Winter 2015
TO:
Student Services Commission and Councils
FROM:
Student Services Team
Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC)
RE:
2015 Winter State Board Report
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Nancy Dick will be joining SBCTC as our new Director for Workforce Education, effective
February 9, 2015.
Nancy has worked at Lake Washington Institute of Technology for the past 15 years, as a
faculty member, program director and instructional dean. She developed and taught
programs in multimedia and digital design, including the college’s first applied bachelor’s
degree program, and has provided leadership for information technology and eLearning
programs at the college, supervising 45 faculty and program directors. She also has been
actively involved in accreditation, contract negotiations and industry certification
training.
Nancy has personal experience with a several higher education sectors in our state as a working adult pursuing
college credentials for career mobility. She earned a Master’s degree in Communication in Digital Media from
the University of Washington, a Bachelor’s of Science in Mass Communications/Journalism from City University
and an Associate degree in computer graphics from Lake Washington Technical College.
We are pleased to have someone with solid instructional experience at a college whose core mission is
workforce education, doing the primary work of our colleges, collaborating with faculty, staff and employers to
build and deliver quality workforce education programs.
LEGISLATIVE NEWS
2015 Legislative Session
As is State Board guidance and practice with all education bills, higher education bills
specifically, our executive director and government relations director work in tandem with
our Board, Presidents, and oftentimes the Trustees, before taking positions on bills. We strive
for a unified message to best serve our system and our students. These decisions may
include, but not limited to, securing campus leadership, campus subject matter experts, and oftentimes
students to assist with testimony—all vetted through our leadership. We are recognized by the legislature for
our superb research and data, also used extensively in testimony and work sessions. If you have a particular
2015 Winter State Board Report
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viewpoint on a bill, please work through your campus administration to voice your opinion and ideas. Of
course testifying as a private citizen is your constitutional right.
We will again this year keep you all posted weekly with our Legislative News. Here’s the link to subscribe
CTC System Legislative Agenda, Bill Status Reports are available on SBCTC’s website at
http://www.sbctc.edu/college/l_index.aspx
Washington MESA Community College Program (MCCP)
SBCTC currently supports six community and technical colleges (CTCs) who operate pilot MESA programs
(Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement) that seek to increase the participation and completion of
under-represented students in STEM programs in higher education. In addition, our system is requesting funds
to expand the program to 20 CTCs across the state. Governor Inslee has included partial funding for this
initiative in his budget request to the Washington Legislature. The six pilot programs are at these CTCs:
Columbia Basin, Edmonds, Highline, Olympic, Seattle Central, and Yakima Valley.
POLICY UPDATES
Competency-Based Education Projects
Eight colleges continue to work on the CBE business degree pilot: Bellevue, Centralia, Columbia Basin (Lead),
Everett, Olympic, both Pierce College, and Tacoma. CBC plans to begin teaching students in March, and the
other pilots plan to begin in July. NWCCU has required all colleges to file a substantive change for any CBE
program. CBC has unofficial word that their application has been approved. Selection committees are
interviewing candidates for 11 positions: a completion coach, four full-time faculty and 6 adjunct faculty.
Lumen Learning continues to work with system faculty to build open course content and both adaptive and
performance-based assessments. For more information, curriculum maps and updates go to
http://cbewa.org .
Competency-Based Degree Program – Update Fall 2014
List of webinars and system meetings: CBE Pilot Conversations – Fall 2014
Reverse Transfer Degrees and Agreements
SBCTC is in active discussions with interested CTCs and public universities about reverse transfer agreements
that will allow students to earn their associate degrees after transfer to a four-year institution, if for some
reason they transferred prior to receiving it. In addition, a system-wide agreement with Western Governor’s
University is already in place, as is an agreement between the Spokane Colleges and Eastern Washington
University. Other public universities actively engaged in discussions are Central Washington University and
Washington State University. Approximately ten CTCs are involved in the initial discussions. For more
information or to express interest in participating in the work, please contact SBCTC Director of Transfer
Education Joyce Hammer at jhammer@sbctc.edu, or Student Services Director Joe Holliday at
jholliday@sbctc.edu.
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Smarter Balance Exams
Public higher education institutions in Washington also support the use of the Smarter Balanced Assessments
to evaluate student learning, including readiness for entry-level college coursework in mathematics and
English language arts.
To that end, the six public baccalaureate institutions and the community and technical college system have
agreed to use 11th grade Smarter Balanced Assessment scores of level 3 or 4 to enroll first-year college
students who have been admitted into entry-level college math and English courses without further
placement testing. In addition to the specific terms of the agreement, all of the institutions encourage
students with college-ready scores in the 11th grade to take additional rigorous courses in 12th grade;
including college-level courses for college credit (see Smarter Balanced Assessment Agreement).
