Budgets released, CTCs present in hearings

With less than two weeks remaining in this year’s regular session, last week was busy as legislators released proposed budgets, another mandated cutoff date passed, and plenty of committee action took place. Bills impacting community and technical colleges continue to move through the legislative process. In addition, discussions have already begun around planning legislative interim work after the session ends.

Senate, House release supplemental budget proposals

Since the beginning of session, the possibility of a supplemental budget has been in question. With the February revenue and caseload forecasts being relatively flat, both the Senate and House released their budget proposals for this supplemental legislative session.

Senate

The Senate released operating and capital budget proposals last Monday, Feb. 24. Taking a modest approach and making few new investments, the Senate proposals impact community and technical colleges in the following ways:

Operating

Approximately just under half of the overall increase for the 2013-15 Biennium is required to pay for caseload driven programs (such as K-12, Correctional Facility inmates, and Medicaid recipients). At the policy level, there are modest investments made for higher education:

·         $410,000 for the MESA Community College Program.

·         Tuition: no higher education institution may increase tuition levels for fiscal year 2015.

·         Financial aid

o   $12.3 million for the College Bound Program.

o   $25 million for the Opportunity Scholarship Program.

·         Paraeducator development: funding is provided to implement the requirements under Senate Bill 6129.

·         Transfer University Center of North Puget Sound to WSU: this item is the same as our requested transfer amount.

·         Employer contributions for employee health insurance (PEBB): monthly contribution rates for employees will move to $703 per employee, from the current $763.

·         Skagit Valley College’s Lewis Hall maintenance and operations funding request was not funded.

·         Audit:

o   All higher education institutions’ tuition and local fee accounts are subject to a third-party audit. Due January 2015, the cost of the audit is to be recovered from the institutions of higher education.

Capital

The Senate proposed capital supplemental budget impacts community and technical colleges in the following ways:

·         Centralia College: the remainder of the design is funded.

·         Lower Columbia College: authorizes the two alternatively financed projects as requested.

·         Olympic College Instruction Center is not funded.

In addition, the Senate proposal provides new building fee funding for Minor Program Improvements of $2,139,000. As you’ll recall in last year’s budget, 85 percent of the CTC request for Minor Program Improvements was funded; this brings the funding level up to 95 percent of the CTC biennial request.

Link to additional Senate operating and capital budget details.

House

The House released their operating and capital budget proposals on Wednesday, Feb. 26. Similar to the Senate, the House took a modest approach to their supplemental budget proposals.

Operating

More than half of the House operating budget proposal is needed to cover additional maintenance level expenditures in caseload driven programs like the Senate (e.g. K-12, Correctional Facility inmates, and Medicaid recipients). The House operating budget proposes some additional funding for its policy priorities:

·         $410,000 for the MESA Community College Program.

·         Tuition: no higher education institution may increase tuition levels for fiscal year 2015.

·         $12.3 million for the College Bound Program.

·         Paraeducator development: funding is provided to implement the requirements under Substitute House Bill 2365.

·         Transfer University Center of North Puget Sound to WSU: this item is the same as our requested transfer amount.

·         $300,000 in planning funding for a health care training center at the Pacific Medical Center.

·         $350,000 for the Year Up pilot project to ‘imbed’ this model within the CTC system.

·         Employer contributions for employee health insurance (PEBB): monthly contribution rates for employees will move to $658 per employee, from the current $763.

·         Skagit Valley College’s Lewis Hall maintenance and operations funding request was not funded.

Capital

Similar to the Senate capital budget proposal, the House proposed capital supplemental budget impacts community and technical colleges in the following ways:

·         Centralia College: the remainder of the design is funded.

·         Lower Columbia College: authorizes the two alternatively financed projects as requested.

·         Olympic College Instruction Center is not funded.

Link to additional House operating and capital budget details.

Education in prison topic of Senate Hearing

A measure to allow higher education in prisons received public testimony on Tuesday, Feb. 25 before the Senate Human Services & Corrections Committee.

