News Links | January 7, 2020
System News | Opinion
SPSCC exhibition explores ‘Power Tools’ from many angles and in many media
Though the individual artworks are small, South Puget Sound Community College’s annual Fine Arts Postcard Exhibition is a mighty big show. The ninth annual postcard
show, opening Monday, includes 190 works by 84 artists — a number that’s smaller than
in the past few years but enormous compared to the tally for a conventional exhibition.
The walls of The Gallery at the college are crowded with pieces by artists ranging
from such local notables as ceramicist and SPSCC professor, Joe Batt, and painter,
Susan Christian, to people who’ve never exhibited before.
The Olympian, Jan. 3, 2020
Clark College faculty set strike date
Clark College faculty will strike on Jan. 13 if their union and college administrators fail to
reach a tentative contract agreement. The Association for Higher Education announced
Thursday that if a deal is not struck by 5 p.m. Jan. 10, members will begin striking
the following Monday morning. A news release from the union notes that week is when
four Clark College presidential candidates will begin visiting the campus for interviews
and public forums.
The Columbian, Jan. 3, 2020
$300,000 donation establishes music scholarship at Centralia College in memorial of Vondean Thompson
A recent donation of $300,000 to Centralia College Foundation has established the Vondean Thompson Memorial Scholarship for music students
to honor the former Centralia mayor and longtime musician, Vondean Thompson. The donation
was made by Thompson’s husband, Bob, and will be offered to first and second year
music students starting in the 2020-2021 academic year. Students can apply for the
scholarship, deadline is March 1, on the Centralia College Foundation website. Up
to $1,000 will be awarded each year.
The Daily Chronicle, Jan. 1, 2020
GHC fall quarter President’s List announced
Over 400 local Grays Harbor College students were highlighted for their exemplary grades in the fall quarter. In a release
from Executive Director of the GHC Foundation and Director of College Development
Lisa Smith, she announced that out of all students attending classes, a total of 432
qualified to be named on the Fall Quarter President’s List. In order to qualify for
the list, students must have a 3.5 grade-point average or better among all their classes.
KXRO, Dec. 31, 2019
SPSCC Artist & Lecture Series presents Dolen Perkins-Valdez lecture
South Puget Sound Community College (SPSCC) will continue the Artist & Lecture Series with author and educator Dolen Perkins-Valdez
on Monday, Feb. 3. Perkins-Valdez is best known for her best-selling debut novel “Wench,”
an intricate Civil War-era story that explores the moral complexities of slavery.
... Wench was awarded the First Novelist Award by the Black Caucus of the American
Library in 2011. Dolen teaches in the Stonecoast MFA program in Maine and is a popular
guest for Black History and Women’s Month programs.
Nisqually Valley News, Dec. 31, 2019
Help for student-parents
For many low-income college students, the continuation and success of their education
hinges on the availability of affordable child care. Aware of that dilemma, student
services and advisory leaders at Auburn-based Green River College have taken on the challenge to help those who might be juggling a full-time job,
part-time classes and tending to children at home.
Kent Reporter, Dec. 30, 2019
Derek Sheffield reads “The Door” by Jack Johnson
Derek Sheffield’s collection of poetry, Through the Second Skin (Orchises, 2013),
was a finalist for the Washington State Book Award. His poems have also appeared in
The Southern Review, Poetry, The Gettysburg Review, AGNI, and The Georgia Review,
and were given special mention in the Puschart Prize Anthology. ... He lives with
his family on the east slopes of the Cascades in Washington State where he teaches
poetry and ecological writing at Wenatchee Valley College and is the poetry editor of Terrain.org. [Audio]
Spokane Public Radio, Dec. 30, 2019
How Washington colleges are opening their doors to adults with intellectual disabilities
... Colleges in Washington are helping fill the void. Spokane Community College and Highline College, for example, have received federal grants to support specialized college programs
for students with intellectual disabilities. ... Skagit Valley College has a program, too, but there are too few options in some of the state’s major population
hubs, Pollard said, such as Seattle.
