News Links | February 23, 2021
System News | Opinion
Films tell tales in one minute each
... “Some people might find it impossible to capture an entire world and a story to
tell in just one minute,” college instructor Lara Starcevich said. “These students
chose to challenge that way of thinking and not only tackle the obstacle, but do so
with flying colors and unimaginable creativity.” The project is a collaboration between
the Drama 101 and Film 120 classes at Peninsula College.
Peninsula Daily News, Feb. 21, 2021
Bates: Spotlight on students: Cybersecurity student says staff help them find their voice, increase campus involvement
... One thing I love about Bates Technical College is how inclusive they are. My first week at Bates I felt so welcomed by the Campus
dean, staff and students. Going into the 1st few weeks I had already connected with
my classmates & made a group chat where we are able to work together through class
problems ask each other for help and feedback regarding projects.
The Suburban Times, Feb. 20, 2021
CWU Transfer Symposium draws record numbers
... The morning session featured speakers from the Aspen Institute (Washington, D.C.)
and the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges, who provided a national and statewide perspective about recent developments in the
transfer process. “This really was a statewide effort,” Medrano said, adding that
the initial symposium was made possible by Yakima Valley College’s Title V ¡FINISH! Grant.
Daily Record, Feb. 20, 2021
Yakima Valley College launches four-quarter Practical Nurse program
A new four-quarter Practical Nursing program launched at Yakima Valley College this winter term, taking on 10 students in its first cohort to contribute to the
high-demand profession. “PNs provide direct hands-on patient care including monitoring
patients’ health, measuring blood pressure and other vitals, administering basic patient
care, providing for the basic comfort of patients, discussing the patients’ care,
documenting patient concerns, and charting patient care service,” the college said
in a statement Friday.
Yakima Herald, Feb. 19, 2021
Health Department announces large-scale COVID-19 vaccination clinic
The Whatcom County Health Department announced that Bellingham Technical College has agreed to host a community vaccination site that will start in March. The goal
is to vaccinate up to 5,000 people per week at the site, depending on vaccine availability.
... Nursing students from Whatcom Community College will also be ready to help out.
KGMI, Feb. 19, 2021
Restaurant news: Edmonds College culinary students learn to pivot, more food truck fun — and snow what?
I recently reviewed food from the Triton Taste, the food truck that is an integral
part of the culinary program at our local Edmonds College. I had a chance to have an email conversation — and have a few quick chats while
waiting for food — with Chef Instructor Stacey Schwartz.
My Edmonds News, Feb. 18, 2021
LCC budget stable even with enrollment drop
While Lower Columbia College's enrollment rates are still down, the college does not anticipate needing to make
any midyear cuts because of earlier decisions to cut staff and programs, college officials
said Wednesday. At the Board of Trustee’s meeting Feb. 17, Vice President of Administration
Nolan Wheeler said the college was “well suited to not take midyear cuts because we
were proactive enough.”
The Daily News, Feb. 18, 2021
Local organizations partner with CBC and WSU Tri-Cities to connect students with internships
The Association of Washington Business, in partnership with the Tri‐City Regional
Chamber of Commerce, Washington State University Tri‐Cities, and Columbia Basin College, has launched a new online portal connecting employers and students for internship
opportunities. CBC President Rebekah Woods says the free portal provides students
with valuable workplace opportunities that can, in many cases, also provide college
credit.
NBC Right Now, Feb. 17, 2021
EC STEM building earns Gold LEED certification
Washington State Department of Enterprise Services oversaw $54 million in campus updates
for Edmonds College that included the construction of a new Science, Engineering & Technology building.
The work was completed in August 2020. The building has now earned Gold Leadership
in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification.
Mukilteo Beacon, Feb. 17, 2021
Trends | Horizons | Education
Would canceling student debt promote racial equity?
Ashley Harrington is among the many people who see canceling student debt as an issue
of racial justice. For many Black Americans, centuries of discrimination have led
to white people having much more wealth than Black people, she and others say. So
when it comes time for students to go to college, Black families are much less likely
than white families to have the money to help pay for their children's education.
Inside Higher Ed, Feb. 23, 2021
Commentary: Why traumatized students can’t learn and what community colleges can do about it
... The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report that 61% of Americans
experienced a traumatic event in childhood, and that poverty increases the likelihood
of trauma. Community college students are more likely than students at four-year schools
to qualify as low-income and, at least in theory, are more likely to experience trauma.
Community College Daily, Feb. 22, 2021
Enrollment at U.S. community colleges plummets amid pandemic
Nationwide, enrollment at community colleges – which offer two-year degrees and vocational
training and often attract older students looking to learn new skills – dropped 10%
from fall 2019 to fall 2020, according to the National Student Clearinghouse. They
were hit the hardest amid all colleges and four-year universities experienced only
slight declines, beating many predictions that the outcome would be worse.
The Spokesman-Review, Feb. 20, 2021
Online learning era neglects blind students' needs
The shift to remote learning has been extremely challenging for blind students, with
some still facing unresolved accessibility issues. The National Federation of the
Blind and other organizations have warned for months that colleges are failing to
provide blind students with the timely accommodations and support to which they are
legally entitled.
Inside Higher Ed, Feb. 19, 2021
A college program for disadvantaged teens could shake up elite admissions
... An analysis of the most recent federal civil rights data by the Community College
Research Center, part of Columbia University’s Teachers College, shows white students
enroll in traditional dual-enrollment courses at twice the rate of Black students.
And Black and Native American students had the lowest participation rates in Advanced
Placement courses, the most widely used proxy for college readiness.
The Seattle Times, Feb. 18, 2021
Politics | Local, State, National
Kvaal nominated for ED under secretary
President Joe Biden has nominated James Kvaal as under secretary at the U.S. Education
Department (ED). The position oversees higher education policies, procedures and programs
at the department. Kvaal is president of the Institute for College Access & Success
and previously taught at the University of Michigan’s Ford School of Public Policy.
Community College Daily, Feb. 21, 2021