2SHB 2486 sought to allow the Department of Corrections to use existing state funds for college-level courses along with the usual basic skills, vocational, and high school diploma or equivalent programs. The department would have set admission criteria and issued a report to the Legislature by December 2014.

Gina McConnell, a Longview Community College student and 11-year prison inmate, shared how prison education turned her life around. 

“I believed my destiny was to die a statistic and drug addict. It wasn’t until some of the programs that were offered through the Department of Corrections that I realized that I actually had some potential,” McConnell said. “I am now just finishing up my AA degree in hopes of earning my bachelor’s at WSU…We [prisoners] punish ourselves. We also realize that we don’t want to come back, that we want to do something different, and education is the key. We do have importance.”

Stephanie Delaney, Seattle Central Community College dean of extended learning, said the measure would allow the college to enroll more inmates in correspondence courses.

Pamela Transue, Tacoma Community College president, pointed out that prison education saves money and reduces recidivism. “Prison inmates who participate in education programs have a 43 percent lower recidivism rate than those who do not participate,” Transue said, citing a Rand Corporation study. “When you consider the per-person cost of incarceration that makes prison education a great investment.”

Marty Brown, SBCTC executive director, also spoke in favor of the measure.

Link to testimony (begins at 1:13:40).

Construction Center of Excellence represented at work session

Shana Peschek, Construction Center of Excellence director, joined a work session on foreign direct investments before the Senate Trade and Economic Development Committee on Tuesday, Feb. 25.

The State Board for Community and Technical Colleges created centers of excellence to fill workforce needs in specific sectors with industry leaders, she said. Economic initiatives in the construction sector include:

·         Developing a “leadership for the trades” certificate that will teach in-demand supervisory skills. The certificate will be “stackable,” meaning it will build toward an associate degree that can then lead into an applied bachelor’s degree in applied management or applied sustainable building. Several community and technical colleges are working to develop the applied bachelor’s degrees. 

·         Partnering with Pacific Northwest Economic Region, British Columbia Resource Training Organization, and Washington State Labor and Industries to put on a regional Pacific Northwest Apprenticeship Education Conference April 14-15.

·         Bringing free membership in the United States Green Building Council to all 34 community and technical colleges. Students in any field – not just construction -- can get free and reduced-price study materials and take the LEED green associate exam.

Link to testimony (begins at 1:32:08).

MESA community college program

The Mathematics Engineering Science Achievement (MESA) Community College Program (MCCP) was highlighted at a House Higher Education Committee work session on Tuesday, Feb. 25. MESA provides under-represented students academic and transfer-support services to help them excel and ultimately attain four-year degrees in science, technology, engineering or math (STEM) fields. Started in California, the program has successfully been replicated in over a dozen states. 

Six colleges — Columbia Basin College, Edmonds Community College, Highline Community College, Olympic College, Seattle Central Community College, Yakima Valley Community College — have participated in a pilot project for the past five years partly funded through a National Science Foundation grant. The grant expires June 30, 2015.

The House Appropriation Committee’s 2014 supplemental budget proposal includes $410,000, one year’s worth of funding to continue the MCCP pilot programs at the six colleges.

James Dorsey, Washington MESA executive director explained how the dedicated support and services — especially the sense of community and connection — help students excel. Services include student orientation, advising, dedicated study centers, STEM career exploration and transfer assistance.

Jeff Wagnitz, Highline Community College vice president of academic affairs, said MESA was a great match for Highline. With 70 percent students of color, the college serves one of the most diverse communities in the state. And Highline has a long academic tradition of STEM programs and resources, including engineering and robotics, a math resource center, computer information systems and cyber-security programs, chemistry and physics labs, science seminars, and the Marine Science and Technology (MaST) Center.

Chera Amlag, Highline Community College MESA director, gave an overview of the program’s academic supports, including Academic Excellence Workshops, the STEM Gateway Course, collaboration with math resource and tutoring centers, individual and group study, success seminars, scholarship, internship, and undergraduate research resources.

Kalani Plunkett, Highline MCCP electrical engineering student, said, “When I told my friends and family that I wanted to be an electrical engineer, they laughed at me.”

