News Links | June 9, 2015

SYSTEM NEWS | OPINIONS

Which college or university tops the list of median wages after graduation? Hint: Not the UW State Rep. Chad Magendanz thinks Washington college students should be able to understand the potential economic benefits of choosing a specific degree, or program, before deciding on their major or even where they enroll. And his vision for how to provide that information is beginning to take shape. ... One figure that might surprise readers: The median wages of Bellevue College grads with a bachelor’s degree was $48,200 in 2013 — higher than the median for UW grads. ... In order for a community college to begin an applied baccalaureate program, it must get approval from the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges, and must prove that the degree leads to in-demand jobs that pay a living wage. The Seattle Times, June 8, 2015 Tri-Cities by the numbers: community leaders unveil new statistics resource Tri-City leaders are hoping a new website that pulls together data about the region, from high school graduation rates and the number of violent gun crimes to the affordability of rents and air quality, will simultaneously entice businesses and stimulate discussions. Benton-Franklin Trends at http://www.bentonfranklintrends.ewu.edu will be unveiled today at Columbia Basin College’s Gjerde Center. Tri-City Herald, June 8, 2015 You mad, bro? A conversation about race in sports Amateur and professional sports bring out the fan, and sometimes the fanatic, in people worldwide. Athletes are modern-day gladiators. So it shouldn’t surprise us when Bellevue College professor Eric Davis says that “sports is essentially a reflection of the best of who we are and the worst of who we are.” KUOW, June 8, 2015 Inmates learn on their own time When Bruce Music opened the hood of a gray sedan in the auto shop, students wearing khaki pants and shirts gathered around and peered under the hood. Music, a Clark College automotive instructor, talked about the significance of the serpentine belt. ... Since 2002, the Department of Corrections has contracted with the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges to provide educational services to offenders. The Columbian, June 7, 2015 From the heart: Tulalip history and memoir is a walk back in time Two dozen years after her death, Harriette Shelton Dover continues to be a guide and an inspiration far beyond the Tulalip reservation. ... Dover shared information about cultural items and her people’s history with anthropologists, and worked with academic linguists to help preserve her people's language. In the 1970s, she helped revive the ancient First Salmon Ceremony, honoring the year’s first salmon that is caught. She testified in the 1974 federal court case of United States vs. Washington, which affirmed her people’s treaty right to harvest salmon "at all usual and accustomed grounds and stations.” She earned a degree at Everett Community College while in her 70s. Indian Country Today Media Network, June 7, 2015 International Festival celebrates intersection of cultures On Saturday, [maria Rossana Muir] and 31 other vendors and organizations celebrated the intersection of their diverse heritages and their American lives at the 25th annual International Festival, hosted by local nonprofit Ethnic Support Council and cosponsored by Lower Columbia College’s student Multicultural Club. Longview Daily News, June 6, 2015 Yelm High class explores wind, solar technology Even though the weather wasn’t cooperating, Yelm High School students figured out a way to collect data from their temporary wind farm Wednesday morning. ... Because the class has been so popular, Mounts plans to expand it and offer it all school year, beginning this fall. In addition, district officials are hoping to partner with Shoreline Community College so that students can earn credits toward its renewable energy certification program, he said. The Olympian, June 5, 2015 Opinion: OC's servant leader extraordinaire On May 20, Dr. David Mitchell, president of Olympic College, was honored by the Association of College Trustees as the Community College CEO of the Year in Washington state. If you have ever had the privilege of working with Dr. Mitchell, you know why he was so honored — honored for his self-effacing servant leadership. Kitsap Sun, June 5, 2015 Ford Golf Classic reaches fundraising milestone The 27th annual James M. Ford Golf Classic, held on a sunny May 8 at Avalon Golf Links in Burlington, celebrated a milestone in fundraising and thanked its founder in an unusual manner. In this year’s classic, 216 golfers not only played golf but enjoyed lunch, prizes, games, raffles, an auction and a catered dinner to raise $75,000 for Skagit Valley College student scholarships and program enhancements. Skagit Valley Herald, June 5, 2015 Car club donates to Big Bend auto tech program A donation from the Moses Lake Classic Car Club will help Big Bend Community College automotive technology students buy their own performance tool kits. Columbia Basin Herald, June 5, 2015 Bellingham Technical College names Kimberly Perry as president The Bellingham Technical College board of trustees named Kimberly Perry as the next president of the college at a special meeting Thursday, June 4. She will begin work at BTC on July 20. Current President Patricia McKeown will retire at the end of June 2015. The Bellingham Herald, June 4, 2015 Highline College honors renowned educator, advocate Highline College has recognized Dr. Gene Sharratt for his dedication, passion and outstanding contributions to education. Sharratt, executive director of the Washington Student Achievement Council, will be honored as the 2015 Distinguished Alumnus Award winner during the college's commencement ceremony on June 11 at the ShoWare Center in Kent. Auburn Reporter, June 4, 2015 CPTC: Preparing for summer internships Once a year, clinical site supervisors visit Clover Park Technical College to interview Medical Histology Technician students. Last week students presented their creativity and organizational skills at this year’s interview event in the Rotunda. The Suburban Times, June 4, 2015