The Seattle Times, Dec. 28, 2019
Clark College, faculty union still locked in negotiations
Clark College and its faculty union remained locked in negotiations Friday afternoon as the clock
ticks down to a potential strike approved by the Association for Higher Education.
The association, which represents about 400 full-time and part-time faculty, is advocating
for improved salaries in light of a 2018 change to state law allowing faculty unions
to bargain for salary increases using local funding. ... The average salary for full-time
professors at Clark College was about $63,970 during the 2017-2018 fiscal year, the
latest available data from the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges. That’s slightly ahead of the state average of $62,095.12. Part-time faculty, meanwhile,
were paid slightly less than the state average. Adjuncts at Clark made $3,565.33 for
a single five-credit lecture class taught over the course of an academic quarter,
while the state average was $3,680.98.
The Columbian, Dec. 27. 2019
"I want to be a better human": At Clark College, ex-convict crams for a fresh start
Timothy Tipton mumbled to himself, shuffling through papers and typing rapidly. It’s
finals week, and in a few hours Tipton would sit for a calculus and programming exam.
This is his last chance to study, hunkered down in the room he shares at a clean-and-sober
recovery house in Salmon Creek. His side of the room is sparse, but there are some
personal touches: a penguin figurine, prayers used in Alcoholics and Narcotics Anonymous,
and certificates of completion from the Washington State Department of Corrections.
This is a point many years in the making for this 37-year-old Clark College student. On June 17, Tipton walked out of Larch Corrections Center, where he completed
a sentence stemming from 2017 charges of vehicular assault.
The Daily News, Dec. 26, 2019
Clark College names four finalists in search for next president
Clark College has announced four finalists to take over as president in 2020. The finalists are: Karin
Edwards, president of Portland Community College’s Cascade Campus, Joaquin Martinez,
district vice provost of institutional effectiveness at Miami Dade College, Lamata
Mitchell, vice president of instruction and academic operations at Pima Community
College, and Sara Thompson Tweedy, vice president of student access, involvement and
success at the State University of New York Westchester Community College in Valhalla.
The Columbian, Dec. 23, 2019
Big Bend ASB officers give back to New Hope for third year
For the third year, Big Bend Community College Associated Student Body (ASB) officers assembled and delivered 100 emergency hygiene
support kits to the New Hope Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault services. “ASB students
do a community service project every year and for the past couple of years, they’ve
helped New Hope Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault services here in Moses Lake,”
said Tiffany Fondren, communications coordinator. “They also serve people all over
the county.”
KPQ, Dec. 23, 2019
No home for the holidays: Why colleges should stop forcing students to leave campus during breaks
Most people on college campuses look forward to holiday breaks as a time to return
home, reconnect with family and friends, and do things that are too time-consuming
to fit in during ordinary working hours. But that’s not the case for thousands of
people who have no home to go — and colleges and universities that close their campuses
put these students out, quite literally, on the street, leaving them in untenable
positions. ... Tacoma Community College in Washington state established a partnership with the Tacoma Housing Authority to
provide housing subsidies for students who are homeless or near homeless. The program
is so popular there is currently a waiting list.
The Washington Post, Dec. 23, 2019
With $2M in cuts looming, Shoreline Community College may shutter popular dental hygiene program and clinic
... “I told my mom [that] I want to be one of those nice ladies with the tools.” Now,
she’s studying to do just that, as one of 24 first-year students at Shoreline Community College’s popular dental hygiene program. But even before the Class of 2021 finished the first
quarter, Royal and her peers learned their program is in jeopardy. Facing a nearly
$2 million budget shortfall, college administrators have begun a program-by-program
review to decide which they will cut. The dental hygiene program, according to its
director, is the most expensive on campus, giving some faculty members reason to worry
the college will just eliminate it entirely.