But thanks to MCCP at Highline, he gained study skills needed to succeed and connected with university engineering programs and working professionals.

“MESA has a pay it forward philosophy,” Plunkett explained. He eventually became a physics, calculus, and chemistry tutor himself, reaching back to help other students in the same way he’d been helped. He’s been accepted into the engineering programs at Washington State University and University of Michigan.

Lydia Smith, Highline MCCP second year nursing student, was in the military and had been out of school for 13 years. She said the value of MESA connections goes well beyond academic support, with opportunities for scholarships, internships, and friendship.

“MESA is more than just a place to study,” she said. “It’s a community and family that gives us support to keep each other from falling through the cracks.”

A coveted research internship at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory has sparked Smith’s goal to earn a PhD in research and development of bacteriophages (viruses that infect and replicate within bacteria) as antibiotics.

Link to testimony (begins at 56:06).

Innovations in pre-college education

Pre-college education isn’t what it used to be: Today’s students are moving faster through pre-college courses and into degrees and certificates thanks to mold-breaking strategies at community and technical colleges. That was the message delivered to the House Higher Education Committee during a work session on Wednesday, Feb. 26.

Jan Yoshiwara, SBCTC Education Services deputy executive director, set the stage with facts about pre-college education (also known as “remedial” education).

·         In 2012-13, pre-college courses were 9 percent of all state-supported full-time equivalent enrollments (FTEs). Nearly 71,000 students enrolled in pre-college courses that year.

·         Most precollege students take eight credits of pre-college courses, which equates to one or two courses. The vast majority of the precollege students – 72 percent – are enrolled in math.

·         More than half (55 percent) are older students well out of high school. Most 25-years-old and older.

·         Lower-income students are most likely to need pre-college courses.

Yoshiwara pointed to several successful strategies, among them:

·         Shifting the focus from screening students out of college-level courses, to screening them into the appropriate level. Colleges no longer use placement tests as sentries that stand in the way of college-level classes, but as ushers into the appropriate courses. Students are also given many other options to show they are college-ready, such as transcripts and past performance.

·         Teaching math in the context of daily life and jobs, which means focusing on statistics and not just calculus.

·         Condensing the number of pre-college courses students must take and allowing them to move forward based on competency rather than seat time. This saves students time and tuition money and reduces the possibility of content repetition.

·         Offering “emporium” classes – a model where students learn general content online and then attend learning resource centers to master math with the help of instructors and tutors.

Statway and “productive persistence”

Wendy Rockhill, Seattle Central dean for science and mathematics, said Seattle Central and South Seattle community colleges offer the highly successful “Statway” math course in partnership with the Carnegie Foundation.

Statway combines pre-college math and college-level statistics so students complete both in a shorter period of time. Liberal arts (non-STEM) majors learn statistics in real-world contexts rather than being directed toward calculus, which is often the biggest hurdle and unnecessary for many degrees.

“Students [learn] math with problems that make sense,” she said. “No talking about frogs in a pond and how many you can get, but what do they read in the newspaper: What do they hear on the news?”

Seattle Central’s emporium model has students learn general content online at their own pace and then cement their understanding in-class with instructors and tutors.

Lawrence Morales, Seattle Central math faculty member, said the college is pursuing two “high leverage” techniques to improve students’ success: encouraging “productive persistence” so perseverance actually leads to accomplishment, and a “growth mindset” that believes achievement is possible.

An innovative emporium model

Bob Mohrbacher, Big Bend Community College vice president of instruction and student services, shed light on a math emporium project that has boosted pre-college math completion rates from 48 percent to 75 percent.

Students gather in a special lab that holds up to 60 and watch videos to learn course content. They complete problems on computers with immediate feedback on their understanding of a concept. Similar to a video game, they must show they are proficient at a certain topic before they are unlocked and allowed to move onto the next topic. Instructors and tutors come to the aid of students who get stuck. Students are given a minimum “pace “calendar that pushes them forward, but they can go even faster if they’ve mastered the concepts.

