News Links | May 20, 2021
System News | Opinion
Summer concert series back again after missing 2020 season
... The series at Wenatchee Valley College is scheduled to bring much of the same festivities as the garden series, except with
a new, larger venue at the Mike Hollis Field on Fifth Street, on the west end of the
campus.
Wenatchee World, May 20, 2021
Rescue bill: $80 million to northwest WA higher education
More than $80 million in emergency funding for students, colleges and universities
in northwest Washington is contained in the American Rescue Plan, Second District
Rep. Rick Larsen announced May 13. ... Everett Community College: $12,047,273, Edmonds College: $10,567,140, Skagit Valley College: $8,861,122, Whatcom Community College: $8,537,065, Bellingham Technical College: $6,428,903
Lynden Tribune, May 19, 2021
Nursing program keeps accreditation
The Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing has granted continuing accreditation
to the Wenatchee Valley College associate nursing program. Accreditation means that a program has met high standards
of quality, said a college announcement.
Omak Chronicle, May 18, 2021
Gary Locke reflects on his Asian roots, the importance of sharing his story
... Furukawa, now in her early 20s, spoke with Locke, the interim president of Bellevue College, about how being an Asian American has changed throughout the generations -- and
why sharing stories matters.
KNKX, May 18, 2021
Edmonds College to host virtual Memorial Day ceremony May 28
Edmonds College will host its eighth annual Memorial Day ceremony — this year virtually with a live
YouTube premiere of “Remember. Honor. Reflect.” ... “This ceremony reflects the depth
and breadth of care for veterans on our campus,” said Chris Szarek, EC interim executive
director of facilities and U.S. Navy veteran.
MLT News, May 17, 2021
Running Start classes available over summer
Dual credit education program Running Start is now available over the summer through
a Skagit Valley College pilot program. Partnering with school districts in Skagit, Island and San Juan counties,
the college will allow up to 250 high school juniors and seniors to enroll in summer
college courses, which will begin in July.
South Whidbey Record, May 17, 2021
COVID aid for Peninsula education
The federal American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 is lending a helping hand to higher education
on the North Olympic Peninsula. Peninsula College — based in Port Angeles with branches in Port Townsend and Forks —will be allotted
$4.02 million ...
Peninsula Daily News, May 16, 2021
Trends | Horizons | Education
Washington’s public universities will no longer require the SAT or ACT. Will admissions become more equitable?
... Beginning in fall 2021, UW, Washington State University, Central Washington University,
Eastern Washington University, The Evergreen State College and Western Washington
University will become permanently “test-optional.” Students can submit scores, but
they won’t be penalized during the admissions process if they don’t; admissions officers
say a high score might benefit a student who wouldn’t otherwise be offered admission,
but typically scores won’t be used.
The Seattle Times, May 20, 2021
A stratified system
A new report points to significant and ongoing disparities in which students attend
underresourced colleges versus wealthier, more selective universities. The report
also identifies stubborn inequities in degree completion in the United States across
racial, ethnic and socioeconomic lines and widening gaps in higher education attainment
between states.
Inside Higher Ed, May 20, 2021
Commentary: AAPI Heritage Month: Dispelling stereotypes and supporting students
May is Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month. Thirty-eight percent
of all AAPI undergraduates in the U.S. attend community college, according to the
American Association of Community Colleges (AACC). ... Asian American and Pacific
Islander Heritage Month is celebrated in May to honor the cultures, traditions and
history of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the United States.
Community College Daily, May 19, 2021
Reluctant to return?
A new report by the Strada Education Network shows that many adults who planned to
further their education have changed or dropped those plans over the course of the
pandemic. To date, more than one-third of adults have had to change or cancel their
education plans due to the pandemic, based on a survey Strada conducted from February
to April.
Community College Daily, May 19, 2021
Restarting study abroad
Few sectors of higher ed have been hit as hard by the pandemic as study abroad. The
rapid spread of COVID-19 in spring 2020 forced colleges and study abroad providers
to suspend their in-person programs and embark on an unprecedented worldwide effort
to bring students home.
Inside Higher Ed, May 19, 2021
San Antonio takes the prize
San Antonio College (SAC), which is one of five colleges in the Alamo Colleges District
in Texas, is the winner of the 2021 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence.
... The other top 10 Aspen Prize finalists were: Borough of Manhattan Community College
(New York), Pierce College (Washington), Tallahassee Community College (Florida), Pasadena City College (California)
and Odessa College (Texas).
Community College Daily, May 18, 2021
Politics | Local, State, National
Commentary: Washington Watch: Recent federal STEM grant opportunities
To promote STEM education (science, technology, engineering and math), several federal
agencies — including the U.S. Education Department — recently announced a few STEM-related
funding opportunities. In April, ED released two notices for fiscal year 2021 awards:
one was for the Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduates Program (GEAR
UP) partnership grants and the other for the Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs)
STEM and Articulation Program.
Community College Daily, May 20, 2021
Some more details about using ARP funds
Two top-level U.S. Education Department (ED) officials on Monday provided some more
insight on how the department will implement the $12 billion coming to community colleges
through the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act. ... Over the next few weeks, the department
will disburse the funds by adding each college’s allocation to the funds they received
through the two previous recovery packages, Cooper said. Colleges that haven’t received
funds through those relief plans will need to apply for ARP funding.
Community College Daily, May 17, 2021