TRENDS| HORIZONS | EDUCATION

Poor grades from the public As far as parents are concerned, the days of college being a place to focus on learning are over. A national poll released by the Robert Morris University Polling Institute Monday found that only a little more than half of respondents viewed the college selection process favorably and less than half thought colleges were doing enough to help graduates find jobs. Those involved with the poll said the results indicated a need for institutions to keep up with the changing view of higher education as a way to find employment rather than earn a degree. Inside Higher Ed, June 9, 2015 Catalog to completion California has one of the largest community college systems in the country, and its four-year universities are so challenged for space that they need many students to start at community colleges. So for the past couple of years, the community college system administrators have been working to improve its online offerings. Officials announced Monday that they have revamped the system's California Virtual Campus website and made it easier for students to find transferable courses. The upgrades to the web-based online course catalog will make it easier for students pursuing an associate degree for transfer. Inside Higher Ed, June 9, 2015 2 + 2 shouldn't = 5 One of the largest barriers to completing a bachelor's degree is losing credits when transferring from a community college. Even with articulation agreements between two-year and four-year institutions, a significant number of credits may end up lost in the shuffle. Inside Higher Ed, June 8, 2015 Take note Can college students text and tweet their way to a better grade? In “Mobile Phones in the Classroom: Examining the Effects of Texting, Twitter and Message Content on Student Learning,” Jeffrey H. Kuznekoff, assistant professor in the department of integrative studies at Miami University (Ohio) at Middletown, explores if texting, tweeting and note taking can be combined. The article appears in the most recent edition of Communication Education, a journal of the National Communication Association. Inside Higher Ed, June 8, 2015 Chipotle is latest company to add tuition benefits Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. has become the latest company with national operations to expand tuition benefits to all employees. Inside Higher Ed, June 8, 2015 Colleges and graduates, survey says... For the first time, the postcollege outcomes of recent graduates have been collected and analyzed by a national organization using data gathered by more than 200 higher education institutions, all using the same methodology. Inside Higher Ed, June 5, 2015

POLITICS | LOCAL, STATE, NATIONAL

Debt relief unveiled The federal government will forgive the debt of thousands of former students of Corinthian Colleges, the Obama administration said Monday as it announced a new debt relief plan that will extend to all federal borrowers who can prove they were defrauded by their college. Inside Higher Ed, June 9, 2015 Gov. Inslee’s office says negotiators reach tentative deal on size of state budget The Legislature’s budget negotiators have reached a tentative deal on how much the state should spend over the next four years, Gov. Jay Inslee’s budget director said. After a week of bargaining in Inslee’s office, negotiators now must talk to the lawmakers they represent to make sure the spending level is acceptable. If it holds up, the agreement on a key point of contention could break the logjam that has kept the Legislature in Olympia into a second special session. The Olympian, June 5, 2015 Lawmakers: FAFSA should use 'prior-prior year' data Several dozen congressional lawmakers on Thursday urged the Obama administration to use its existing authority to allow students to apply for federal financial aid based on their family’s income from two years earlier instead of the immediately previous year. In a letter to Education Secretary Arne Duncan, 51 Democrats and 2 Republicans said the Education Department should switch the aid application to what is known as “prior-prior year” tax information. Inside Higher Ed, June 5, 2015 Senator guarantees GET won't be hurt by tuition cut The senator behind the bill to reduce state tuition is defending his proposal. "If you look at the facts, there's no reason to be concerned. In fact, there's reason to be very excited about this," said Sen. John Braun, R-Centralia. As part of a proposed Republican Senate budget, Braun sponsored legislation to reduce tuition by as much as 25 percent in state colleges. State Treasurer Jim McIntire, in a letter to state lawmakers, said that proposal would have "damaging effects" on the state's prepaid college-tuition plan, the Guaranteed Education Tuition (GET) Program. Braun said McIntire, a Democrat, is speaking out about the idea for political reasons. KING 5, June 4, 2015