News Links | March 30, 2021
System News | Opinion
Disappearing debt
... Melanie Ruiz, director of financial aid and veteran Services at Bellevue College, said a student loan reimbursement could entice job-seekers. “I think the ability
for an employer to offer assistance with student loan repayment can be a definite
incentive if a job applicant is weighing multiple job offers,” Ruiz said in an email.
425 Business, March 29, 2021
More local college students now eligible for basic needs assistance
Washington state has expanded eligibility for the Basic Food Employment and Training
(BFET) grant ... Students at Yakima Valley College and Columbia Basin College can apply for BFET services at any time. The program is a partnership between local
community colleges and the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS).
KEPR, March 27, 2021
Wenatchee Valley College students have opportunity for emergency relief funding
Wenatchee Valley College students will be able to apply for Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations
(CRRSA) Act funding in April. The college is receiving $1.2 million in funding to
use toward emergency cash grants for students. The CRRSA Act funding is the second
round for the federal Higher Education Relief Funds.
News Radio 560 KPQ, March 26, 2021
Educator at Renton Technical College sells homemade jewelry to support students
An educator at Renton Technical College spent her pandemic free-time crafting and selling jewelry to support students in
need. Liz Falconer is the director of innovative teaching and learning at RTC, where
she works to support students with help and resources as they navigate through their
academic career.
Renton Reporter, March 25, 2021
Community announcements: Peninsula College Community Education offers spring courses online
Are online community education classes any fun? Yes! Peninsula College Community Education is earning an “A” average on exit surveys asking about overall
satisfaction, instructor quality, and class value despite its remote format. PC’s
Community Education program, which was on hiatus for a few years, has been giving
people a social outlet during the pandemic.
Forks Forum, March 25, 2021
Trends | Horizons | Education
Another uncertain admissions cycle for international students
Colleges are facing another admissions cycle marked by uncertainty about international
student enrollments. It’s not just a matter of student interest; it’s also a matter
of logistics. More than one year after the COVID-19 pandemic began in the United States,
many U.S. embassies and consulates have not resumed regular visa processing.
Inside Higher Ed, March 30, 2021
IWPR report highlights challenges of student-parents
... Using first-hand experiences, the Institute for Women’s Policy Research (IWPR)
released a new report to highlight the ongoing challenges faced by student-parents
and provide recommendations for institutions to help address their needs. “We want
to make sure that the voices of student-parents are at the forefront of our research
and our work and part of the conversation to drive these policy solutions,”” said
Susana Contreras-Mendez, research associate at IWPR and co-author of the report.
Diverse Education, March 30, 2021
Education Dept restores debt cancellation for some borrowers with disabilities
The U.S. Department of Education says it will erase the federal student loan debts
of tens of thousands of borrowers who can no longer work because they have significant
disabilities. It's a small but important step toward improving a shambolic, bureaucratic
process for hundreds of thousands of vulnerable borrowers who are legally entitled
to debt relief, but haven't received it.
NPR, March 29, 2021
New federal student aid portal unveiled
The Education Department's Office of Federal Student Aid unveiled a new portal Sunday
night to ease the administration of aid programs. The site will be used by colleges,
guarantee agencies, federal loan servicers and third-party servicers.
Inside Higher Ed, March 29, 2021
'A hotly contested issue'
A Christian professor of philosophy who was reprimanded for refusing to refer to a
trans student as a woman can pursue his lawsuit against Shawnee State University in
Ohio, a federal appeals court said Friday. Shawnee State “punished a professor for
his speech on a hotly contested issue,” the appeals court said. “And it did so despite
the constitutional protections afforded by the First Amendment.”
Inside Higher Ed, March 29, 2021
Rutgers will require students to get vaccine
Rutgers University announced Thursday that it would require students to be vaccinated
against COVID-19 before coming to campus next fall. The public institution in New
Jersey may be the first or at least among the first universities to take the step
of mandating students receive a COVID-19 vaccine.
Inside Higher Ed, March 26, 2021
Politics | Local, State, National
Job training needs for Biden’s infrastructure plan
President Joe Biden’s anticipated $1.5 trillion infrastructure program would increase
the number of jobs in the sector, and workforce training programs – especially short-term
ones – would be crucial to help workers prepare for the bulk of those jobs, according
to a new report from the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce.
Community College Daily, March 29, 2021
Commentary: Washington watch: JOBS Act gets the job done
Businesses need employees with the right skills. Meeting this goal is a constant challenge.
Pre-Covid-19, 7 million job openings went unfilled, attributable in large part to
a skills gap. The economy recovering from the pandemic has these and additional challenges.
Many jobs are at risk of not returning, affecting disproportionately the economically
disadvantaged, particularly people of color and women.
Community College Daily, March 25, 2021