Clearing the plate: what’s really needed?

Pierce College math faculty members David Lippman and Chris Willett described how Pierce College “cleared the plate” as it redesigned pre-college math programs. A team of instructors worked backwards, determining what level of math is actually needed in college-level classes and then providing targeted instruction to meet the need. The idea, they said, was to “prepare rather than remediate.”

“We had a group of 12 people get together and just start listing [precollege] topics, justifying them based on where they show up in the college-level sequence, and we came to the very early conclusion that students going into precalculus need very different preparation than those students going into statistics [for liberal arts majors].”

Pierce created two pre-college math pathways—one aimed toward precalculus and the other toward statistics. Students take a set of core classes, some in a self-paced emporium model, before embarking on their paths.

Link to testimony (begins at 20:15).

Bills

Gov. Inslee signed the WA Dream/Real Hope Act into law on Wednesday, Feb. 26 in front of a crowd of legislators, students, and citizens.

Prime-sponsored by Sen. Barbara Bailey, R-Oak Harbor, SB 6523 allows undocumented students to be eligible for state financial aid. The bill also includes $5 million in new funding for the State Need Grant financial aid program.

Link to bill signing.

In addition, a number of bills impacting CTCs are still in play after Friday’s policy committee cutoff:

·         EHB 2108: concerning hearing instrument fitters/dispensers (Senate Rules).

·         E2SHB 2383: integrating career and college readiness standards into K-12 and higher education policies and practices (Senate Ways and Means).

·         HB 2398: permitting community colleges that confer applied baccalaureate degrees to confer honorary bachelor of applied science degrees (Senate Rules).

·         ESHB 2546: decodifying, expiring, and making technical clarifications to higher education provisions (Senate Rules).

·         SHB 2613: creating efficiencies for institutions of higher education (Senate Ways and Means).

·         ESHB 2626: concerning statewide educational attainment goals (Senate Rules).

·         SSB 6362: creating efficiencies for institutions of higher education (House Rules).

·         SSB 5969: awarding academic credit for prior military training (House TBD).

·         SSB 6129: concerning paraeducator development (House TBD).

·         HB 2285: requiring a review of institution of higher education policies related to dual credit coursework (Senate Rules).

Link to the Bill Watch List and additional bill information.

Session cutoff dates

Mandated cutoff dates determine which bills will continue through the legislative process. Here is the next round of important session cutoff dates fast approaching:

·         March 3: fiscal committee cutoff – bills in opposite house fiscal committees must receive and hearing and be passed.

·         March 7: opposite house cutoff (5 p.m.) – bills in the opposite chamber must be passed by 5 p.m.

·         March 13: Sine Die – last day of the regular session.

Session resources

SBCTC Government Relations provides updated legislative resources throughout session:

·         The Bill Watch List – important bills being considered that may have significant impact on the CTC system.

·         The Bill Status Report – all bills being tracked by SBCTC staff during session.

·         The Weekly Hearing Schedule – schedule of weekly hearings where CTCs are testifying and/or monitoring bills.

·         Legislator information – contact information for legislators organized by college district, committee, caucus, etc.

Colleges shine, another session milestone passes

Last week marked another important milestone as session enters the final few weeks. With committee testimony and presentations regarding adult basic education, credit for prior learning, and aerospace training, the spotlight was on community and technical colleges. In addition, the annual CTC legislative reception was a great success where in-demand programs, student-produced wine and food were featured.

Legislative reception spotlights colleges

After much laughter and teasing, she crashed the plane. Not a real plane, of course. The guest at the Thursday, Feb. 20 legislative reception was using a flight simulator provided by Green River Community College’s aviation technology program.

The demonstration was one of several programs featured by Washington community and technical colleges at an Olympia event that drew about 150 legislators, presidents, trustees, staff and other guests. Other featured programs were:

·         Diagnostic Ultrasound – Bellevue College.

·         NASA Rocket Project – Clark College.

·         Digital Gaming & Media (I-BEST and Project IDEA) – Lake Washington Institute of Technology.

