News Links | December 22, 2020
System News | Opinion
Wenatchee Valley College & Big Bend Community College awarded CARES funds
The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges dispersed $5 million in CARES Act funding to community and technical colleges – including
for Wenatchee Valley College and Big Bend Community College. Big Bend received $94,000 and WVC received $199,482.
560 KPQ, Dec. 21, 2020
CBC beating national average in enrollment during pandemic
New numbers show community college enrollment nationally is down about ten percent,
with impacts felt at local colleges as well. At Columbia Basin College, where winter quarter starts January 4th, the college’s enrollment is down about
8.5 percent compared to the same time the previous year. CBC has found some success
convincing students of the dangers of “hitting pause” on their education.
KEPR, Dec. 21, 2020
College recognizes Edmonds artist d'Elaine Johnson
... "We are so appreciative of the generosity d'Elaine has shown to Edmonds College and our students, and we join in celebrating her award which is so greatly deserved,"
said EC President Amit B. Singh. The Johnsons, Edmonds residents since 1956, developed
a relationship with EC and created a robust scholarship program as a way to pass on
their legacy.
Edmonds Beacon, Dec. 21, 2020
Now adapted to COVID-19 protocols, Community Colleges of Spokane prep for winter quarter
For the Community Colleges of Spokane, fall was a tale of two approaches to learning amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Spokane Community College provided roughly 60% of classes either in person or through a hybrid of in person
and online – the most of any community or technical college in the state, leaders
said. ... Spokane Falls Community College was the opposite. College officials said approximately 84% of the school’s more than
4,200 students learned virtually in some capacity, with 66% of classes offered either
online or through a hybrid model.
The Spokesman-Review, Dec. 20, 2020
Family Fun: Winter solstice aligns with planetary conjunction
The stars are aligned. Well, actually, it’s the planets. On Monday, Jupiter and Saturn
will be as close together – as seen from Earth – as they’ve been in centuries. “They’ll
be so close together, it’ll be hard to tell them apart,” said John Whitmer, astronomy
instructor at Spokane Falls Community College.
The Spokesman-Review, Dec. 20, 2020
Construction workers can now earn Central Washington University degree at Renton Technical College
Renton Technical College (RTC) and Central Washington University (CWU) have created a new program to help people
in the occupational trades, such as construction workers, earn a college degree by
counting work and apprenticeship experience toward degree completion.
Renton Reporter, Dec. 18, 2020
Curbside Food Pantry pickup events at Pierce College offer students supplies to help this winter
For many, food insecurity has remained a constant issue before and during the pandemic.
Organizations and community centers, including Pierce College, that would regularly distribute food to students have had to adjust the way they
do so in order to keep staff and recipients safe. “It’s a frustrating but also an
understandable difficulty that we have to balance the safety of our students and making
sure that we aren’t contributing to the spread of the virus, but also trying our best
to get students what they need,” said Walter Lutsch, the student engagement specialist
at Pierce College Fort Steilacoom.
The Suburban Times, Dec. 17, 2020
With successful COVID-19 safety measures Columbia Basin College adds more residents to Sunhawk Hall
Despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, Columbia Basin College is seeing an increase in students choosing to live on campus this winter. The college
reports it is adding more ten residents to Sunhawk Hall, compared to winter quarter
last year. Since March, there have been two instances of positive COVID tests for
residents, but safety measures have limited any further spread within the hall.
NBC Right Now, Dec. 17, 2020
Boeing robot arm donation helps Shoreline manufacturing students get job-ready
[Shoreline Community College's] Advanced Manufacturing and Mechatronics program has a new robot arm for students
to train on thanks to the generosity of Boeing. The arm is used for drilling and riveting
on assemblies for airplane programs and was previously used at Craft College, a Boeing
employee training program. Boeing donated the arm to the College through the MechWA
grant.
Patch, Dec. 16, 2020
Trends | Horizons | Education
Transfers decrease in the wake of Covid
The National Student Clearinghouse (NSC) Research Center released additional data
on Monday focusing on transfers. The new data show further evidence of the pandemic’s
disproportionate impact on community college students. Community college transfers
to four-year institutions were down 10.1%. The decline tracks with previous reports
on enrollment and provides deeper insight into the impact of Covid on student pathways.
Community College Daily, Dec. 21, 2020
Despite high demand for nurses, colleges aren't keeping up
... U.S. universities and colleges last year rejected 80,407 qualified applicants
for bachelor's and graduate degrees in nursing, blaming a lack of faculty, classroom
space and clinical opportunities in hospitals. That doesn't include the number turned
away by community colleges, which educate a large number of beginning nurses.
NPR, Dec. 21, 2020
Politics | Local, State, National
What the funding package means for colleges, students
... The big takeaways from the relief package include $300 in weekly federal unemployment
insurance payments through March 14, direct payments of $600 for individuals and $82
billion for education. Included in that education funding is nearly $23 billion for
a higher education fund, more than $54 billion for public K-12 schools and more than
$4 billion for a governors’ relief fund.
Community College Daily, Dec. 21, 2020
Congress poised to simplify FAFSA, and help people in prison go to college
U.S. lawmakers have announced an agreement on a handful of higher education measures
that would provide meaningful help to marginalized students, students of color and
many of the schools that serve them. The aid is part of a broad new set of legislation,
meant to fund the federal government through fiscal year 2021.
NPR, Dec. 20, 2020
