News Links | December 3, 2020
System News | Opinion
Washington state building projects win national Design-Build merit awards
The Washington State Department of Enterprise Services (DES) facilitated two construction
projects that won the national 2020 Design-Build National Award of Merit in the education
category. ... The John W. Walstrum Center for Advanced Manufacturing Technology (CAMT)
for Clover Park Technical College [CPTC] in Lakewood, Washington, which broke ground in June 2018 and was completed September
2019. The building supports workforce and management skills training for occupations
in Puget Sound aerospace, aviation and manufacturing industries. ... The Bellevue College Student Success Center, which broke ground in September 2018 and was completed December
2019.
The Suburban Times, Nov. 30, 2020
Apprenticeship programs recruit women, people of color
The apprenticeship program at Spokane Community College offers a variety of job choices to students. ... Kenna May says Michelle Lytle is
the first graduate of SCC’s pre-apprenticeship program to become a journey-level tradesperson.
May directs the program. She says apprenticeship programs in Spokane are looking for
more women and people of color.
Spokane Public Radio, Nov. 30, 2020
Investing in the long term
... Clark College in Vancouver, Washington, joins NCC in the list of public two-year colleges with
the largest endowments. As of fiscal year 2019, the institution’s endowment assets
grew to $68 million. A preliminary accounting for 2020 puts that figure at $64.6 million,
a drop officials attribute to fluctuations in the marketplace caused at least in part
by the coronavirus pandemic.
Community College Daily, Nov. 30, 2020
Big Bend Community College helps feed disadvantaged students and their families for Thanksgiving
Hundreds of people are giving thanks today due to the generous gesture by faculty,
staff, and community members who care about disadvantaged students at Big Bend Community College (BBCC) in Moses Lake. Officials with BBCC say $6,170 was raised for the Viking Food Pantry’s
Thanksgiving meal effort.
iFiber One, Nov. 26, 2020
Columbia Basin College acquires grant to support families of migrant workers
Columbia Basin College was approved for a $2.3 million grant by the U.S. Department of Education. This funding
will be used to supplement the High School Equivalency Program (HEP), which enables
members of the community to obtain their General Educational Development (GED) certificate.
The HEP is designed specifically to help migrant or seasonal farmworkers earn crucial
educational documentation.
YakTriNews, Nov. 25, 2020
Pierce College holds virtual groundbreaking of new academic building
Pierce College Fort Steilacoom will celebrate the groundbreaking of its newest academic building Wednesday, Dec.
2 from 4 to 5 p.m. through a virtual groundbreaking ceremony. This project will provide
state-of-the-art learning spaces for the college’s dental hygiene, veterinary technology,
and emergency medical services programs, according to a release.
South Sound Magazine, Nov. 25, 2020
Sequim student finds personal, academic success with PC program
Rachel Anderson was born and raised in Sequim, in what she described as an abusive,
low income household. “I am a first generation college student,” she said. “I was
a stay at home parent of three kids, suffering from really high social anxiety and
had really low confidence until I started going back to school [at Peninsula College] in the winter of 2020.”
Sequim Gazette, Nov. 25, 2020
Walla Walla Community College sets sight on winter quarter
The pandemic has not made Chad Hickox’s first full year as Walla Walla Community College’s president an easy one. Now he’s looking forward to a winter quarter he hopes can
turn things around. ... Academically, Hickox said he believes the school is doing
a good job supporting students who have decided to enroll now.
Union-Bulletin, Nov. 24, 2020
Olympia organizations give three $1,000 scholarships to SPSCC Craft Brewing and Distilling students
The South Puget Sound Community College (SPSCC) Foundation recently worked with O’Bee Credit Union and the Olympia Tumwater Foundation
to award three $1,000 scholarships to SPSCC Craft Brewing and Distilling students.
The organizations describe this gift as just one way they are committed to the region’s
craft beverage industry.
Thurston Talk, Nov. 23, 2020
Gidget Terpstra receives Distinguished Community Service Award
At Shoreline Community College Foundation's 23rd Annual Student Success Virtual Fundraiser on October 20, 2020,
Gidget Terpstra of Shoreline was named the recipient of the Distinguished Community
Service Award. ... She served on the Shoreline Community College Board of Trustees,
2004-2013 and again in 2019.
Shoreline Area News, Nov. 14, 2020
Trends | Horizons | Education
College Scorecard now includes wage data based on field
In a move they said will help students get a better idea of how much they can borrow
and afford to pay back, Education Department officials are expanding the College Scorecard
to show how much graduates at institutions make based on their areas of study. The
scorecard now provides new median income data for students two years out from their
date of graduation.
Inside Higher Ed, Dec. 3, 2020
Embedding certifications into bachelor's degrees
A new report describes a framework for embedding industry certifications into bachelor's
degree programs, an approach that could increase the job-market value of some degrees.
The report is based on a project led by Workcred, a nonprofit organization, in partnership
with the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU), the Coalition of
Urban Serving Universities (USU), and the University Professional and Continuing Education
Association (UPCEA).
Inside Higher Ed, Dec. 2, 2020
Reinventing workers for the post-Covid economy
... Covid is abruptly taking out a swath of jobs that were thought to be comparatively
resilient, in services that require personal contact with customers. And the jolt
has landed squarely on workers with little or no education beyond high school, toiling
in the low-wage service economy.
The New York Times, Dec. 1, 2020
Veterans and COVID-19
... Student veterans are likely to start their education at community colleges, said
Emily Schwartz, program manager at Ithaka S+R and one of the authors of the brief.
Community college enrollment is down by nearly 10 percent, which doesn't bode well.
At the same time, enrollment at for-profit colleges remains steady. Historically,
these colleges recruit student veterans during economic downturns, according to Schwartz.
Inside Higher Ed, Dec. 1, 2020
Politics | Local, State, National
College groups tell Congress they need money
The need for federal aid for colleges and universities is even greater than the $120 billion
anticipated, a number of higher education groups including associations representing
the colleges said in a letter to congressional leaders Wednesday.
Inside Higher Ed, Dec. 3, 2020
DeVos says free college amounts to a 'socialist takeover'
In a veiled swing at President-elect Joe Biden’s education plans, Education Secretary
Betsy DeVos on Tuesday blasted the push for free college as a “socialist takeover
of higher education” that could damage the nation’s economy. Speaking at an online
conference hosted by the Education Department’s Federal Student Aid office, DeVos
did not mention Biden by name.
The Seattle Times, Dec. 1, 2020
Who will replace Alexander?
Could Rand Paul, who once advocated eliminating the Education Department, really become
the Senate’s top voice on higher education? It’s not the most likely outcome in the
jockeying expected before the end of the year or at the beginning of next year over
who will replace retiring senator Lamar Alexander as the top Republican on the Senate’s
education committee.
Inside Higher Ed, Nov. 30, 2020