·         Nanotechnology – North Seattle Community College.

·         Wine Technology – South Seattle Community College.

·         Orthotics-Prosthetics Technician – Spokane Falls.

Guests sampled student-created wines and chocolates presented by:

·         College Cellars of Walla Walla Community College and the Northwest Wine Academy at South Seattle Community College.

·         Culinary programs at Bates Technical College, Edmonds Community College, Skagit Valley College, South Puget Sound Community College, and South Seattle Community College.

The annual legislative reception gives the community and technical college system a chance to visit with legislators and demonstrate how colleges uplift lives and the economy.

 

Aerospace Training Loan Program discussed

On Thursday, Feb. 20, the House Labor & Workforce Development Committee heard updates on the Aerospace Training Student Loan Program, which provides low-interest loans to Washington students who enroll in authorized short-term certificate programs.

The discussion started with a presentation by Larry Cluphf, director of the Washington Aerospace Training & Education Center (WATR). Located at Paine Field in Everett and managed by Edmonds Community College, the WATR Center trains students for high-wage, high-demand aerospace jobs in 12 weeks. Students start with a 4-week core program and move on to specialized certificates such as assembly mechanic, electrical assembler, tooling, and quality assurance.

Since 2010, 1,161 WATR Center graduates have been hired or have start dates. Renton Technical College students also benefit from a partnership with the WATR Center. The partnership is expected to continue with the future Central Sound Aerospace Training Center in Renton.

Rachelle Sharpe, Washington Student Achievement Council director of student financial aid and support services, explained criteria for the loan program. Loans are prioritized for the neediest students, criminal background checks and credit checks are run to ensure students will be employable, and funds are provided directly to Edmonds Community College to cover tuition.

The loan program is often the only option for needy students because state and federal financial aid is unavailable for short certificates, she said.

Edmonds Community College President Jean Hernandez highlighted the need to increase students’ access to, and awareness of, the loan program.

Link to testimony (begins at 1:03:45).

Dual-credit programs topic of House hearing

Scott Copeland, SBCTC policy associate, testified in support of HB 2285 before the Senate Higher Education Committee on Thursday, Jan. 20. The measure would require the Washington Student Achievement Council to study differences in how colleges and universities award credit for dual-credit coursework, such as Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate programs. The measure is considered a first step toward consistent awarding of credits among colleges.

“I’m pleased to say that we have had a system-wide State Board policy with all 34 colleges for advanced placement since May of 2000,” Copeland said. “We are in complete support.”

Link to testimony (begins at 1:03:15).

Adult education, credit for prior learning discussed

Adult education has traditionally been viewed as an isolated function in higher education -- students learn basic skills, pass a GED or other high school equivalency, and are set adrift to find their own way. In a world where most jobs require at least some level of college education, these students too often land in economic insecurity.

That’s all changing under the new Washington State Adult Education Plan, according to Jon Kerr, SBCTC Adult Basic Education director. At a House Higher Education Committee work session on Friday, Jan. 21, Kerr said the plan moves the finish line from passing a high school equivalency test, to entering college or a career, he said. The goal is to get adult education students to and through the “tipping point” – one year of college plus a credential such as nursing, welding or drafting -- that leads to more financial security.

Adult education serves people with below high-school-level knowledge or limited English language skills. Strategies outlined in the plan:

·         Directly connect adult education to college and careers.

·         Set a clear destination for students from the very beginning.

·         Provide instruction in real-world contexts that have meaning to students’ lives.

·         Advance students based on competency and skills learned rather than on seat time, accelerating their progress.

·         Create partnership with community-based organizations to help students stay in school and on track.

“It’s essential that we provide pathways to meaningful certificates and degrees for all of our adults and the new state plan is doing just that,” Kerr said.

Washington’s community and technical colleges and partnering community-based organizations provide 90 percent of all adult education in Washington, so the new plan will prompt change statewide.

Link to Jon Kerr testimony (begins at 24:15).

