News Links | January 5, 2021
System News | Opinion
Big Bend CC trustee announces resignation
Big Bend Community College trustee Stephen McFadden has announced his resignation, effective in March. McFadden,
of Ritzville, said in his resignation letter he took a job as director of economic
development and marketing for the Port of Pasco in September, and will move to Tri-Cities.
Since that’s outside the college district, he’s ineligible to serve as trustee.
Columbia Basin Herald, Jan. 4, 2021
Vocalists still singing online despite it all
Fitzgerald, the legendary jazz singer, is just one of the voices inspiring Bee Wilkinson
these days. A student in the Vocal Masters course at Peninsula College — just added to the community education lineup — Wilkinson is singing her way through
the pandemic era.
Peninsula Daily News, Dec. 31, 2020
Virtual flyover of new CBC student recreation center
Columbia Basin College in Pasco started construction of the new $30 million student recreation building
last fall. It will include a gym, fitness center and eSports center for computer gaming
when it is complete. [Video]
Tri-City Herald, Dec. 30, 2020
Skagit Valley College receives more than $185,000 in CARES Act funding
The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges awarded nearly $5 million in federal CARES Act dollars to community and technical
colleges across the state as they work to restore workforce-related programs affected
by the COVID-19 pandemic. The one-time grants come from the Governor’s Emergency Education
Relief funds provided by the CARES Act. Skagit Valley College will receive $189,510.
Journal of the San Juan Islands, Dec. 30, 2020
Grays Harbor College awarded nearly $200,000 in federal COVID relief money
Grays Harbor College was awarded just shy of $200,000 in federal CARES Act coronavirus relief funding
through the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges last week. ... In addition to Grays Harbor College’s $197,700, 31 schools got up
to $200,000 each of the $5 million, including Olympic College, South Puget Sound Community College, Clark College and Centralia College.
The Daily World, Dec. 29, 2020
Community, technical colleges receive grants to restore workforce programs
Nearly $5 million in federal CARES Act dollars have been granted to the state’s community
and technical colleges to restore workforce programs. ... Bellingham Technical College was awarded $200,000 and Whatcom Community College was awarded just over $177,000. Skagit Valley College received nearly $190,000 in funding.
KGMI, Dec. 28, 2020
Edmonds College student wins Optimal Community College Scholarship
Edmonds College student Eric Chung was one of 11 students from across the U.S. to win a $5,000 Community
College Scholarship in October from Optimal, an education research publisher and scholarship
provider. “Congratulations to Eric for his well-deserved success,” said EC President
Dr. Amit B. Singh. “I wish him all the best on his educational journey.”
My Edmonds News, Dec. 28, 2020
Commentary: Chad Hickox: A beacon of hope for WWCC, our students and communities
Several weeks ago I received a stunning phone call informing me that following a rigorous,
data-driven, and secretive process, Walla Walla Community College had been selected by philanthropist MacKenzie Scott to receive a $15 million grant
to assist us in fulfilling our mission. While we don’t have access to the formula
used to determine our qualifications, we have no doubts why Walla Walla Community
College was selected.
Union-Bulletin, Dec. 27, 2020
2020, The Pandemic Year: School closures, online learning and privacy questions
... Lower Columbia College’s first class of students seeking a bachelor of applied science program have been learning
a lot about virtual learning, and have also been joined by a second, part-time degree
cohort this year. The program, which started in 2019, is the first bachelor’s program
the college has offered.
The Daily News, Dec. 24, 2020
Nearly $5 Million In CARES Act Funding To Colleges; GHC Included
... “There’s no question the pandemic has impacted our students and our colleges.
Faculty and staff continue to look for innovative ways to teach our students, and
these GEER grants will go a long way in that effort,” Said Jan Yoshiwara, Executive
Director of the State Board For Community and Technical Colleges. ... Grays Harbor College: $197,700.
KXRO News Radio, Dec. 24, 2020
State Board awards Centralia College $50,000 in CARES Act funds
The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges announced this week that it had awarded about $5 million in CARES Act grants to community
colleges around the state, including a $50,000 award to Centralia College. The grants come from the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief (GEER) funds.
The Daily Chronicle, Dec. 23, 2020
Trends | Horizons | Education
Biden's choice for education secretary
President-elect Joe Biden has selected Connecticut education commissioner Miguel Cardona
as his education secretary. "Dr. Cardona has a proven track record as an innovative
leader who will fight for all students, and for a better, fairer, more successful
education system," Biden said in a pre-Christmas announcement.
Inside Higher Ed, Jan. 4, 2021
Congress lifts long-standing ban on Pell grants to people in prison
... On Dec. 21, 2020, Congress moved to lift the long-standing ban on federal student
aid – specifically, the Pell grant – for those who are incarcerated. The decision
comes after a long push for prison reforms that included calls for a greater emphasis
on rehabilitation, reducing prison populations and making prison sentences less harsh.
PBS News Hour, Dec. 29, 2020
In rural America, fears about the future abound as fewer students go to college
... The number of rural students filling out the federal application for financial
aid, a sign of whether they're even considering going to college, has plummeted by
more than 18%, the National College Attainment Network reports. That's worse than
the also alarming nearly 16% drop among urban students.
NPR, Dec. 24, 2020
Politics | Local, State, National
DeVos criticizes free college, changing Title IX rules
As she prepares to leave office, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos urged Congress not
to enact President-elect Joe Biden’s proposals to eliminate tuition at public colleges
or cancel student debt. “I hope you also reject misguided calls to make college ‘free’
and require the two-thirds of Americans who didn’t take on student debt or who responsibly
paid off their student loans to pay for the loans of those who have not done the same,”
DeVos wrote in a letter to congressional leaders, as well as to the members of the
House and Senate appropriations committees on Monday.
Inside Higher Ed, Jan. 5, 2021
How Biden’s Education Department will tackle pandemic and Trump-era policies
Addressing the effects of the coronavirus pandemic on education will be among some
of the most urgent issues facing President-elect Joe Biden when he takes office. Biden’s
long list of stated education priorities include undoing the Trump administration’s
cutbacks on regulations meant to protect vulnerable students from discrimination,
exploitation or civil rights violations.
PBS News Hour, Dec. 29, 2020
