work inside the concertina — the spiraled razor wire used on top of chain-link fences at the prisons. The moving story helps readers to see the offenders as she did, as students and human beings.
Kitsap Sun, January 24, 2011
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2011/jan/23/belfair-library-hosts-northwest-author-jan-walker/
Big Bend shows math improvement
Around the nation more students are testing into pre-college level math classes. At Big Bend Community College, 90 percent of students are placed into pre-college level math classes. The problem is that only about 25 percent of the students go on to enroll in college-level math classes later. Big Bend's mathematics faculty made a commitment to improve student success in the two major developmental math classes offered, elementary and intermediate algebra. With funding from the Achieving the Dream Grant, faculty redesigned the classes and hope it leads to student success and an increase in the likelihood of students passing a college level math class.
Columbia Basin Herald, January 24, 2011
http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/bbcc/article_b143320e-2816-11e0-b632-001cc4c03286.html
Lakewood promoting commercial potential
New maps, studies, programs focused on helping to spur S. Tacoma Way development. The program has $100,000 available and is affiliated with Clover Park Technical College, and involves attendance at the institution’s business school, as well as a stringent application process.
Business Examiner, January 24, 2011
http://www.businessexaminer.com/databank.php?djoPage=article_details&djoId=55649
Who Needs Textbooks? How Washington State is redesigning textbooks for the digital age
… By the time the project is completed in 2012, digitized textbook equivalents for some 81 high-enrollment classes will be available online for the more than 400,000 students enrolled in Washington’s network of community and technical colleges. … [Cable] Green estimates that the initiative could save Washington State students up to $41 million in textbook costs per year. This dollars-and-sense argument helped legislator Reuven Carlyle convince the state to pony up some $750,000 in financing last year, despite its multibillion-dollar budget deficit. … Professor Phil Venditti, who is designing a public- speaking course to be piloted in the spring at Clover Park Technical College … plans to link students to online speech banks … Christopher Gildow, an art teacher at Everett Community College who is developing the interactive materials for an art-appreciation course, says he hopes to reduce the number of dead links that accumulate on webpages over time by steering clear of dotcom websites altogether. … So far, Tacoma Community College student Jessie Sellers seems sold. “The class is actually pretty good,” he says. His one complaint: “I wanted to get a little bit ahead, but the teacher only posts things online about half a week in advance. So I have to wait.” Sounds like he’s hooked.
Newsweek, January 25, 2011
http://education.newsweek.com/2011/01/25/who-needs-textbooks.print.html
Hopelink cancels Talk Time English classes in Issaquah
Hopelink is not the first to cut English language classes because of budget cuts. In March 2009, Renton Technical College ended its English class, which helped 22 people from Brazil, China, Korea, Mexico, Russia and Ukraine at a classroom at the Community Church of Issaquah. Even with the cuts, English language learners looking for classes can still find them around town. Bellevue College offers English classes through its Adult Basic Education program for as little as $25 … Bellevue College also offers English classes through its English Language Institute and Integrated Basic Education and Skills Training.
Issaquah Press, January 25, 2011
http://www.issaquahpress.com/2011/01/25/hopelink-cancels-talk-time-english-classes-in-issaquah/
WSU leader: We want to be in Everett, now
Their deal hinges on the Legislature transferring control of the University Center from Everett Community College to WSU. The center is a consortium in which roughly 500 students are enrolled in courses offered by several public and private colleges.
The Herald, January 25, 2011
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20110125/BLOG13/110129886
Tuition hikes affect college decisions
Over the next two years, tuition at the University of Washington and other state universities is expected to increase up to 11 percent per year. Washington’s community colleges would see increases of about 9 percent per year. And that still won’t be enough.
Issaquah Press, January 25, 2011
http://www.issaquahpress.com/2011/01/25/tuition-hikes-affect-college-decisions/
A better business plan for Washington state's public higher education
Guest columnist Dan Jacoby takes issue with the recent recommendations of Washington's Task Force on Higher Education Funding because they will adversely impact students. He offers other suggestions for how better to fill industry's need for Washington's college graduates.
Seattle Times, January 26, 2011
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2014035500_guest26jacoby.html
TRENDS| HORIZONS | EDUCATION
Shielding Education and Research
“Cutting the deficit by gutting our investments in innovation and education is like lightening an overloaded airplane by removing its engine." No statement in President Obama's State of the Union speech last night better summed up the protected status he envisions for the federal programs most important to colleges and universities, even as his administration vows to embrace a more austere approach to federal spending.
Inside Higher Ed, January 26, 2011
Report Offers Overview of Enrollment Management Industry
Inside Higher Ed, January 26, 2011
http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2011/01/26/qt#249252
Compiled by the Washington State Board for Community & Technical Colleges
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