News Links | July 20, 2021
System News | Opinion
Sabrina Lueck named interim director of Walla Walla Community College winemaking program
Sabrina Lueck loves wine. The new interim director of winemaking at the Walla Walla Community College Institute for Enology and Viticulture said that to her, wine is more than just a
drink. “Wine is a social beverage. It’s been historically and culturally significant
to us for thousands of years,” Lueck said.
Union-Bulletin, July 19, 2021
‘I have a future’: how Biden’s free community college plan could transform education
... In Seattle, community college enrollment has more than doubled and graduation
rates have reached twice the national average since the Promise program was launched
two years ago. Chancellor Shouan Pan of Seattle Colleges praised Biden’s proposal: “It’s only going to help more students who are not in the
Promise program.”
The Guardian, July 19, 2021
"Encore challenge" helping grow endowment at Wenatchee Valley College
... “If Wenatchee Valley College wasn’t here when I needed a junior college to go to, I wouldn’t have been able to
keep the job I had, wouldn’t be able to get the first two years of college out of
the way and then transfer to a four-year university and get my degree which is in
accounting and business.”
News Radio 560 KPQ, July 19, 2021
Department of Defense turns to CBC for cybersecurity education, research
Columbia Basin College is one of four research partners teaming up with Washington State University for
a new $1.5 million dollar grant from the Department of Defense to bolster cybersecurity
education and research. Leading CBC’s connection to the partnership will be instructor
Matt Boehnke ...
KEPR, July 18, 2021
Researchers tackle Dungeness crab population concerns
When it comes to the state of Puget Sound’s Dungeness crab population, there’s a lot
of questions. You may have noticed higher prices, but according to researchers there’s
a decline that may be linked to a range of issues: climate change, ocean acidification,
chemicals and/or overfishing. ”I love Dungeness crab to eat,” said Russ Higley, Highline College’s MaST Center Director. [Video]
KIRO, July 17, 2021
Olympic College takes steps to welcome back more students for in-person instruction
Olympic College has introduced a new centralized check-in system on its Bremerton, Poulsbo and Shelton
campuses as it resumes offering in-person student services this week for the first
time since going all-virtual during the pandemic. The centralized check-in system
will require students, employees and visitors to complete a self-attestation form
...
Kitsap Sun, July 16, 2021
Through state incentive program, Edmonds College awarding $1,000 scholarships to 10 vaccinated students
Edmonds College will award $1,000 scholarships on July 26 to 10 students who have been vaccinated
against COVID-19. The awards are part of Washington state’s “Shot of a Lifetime” vaccination
incentive program. Scholarship recipients will be chosen through a random drawing.
No sign up is necessary — students will automatically be entered into the drawing
...
My Edmonds News, July 16, 2021
20th District lawmakers receive tour of new southwest flexible training center at Centralia College
A new 12,000-square-foot trades education facility at Centralia College is expected to make a big impact as it opens, and lawmakers representing the 20th
Legislative District got a chance to tour it Wednesday morning. The project broke
ground and was constructed this year, according to a news release from Washington
state House Republicans.
The Chronicle, July 16, 2021
Cultural competence, equity practices key themes of Campus Prevention Network Summit
... Ha Nguyen, director for equity, diversity and inclusion at the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges, said one critical component of anti-racist work is building relationships. For example,
the Diversity and Equity Officers Commission was launched by the State Board to create
dialogue opportunities.
Diverse Education, July 15, 2021
In-person classes will expand, and vaccines or exemptions required, this fall at SPSCC
South Puget Sound Community College (SPSCC) on July 6 announced that it will become a fully vaccinated COVID-19 campus for the
start of Fall Quarter 2021. Employees and students will need to verify that they have
been fully vaccinated unless they are claiming a medical, religious, or philosophical
exemption.
Thurston Talk, July 15, 2021
LCC to offer vaccine incentive scholarships
Twenty Lower Columbia College (LCC) students will be selected to receive $500 “shot of a lifetime” vaccine incentive
scholarships as part of a vaccine incentive program funded by the state of Washington.
LCC will award scholarships to 20 students whose names are randomly drawn and who
can show they’ve received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine by July 22.
The Wahkiakum County Eagle, July 15, 2021
YVC-CWU joint STEM article published in national scientific journal
An article written in collaboration between Central Washington University (CWU) and
Yakima Valley College (YVC) faculty members recently appeared in a national scientific journal. Published in
the spring edition of Scholarship and Practice of Undergraduate Research (SPUR), the
article looks at the importance of community college-level STEM (science, technology,
engineering, and math) research programs.
YakTriNews, July 14, 2021
Trends | Horizons | Education
Accreditation during Covid
Leaders of college accreditation organizations say the pandemic, potential federal
higher education regulatory changes, and the drive for greater diversity, equity and
inclusion (DEI) are recent trends affecting their accreditation and quality assurance
review efforts. Accreditors and the institutions they regulate are increasing their
focus on DEI efforts, in part reflecting ...
Community College Daily, July 20, 2021
GI Bill benefits don't pay off for all
The landmark Post-9/11 GI Bill contained a massive expansion of benefits for student
veterans, increasing the maximum financial aid benefit from $1,321 per month to $60,000
per semester for some veterans. But the generous subsidies do not pay off for student
veterans who likely wouldn’t have attended college without the financial incentives
...
Inside Higher Ed, July 20, 2021
Protections for LGBTQ+ students
The Office for Civil Rights at the Department of Education made a clarification last
month that many were anticipating -- LGBTQ+ students are protected by Title IX of
the Education Amendments of 1972, meaning students cannot be discriminated against
based on their sexual orientation or gender identity at institutions receiving federal
funds.
Inside Higher Ed, July 17, 2021
Fellowship program advances students for Foreign Service careers
... However, for community college students interested in a career in information
technology, there’s a light at the end of the tunnel. The Foreign Affairs Information
Technology (FAIT) Fellowship, funded by the U.S. Department of State, provides a path
to an exciting IT career and offers funding for a bachelor’s degree.
Community College Daily, July 16, 2021
Commentary: Preparing our colleges for the post-Covid world
With Covid-19 vaccines more widely available and case counts and hospitalizations
declining, community college administrators, faculty and students are preparing for
the fall 2021 semester. The last academic year brought many changes. Institutions
were forced to pivot to online learning, enrollment declined and administrators were
required to implement new Covid-19 safety protocols.
Community College Daily, July 15, 2021
Politics | Local, State, National
Court defeat for DACA
President Biden says the Department of Justice will appeal a federal judge’s ruling
against the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which provides
protection against deportation to hundreds of thousands of young immigrants known
as Dreamers who were brought to the U.S. without documentation as children.
Inside Higher Ed, July 19, 2021
Washington Watch: Most Broadband Benefit funds left unclaimed
Soon after the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) opened up enrollment for the
Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) program on May 12, the U.S. Department of Education
(ED) informed all 6.5 million award year 2020-21 Pell Grant recipients of their EBB
eligibility. Community college students make up about one-third of total Pell Grant
recipients.
Community College Daily, July 15, 2021
Washington Watch: ED reduces verification burden
Earlier this week, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) announced a temporary change
in federal student aid IV verification policy that should dramatically reduce administrative
burdens on student financial aid offices, while also enabling more students to qualify
for Title IV aid.
Community College Daily, July 14, 2021
