News Links | June 23, 2015

SYSTEM NEWS | OPINIONS

Skagit Valley College honors couple with same award in different years Winning a college’s most prestigious award is an accomplishment of which anyone should be proud. Winning it the year after your husband wins the award makes it a family tradition. Alana Quigley, who completed her transfer degree from Skagit Valley College last fall, is the recipient of the college’s 2015 Charles H. Lewis Memorial Award, considered its most prestigious. Skagit Valley Herald, June 22, 2015 Olympic College Class of 2015 graduation Olympic College Class of 2015 graduation June 21 at the Kitsap Sun Pavilion. Kitsap Sun, June 22, 2015 CPTC celebrates Class of 2015 More than 400 students received their degree, certificate or diploma for the 2014-2015 academic year at the 19th Annual Clover Park Technical College Commencement Ceremony at the Tacoma Dome June 19. The Suburban Times, June 22, 2015 RallyPoint/6 connects veterans with education, opportunity Through her work at RallyPoint/6, Ramona Gresham has the opportunity to impact the lives of countless service members and veterans as they transition into the civilian world. Thanks to the support of a consortium of colleges including Pierce, Gresham works with veterans to identify and help them pursue their education and career goals. ... The consortium of colleges includes Pierce College, as well as Bates Technical College, Clover Park Technical College, Tacoma Community College, Central Washington University, Western Governor’s University and Saint Martin’s University. The Suburban Times, June 22, 2015 Headlines fuel keynote address at Juneteenth gathering With racial issues plaguing national headlines, organizers of this year's Juneteenth celebration in Vancouver added a theme for the event: Black lives matter. ... Saturday's event was a joyous one, with dancing, barbecue and a sweet potato pie baking contest at the Marshall Community Park. But there was also a serious note. This year's Juneteenth celebration included its first-ever keynote speaker, Clark Collegeprofessor Debra Jenkins. The Columbian, June 20, 2015 South Whidbey students earn Skagit Valley College accolades Four South Whidbey students were celebrated by the Skagit Valley College’sHonors Reception on June 5. South Whidbey Record, June 20, 2015 Opinion: Evolving and embracing change My freshman year in high school, I was convinced I would hate writing for Unleashed. Looking back, I realize how deeply foolish I had been. Due to this obnoxious, idiotic thought I ended up missing out on a year of such an amazing opportunity. ... Given that I have attended Yakima Valley Community College through Running Start these last two years, I will have accumulated enough credits to be considered a college junior. Yakima Herald-Republic, June 20, 2015 Swinomish leader Brian Cladoosby fights for salmon and sovereignty The Swinomish chairman has achieved national prominence as casinos fuel tribal wealth and influence. ... It’s not Brian Cladoosby’s day. Gorgeous and sunny, yes. Blue-green Skagit River waters swirl around his Boston Whaler fishing boat. ... Born in Skagit County, he’s never lived farther from his 10,000-acre reservation than 10 miles away in Mount Vernon, where he earned a two-year degree from Skagit Valley College. The Seattle Times, June 20, 2015 SPSCC graduate escapes addiction, abuse to become star student In 2011, Merrill Williams escaped an abusive relationship and sought shelter at Safe Place in Olympia. ... At that point, she had been a crack addict for nearly half her life, and drug use had taken its toll on her body. ... Williams, 53, of Tumwater has earned an Associate of Arts degree and was chosen as the student speaker for South Puget Sound Community College’s commencement ceremony on Friday night. The Olympian, June 19, 2015 Cheyenne DeFrates battled drugs, alcohol to graduate LCC with high marks When Cheyenne DeFrates tested into one of the lowest pre-college math courses available at Lower Columbia College in winter 2012, he had been 15 years out of high school, five months out of prison and three months out of jail. On Friday, he donned LCC’s cap and gown at Kelso’s Schroeder Field, a graduate with a 3.8 GPA. He was the recipient of the LCC Department of Engineering award and the winner of a full-ride scholarship to Washington State University Vancouver to study mechanical engineering. Longview Daily News, June 19, 2015 Stars shine bright at Columbia Basin College graduation The Columbia Basin College graduates at Friday night’s graduation included a nationally recognized architecture student, a young woman who wants to return to her home country of Mali to be a mechanical engineer, and students who overcame homelessness and blindness to get their diplomas. Tri-City Herald, June 19, 2015 Students earn high school diplomas through Skagit Valley College’s adult program For some students, life can get in the way of a high school diploma. This year at Skagit Valley College, a handful of students got a second chance at earning it. Skagit Valley Herald, June 19, 2015 Centralia College to keep doors open if state government shuts down Centralia College is preparing for a state government shutdown in the event legislators are unable to come to a budget agreement by the June 30 deadline. Centralia Chronicle, June 19, 2015 Congratulations to South Seattle College’s Class of 2015! Tonight at Benaroya Hall downtown, South Seattle College became this year’s final West Seattle school to celebrate its commencement. West Seattle Blog, June 19, 2015 Design proposals sought for Big Bend building Big Bend Community College officials have advertised for proposals from architects interested in designing a new professional-technical building. Columbia Basin Herald, June 19, 2015 It's not either associate or bachelor's degree; for many students, it's both For a significant number of students, a community college is a step along the academic path, but not a stopping place. More than 40 percent of graduates with an associate degree — and 60 percent of those who earn one by age 20 — go on to earn a bachelor's degree, finds a new report by the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. ... In a letter to Education Week unrelated to the study, Marty Brown of the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Collegesin Olympia, Wash., said certificates used as "stackable credentials" can provide a more flexible pathway for students, in which "each level of skills serves as a foundation for the next level." Education Week, June 18, 2015 Long road for single dad to Clark College degree About 740 students crossed the stage to collect their diplomas at the 79th Clark College commencement ceremony Thursday night at the Clark County Events Center at the Fairgrounds. Sitting among the blue-gowned sea of graduates was Alex Peraza, who has earned a transfer associate's degree and will begin classes at Washington State University Vancouver in August. The Columbian, June 18, 2015 CBC graduate loses her sight, but not her vision The darkness that nearly overwhelmed a 24-year-old Pasco woman wasn’t just from her gradually degrading eyesight. Vanessa Pruitt had dropped out of high school when her failing vision made it too hard to keep up in the classroom. But when friends also began to fade away, she withdrew even more. ... But this evening she’ll walk onto the stage at the Toyota Center in Kennewick to receive her associate degree in social work fromColumbia Basin College along with more than 1,200 other graduates. Tri-City Herald, June 18, 2015 Army veteran finds love of art at Green River College For U.S. Army veteran Tony Bunyan, discovering a love of art has been life changing. Bunyan, 51, of Enumclaw, enrolled at Green River College last year to study art. Kent Reporter, June 18, 2015 Tumwater brewery redevelopment could generate more than 600 jobs If it comes to fruition, a proposed Tumwater Craft Brewing and Distillery Center could generate as many as 662 jobs and more than $101 million for the local economy. ... The educational aspect of Tumwater’s center would cross-pollinate with program partners Washington State University and South Puget Sound Community College. Just the education component could generate $30 million a year and help create 271 jobs, the study shows. The Olympian, June 18, 2015 Local EMTs take part in training On June 6-7, 24 local EMTs and EMT students from Lower Columbia College took part in a county wide Pre-Hospital Trauma Life Support (PHTLS) Training in Cathlamet. The Wahkiakum County Eagle, June 18, 2015