The importance of partnerships         

Laura DiZazzo, Seattle Central Community College dean of basic and transitional studies, said her college integrates education planning into adult education classes. Students explore college options, tap resources, and set plans in motion.

Partnerships with community based organizations are vital, she said, pointing to an I-BEST program offered by Seattle Central with the YWCA Opportunity Place in downtown Seattle. (I-BEST stands for “Integrated Basic Education and Skills Training,” a team-teaching approach where basic skills are taught in the context of job training in the same class.)

Taleah Mitchell, a 26-year-old Seattle Central student, said the I-BEST program at the YWCA transformed her from a GED-holder to a college student with leadership and honors credentials. “All these things happened to me because of one really crucial difference with the I-BEST program that I can attest to,” she said. “In that program, the people there not only taught me things, but they taught me a lot of life skills that instilled this confidence in me. And you know, that’s not something we hear, and that’s something that moved me forward.”

Mitchell is double majoring in computer science and women and gender studies, and has her sights set on moving to Massachusetts to attend Smith, Mount Holyoke, or Amherst -- and then returning to Washington.

Link to Seattle Central testimony (begins at 54:40).

Establishing a clear path

Michelle Andreas, South Puget Sound Community College vice president of instruction, said the college plans to completely overhaul basic skills education rather than tinkering around the edges.

When students view adult education “it’s blurry, there’s a million ways to get ‘there’ and ‘there’ is not even clear to them. It’s a maze. It’s foggy, and often there’s no end in sight,” Andreas said. “We must create, from the moment they step on campus, clear opportunities for them to see their way ahead and where the end is.”

To reach that goal, SPSCC plans to create pathways from Adult Basic Education into four key occupational clusters:

·         Human and social development.

·         Business.

·         STEM and healthcare.

·         “Maker-based” (trades, culinary, or other programs that involve making things).

Students will embark on those paths from the beginning, but still have flexibility to shift to other areas without losing ground.

Link to Seattle Central testimony (begins at 1:08:26).

High School 21+

Michal Ann Watts, a Lower Columbia College adult education instructor, lauded the State Board’s “High School 21+” program, a competency-based high school diploma offered at participating community and technical colleges for adults 21 years old and older. Advisors in the program look at transcripts and life-knowledge, and form a plan for completing a diploma.

“”When a [GED-seeking] student comes in, they’re already feeling terrible for having dropped out of high school,” Watts said. “[With High School 21+] students have the ability to go back in time and say, ‘this was the one spot I didn’t do well in and now I can fix that and walk out with a high school diploma.’ Their shoulders go back, their heads come up,” she said.

Randy Bailey, a 43-year-old Lower Columbia student, said his fear of tests always got in the way of accomplishing a GED. The High School 21+ program changed that, he said, by building a diploma from transcripts, classes, and competency rather than from a pass-or-fail test. Bailey is now studying welding at Lower Columbia and has made the dean’s list.

“I promote this program 100 percent to anybody I see, because if they gave a guy at the age of 43 an opportunity, they can give anybody an opportunity,” he said. “My biggest highlight, at the age of 43, was going down and getting senior pictures.”

Link to Lower Columbia testimony (begins at 1:20:58).

Credit for prior learning

Earlier in the House Higher Education Committee meeting, SBCTC policy associate Scott Copeland spoke in favor of SSB 5969, which would require public colleges and universities to adopt policies to award academic credit for military training. All 34 community and technical colleges already have policies in place.

The substitute version includes SBCTC-initiated changes to ensure prior learning credits are applied specifically to degrees and certificates so veterans don’t exhaust or lose their benefits. “It’s a safety valve as we care and watch out for our veteran students,” Copeland explained.

Link to Scott Copeland testimony (begins at 16:16).

Session cutoff dates

Mandated cutoff dates determine which bills will continue through the legislative process. Here is the next round of important session cutoff dates fast approaching:

·         Feb. 28: policy committee cutoff – bills in opposite house policy committees must receive a hearing and be passed.

·         March 3: fiscal committee cutoff – bills in opposite house fiscal committees must receive and hearing and be passed.