The Seattle Times, Dec. 23, 2019
Seattle program offers students 2 years of free tuition
Seniors at Seattle's public high schools are taking advantage of a program allowing
them to apply for free tuition at community colleges. The Seattle Times reports that
more than 1,000 students have already applied for Seattle Promise with weeks remaining
before the Feb. 15 deadline. The program offers Seattle public high school graduates
two years of tuition-free education at Seattle Central, North Seattle and South Seattle community colleges.
KOMO News, Dec. 22, 2019
Edmonds CC hires new deans for Business, Health and Human Services, and Corrections Education
Edmonds Community College has announced that Kristen N. Morgan, Karen Townsend and Kevin Stewart have been
hired as new deans for its Corrections Education, Health and Human Services, and Business
academic divisions. “Our new deans bring tremendous expertise and passion to their
work,” said Edmonds CC President Dr. Amit B. Singh. “They have a demonstrated commitment
to student success that will help further our mission of teaching, learning and community.”
My Edmonds News, Dec. 21, 2019
Centralia College Director of Student Life wins national service award
Centralia College Director of Student Life Shelley Bannish has been awarded the 2020 Founder’s Award
from the National Association for Campus Activities, the college announced this week.
“I’m surprised and overwhelmed,” said Bannish, in a statement. “NACA is a great organization
for students and I really believe in the power of student activities to change lives
and help students succeed. It’s a real honor to be chosen for this award. It means
a lot to me.”
The Daily Chronicle, Dec. 20, 2019
Helping neurodivergent students navigate higher education | Windows and Mirrors
... It may have taken some time but it looks like for Gibson, sixth time may be the
charm as he is now attending Bellevue College (BC) studying cybersecurity. And whereas his previous experiences in post-secondary education
never lasted more than three quarters, his current stint began in spring 2018 and
Gibson is in his seventh quarter at BC and scheduled to graduate in spring 2021.
Kirkland Reporter, Dec. 19, 2019
Trends | Horizons | Education
Positive picture for state higher ed funding
An annual survey of state funding for higher education released today documents modest
continued increases in funding across most states. Initially approved state appropriations
grew by 5 percent in fiscal 2020 compared to the year before, representing the eighth
straight year of annual increases and the largest annual percentage increase since
fiscal year 2015, according to the annual Grapevine survey, a joint project of the
Center for the Study of Education Policy at Illinois State University and the State
Higher Education Executive Officers Association (SHEEO).
Inside Higher Ed, Jan. 6, 2020
Looking abroad and to faith groups
Like many two-year colleges, Hudson Valley Community College in upstate New York is
struggling with declining enrollment. Unlike many colleges, it's reaching out beyond
the usual strategies to find ways to survive and thrive. Under the leadership of Roger
Ramsammy, who became president in 2018, the college known locally as "Harvard on the
Hudson" is forming partnerships with other countries, investing in its more popular
programs and working with faith leaders to recruit students.
Inside Higher Ed, Jan. 3, 2020
Funding roundup
Tens of thousands of community college students in Washington state will benefit from
the generosity of Eva Gordon, a Seattle resident who passed away in 2018 at the age
of 105. In mid-December, her estate announced that she had bequeathed $10 million
to 17 Washington community colleges. Each of the colleges will receive approximately
$550,000. The gift is one of the largest to community and technical colleges in the
state. Gordon worked hard, was frugal and quietly amassed a fortune, but had no formal
education herself – something she regretted.
Community College Daily, Jan. 2, 2020
Students' sense of belonging varies by identity, institution
A new study shows that minority and first-generation students have a higher sense
of belonging at two-year colleges than their counterparts at four-year institutions.
Researchers who conducted the study also found that while racial-ethnic minority and
first-generation students at four-year institutions are less inclined to feel that
same sense of belonging, first-year students at both two-year and four-year colleges
and universities said they "somewhat agree" that they belong on their campuses.