TRENDS| HORIZONS | EDUCATION

Elson Floyd, president of Washington State, 1956-2015 Elson S. Floyd, president of Washington State University since 2007, died Saturday from complications from colon cancer. Floyd won widespread praise for his work at Washington State University, where he oversaw enrollment growth, a near doubling of the minority student population, the addition of many new programs and a successful $1 billion fund-raising campaign. Inside Higher Ed, June 22, 2015

POLITICS | LOCAL, STATE, NATIONAL

House Democrats release latest budget plan As the clock ticks down on Washington state's second overtime legislative session, House Democrats released their latest budget proposal Monday, a plan that doesn't include any new taxes but looks for additional revenue through closing or limiting several tax exemptions. The News Tribune, June 22, 2015 CFPB letter on student debt relief scams The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) on Monday wrote to three web search engines — Google, Bing and Yahoo — to ask the companies to work with federal and state authorities to prevent "student debt relief scammers" from targeting distressed borrowers. Inside Higher Ed, June 23, 2015 Debt-free and (mostly) detail-free As the idea of debt-free college swirls around the Democratic presidential campaign and some liberal policy circles, the groups that represent colleges and universities are sizing up what it might mean for them. For the most part, they’re just waiting to see details. So far, debt-free college remains a largely high-minded goal, and the plans from the politicians embracing it have been vague. Inside Higher Ed, June 19, 2015 Education Dept. calls imminent rule a reminder to states of their oversight role The U.S. Department of Education, in a letter meant to highlight to states their responsibilities to oversee colleges and protect students, reminded colleges on Friday that, beginning on July 1, they could lose their eligibility for federal student-aid programs if they aren’t authorized by a state agency that has a policy meeting minimum federal requirements. The Chronicle of Higher Education, June 19, 2015 Education Dept. calls imminent rule a reminder to states of their oversight role The U.S. Department of Education, in a letter meant to highlight to states their responsibilities to oversee colleges and protect students, reminded colleges on Friday that, beginning on July 1, they could lose their eligibility for federal student-aid programs if they aren’t authorized by a state agency that has a policy meeting minimum federal requirements. The Chronicle of Higher Education, June 19, 2015 Q&A: Austin Jenkins on possible state shutdown Washington faces a possible government shutdown if lawmakers can't agree on a spending plan by the end of the month. On Thursday, state officials laid out their plans for what a shutdown could mean for the state. Austin Jenkins of Public Radio's Northwest News Network shares a closer look at what's next for the debate. KING 5, June 18, 2015 Federal watchdog criticizes lenders for treatment of borrowers’ co-signers Most borrowers who seek to have a co-signer released from a private student loan are turned down by their lender, according to a new report by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The Chronicle of Higher Education, June 18, 2015