TECHNOLOGY
Tacoma Community College and the Spokane District Colleges continue to lead the way in the system
conversion. Follow the progress at ctcLink Connect.
COLLEGE BOUND SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
The third class of College Bound Scholarship students arrived on your campus this fall. As a reminder, the
College Bound Scholarship students receive college tuition and a yearly $500 book allowance. To qualify as a
College Bound scholar, student must have a GPA of 2.0 or higher.
Begin recruiting the next class now. The Washington Student Achievement Council can provide you with an
EXCEL spreadsheet the following information about the College Bound Scholarship students in your area:




Name (Last, First)
Mailing address
Email address
High School Attending
Please contact Chris Richmond, christinar@wsac.wa.gov or 360.753-7785, for the list of College Bound
students.
LEGISLATIVE INTERNSHIP PROGRAM
State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC) office of Legislative Affairs is implanting an
Internship opportunity for two-year college students to learn about the legislative process, gain professional
work experience, and earn college credit towards a certificate or degree.
Based at the State Capitol in Olympia, interns will be responsible for tracking legislative proposals, advocating
for two-year college student priorities, and interacting with elected officials. Work includes attending and
participating in legislative committee hearings, monitoring floor action, and ensuring community and technical
college (CTC) students are represented throughout the legislative session.
The Legislative intern program is a partnership with the SBCTC and the Council of Unions and Student
Programs. The internship will commence at the beginning of January 2015 and last through the end of the
regular legislative session. The students selected are:
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Robert C. Lasker
WACTCSA President
Pierce College Fort Steilacoom
Robert Lasker is the current President of the Washington Community and Technical
College Student Association. He is an honor student in his second year in the Business
Program at Pierce College Fort Steilacoom. Robert was last year’s ASPCFS President and
is this year’s Legislative Senator. He is also a member of the Dual Credit Workgroup for
the Washington Student Achievement Council. He has been a member of the Local Union
41 for three years and has 20 years of experience as a Journeyman Carpenter.
Alexandra Minea
Highline College
Alexandra Minea is a first-generation college student attending Highline College in Des
Moines. She will be completing her associate of arts degree with an emphasis in
Spanish in spring of 2015. Alexandra has spent over 100 hours serving her community
through volunteer activities at the U.S Citizenship and Immigration Services in Kent as
well as at Wildwood Elementary School in Federal Way. Throughout her educational
career she has been actively involved in student government and various other
leadership positions. She plans to further her education at a four-year university.
WORKING FAMILIES SUCCESS NETWORK (WFSN)
Achieving the Dream Announces the Selection of Washington Colleges for the National Community College
Expansion of the Working Families Success Network Strategy
Washington community colleges commit to implementing the WFSN strategy to support more low-income
students and their families achieve their academic and financial goals.
Achieving the Dream today announced a national community college expansion of the Working Families
Success Network (WFSN) strategy. The State Board for Community and Technical Colleges partnered with four
community colleges – Big Bend, Clark, Highline and Walla Walla – to help implement the strategy to promote
postsecondary completion for students whose economic challenges can thwart their academic and career
goals. The strategy is used at more than 100 sites in the nation to help low-income individuals and families
achieve financial stability.
The WFSN strategy involves intentionally integrating and sequencing three distinct but related services:
Education and employment advancement—education, job readiness, training, and placement;
Income and work supports—access to student financial aid, public benefits, tax credits, and free tax
assistance; and
Financial services and asset building—financial education and coaching linked to affordable products and
services to help families build self-sufficiency, stabilize their finances, and become more economically
competitive.
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REPORTS
2013-14 Academic Year Report
Community and Technical College Student Access and Success by Race/Ethnicity and Socioeconomic Status,
2014 Progress Report
UPCOMING CONFERENCES & EVENTS
CUSP Student Rally Day
February 5, 2015
Capitol Campus, Olympia
2015 Oregon Student Success and Retention Conference
February 5-6, 2015
Sheraton Portland Airport, Portland, OR
South Seattle College
Engaging in Promising Practices Conference
February 6-7, 2015
Registration Deadline: January 30, 2015
3rd Annual Diversity & Equity Conference (GDEC)
Theme: The Productive Power of Diversity & Equity
March 3, 2015
Hosted by Diversity & Equity in Hiring and Professional Development (DEHPD)
For more information, contact Michael Tuncap (mtuncap@greenriver.edu) or Vik Bahl (vbahl@greenriver.edu)
The ASSOCIATION of CTC Winter Conference
Theme: Designing for Diversity: Creating Intentional Practices around Inclusion
March 6, 2015
Hilton Seattle Airport Conference Center
LGBTQ+ Leadership Summit “Queer I Am”
March 28, 2015
South Puget Sound Community College