Inside Higher Ed, Jan. 2, 2020
Colleges are turning students’ phones into surveillance machines, tracking the locations of hundreds of thousands
... Short-range phone sensors and campuswide WiFi networks are empowering colleges
across the United States to track hundreds of thousands of students more precisely
than ever before. Dozens of schools now use such technology to monitor students’ academic
performance, analyze their conduct or assess their mental health.
The Washington Post, Dec. 24, 2019
New SNAP rule impacts college students by limiting benefits and adding confusion
Some low-income college students are among the 688,000 food stamp recipients projected
to lose benefits as a result of a Trump administration rule announced Dec. 4. While
the rule explicitly targets "able-bodied adults without dependents," it also limits
food assistance for a share of college students at a time when campuses across the
country are grappling with how to respond to food insecurity.
NPR, Dec. 21, 2019
529 savings for loans
Student loan borrowers may soon be able to pay down their debt using money from 529 savings
accounts. President Trump is expected to sign a spending bill that includes this provision
Friday. The amendment would let those with 529 spending plans use the money toward
expenses related to registered apprenticeship programs as well as qualified education
loan repayments. Currently, funds in 529 savings plans can be used toward expenses
accrued from attending a qualified higher education institution, like tuition, housing
or books.
Inside Higher Ed, Dec. 20, 2019
Education deserts
Access to higher education is unequal in America, according to new research that shows
education deserts across institution sectors, particularly in rural areas. The new
report and interactive map created by the Jain Family Institute depicts how institutions
of higher education are more concentrated in urban hubs and the eastern part of the
country. The research looks at the accessibility of higher education by enrollment
figures and the concentration of colleges. It maps access to postsecondary institutions
at the ZIP code level in all U.S. states and territories.
Inside Higher Ed, Dec. 20, 2019
Study shows higher ed for single mothers pays dividends
Single mothers who earn an associate’s or bachelor’s degree earn more, pay more in
taxes and require little if any public assistance according to a new study. A study
from the Institute for Women’s Policy Research (IWPR) provides state-level analysis
on the economic and social returns for single mothers who are able to access higher
education and earn their degrees. Singles mothers are more likely to live in poverty
than other women, but the opportunity to enroll in a college or university and earn
a degree can completely change that.
Diverse Education, Dec. 18, 2019
Politics | Local, State, National
Lawmakers hopes to end ‘passing the harasser’ with bill requiring colleges to disclose sexual-misconduct findings
Washington lawmakers will likely consider whether colleges should be required to share
information about sexual misconduct by employees, to prevent abusive faculty and staff
from jumping between schools. Rep. Gerry Pollet, D-Seattle, has drafted a bill for
the upcoming legislative session that would require applicants to post-secondary institutions
to disclose ongoing investigations or substantiated findings of sexual misconduct,
and to allow their previous employers to disclose related information to the colleges.
The Seattle Times, Dec. 30, 2019
You'll have to be 21 to buy cigarettes or vape products in Washington starting Jan. 1, 2020
In about one more week, people under the age of 21 will no longer be able to buy cigarettes
or vaping products in Washington. A new Washington law that makes it illegal to sell
tobacco or vapor products to anyone under age 21 goes into effect on Jan. 1. 2020.
That will be the case across the country later next year because of a measure just
approved by Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump.
KNKX, Dec. 24, 2019
Tax implications for colleges in budget bill
The U.S. Senate on Thursday passed budget bills for the 2020 fiscal year, which if
signed by President Trump would avert a government shutdown that would begin today.
Higher education and scientific research programs generally fared well under the budget.
And Congress generally ignored deep cuts in both areas that the White House had proposed. The
budget bills include several provisions on taxation relating to higher education.
The National Association of College and University Business Officers said those provisions
should have positive outcomes for colleges.
Inside Higher Ed, Dec. 20, 2019