·         March 7: opposite house cutoff (5 p.m.) – bills in the opposite chamber must be passed by 5 p.m.

·         March 13: Sine Die – last day of the regular session.

Session resources

SBCTC Government Relations provides updated legislative resources throughout session:

·         The Bill Watch List – important bills being considered that may have significant impact on the CTC system.

·         The Bill Status Report – all bills being tracked by SBCTC staff during session.

·         The Weekly Hearing Schedule – schedule of weekly hearings where CTCs are testifying and/or monitoring bills.

·         Legislator information – contact information for legislators organized by college district, committee, caucus, etc.

Session marks halfway point, CTC bills passing

This week legislators marked the session halfway point with plenty of action on bills impacting community and technical colleges. In addition, CTCs presented before legislative committees on a variety of issues and continued to be part of discussions with lawmakers in Olympia.

Campus climate examined in work session

The House Higher Education Committee, chaired by Rep. Larry Seaquist, D-Gig Harbor, held a three-part work session on Wednesday, Feb. 12, regarding health and safety in higher education.

Campus safety and security

Bill Overby, Skagit Valley College director of security services, gave an overview of the safety and security issues, challenges, and policies for the community and technical college system, as well as those specific to his campus.

In examining security vulnerabilities, colleges ask themselves if buildings can be locked down, whether employees can quickly and discretely summon help, whether information technology is secure (from cyber hackers) with redundancies in case of emergency, and whether parking lots and other areas of campus are secure.

Skagit is the second oldest college in the state and its buildings cannot be locked down from a central control center, Overby explained.

“There is more work to be done,” said Overby. On behalf of campus safety officers, he asked the committee to support campus safety improvements and training initiatives outlined in a 2010 SBCTC report to the Legislature, particularly, to support funding for technology (electronic access devices, duress buttons, cameras, ID cards, and security/fire alarm systems) and to restore/improve access to mental health care.

Local communities also look to the colleges as designated safe havens for food, clothing, and shelter in the event of disaster. Overby described mutual aid agreements with the American Red Cross and other entities as well as local multi-agency training in incident response.

Tim Walters, Eastern Washington University chief of police, and Steve Hanson, Washington State University, assistant chief of police, discussed security issues and challenges at the public baccalaureates.

Link to testimony (begins at 00:04).

Link to Skagit Valley College presentation.

Student debt

The Student Debt Reduction Working Group of the Associated Students at the University of Washington presented its research findings about student debt at the UW.

Tuition increases mean it is no longer possible to cover the cost of college with part-time jobs. Their calculations found that UW students need to work 54 hours per week (year-round at minimum wage) to fully fund an education.

They found that middle-income students have the greatest unmet need, with students from middle-income families not eligible for financial aid, but unable to afford college without loans.

Student debt impacts:

·         Of those students accessing mental health counseling services, 33 percent cite financial stress.

·         Students simply drop out or go back to work.

·         Added difficulty for time-intensive majors such as engineering or pre-medicine.

·         Undue sacrifice by families, taking on private loans and second mortgages.

·         Less ability to engage or participate on campus.

Brian McQuay, Pierce College Puyallup student, described the stress of repaying loans as students complete college.

He will graduate in June with $15,000 in debt and guesses he could be $30,000 to $40,000 in debt when he is completely finished with his postsecondary education.

“Older students can’t rely on their parents,” said McQuay, “Some already have a family themselves.”

He also shared that attending college is not just about tuition, but also includes cost of living expenses. “Tuition is only part of it,” he said, explaining the burden of total living expenses. “I worry about this current generation and future generations who can’t pursue the education and careers they want.”

Link to testimony (begins at 46:34:00).

Mental health on campus

Deb Casey, Green River Community College vice president of student affairs and human resources, and Cyndi Rapier, Green River Community College director of housing and safety response for international programs, gave an overview of student mental health issues system-wide and response at their campus.

“The International Association of Counseling Services recommends a staffing level of one counselor for every 1,000 to 1,500 students,” Casey said. “We have 9,000-plus students and two counselors. It doesn’t work when you have increased demand for services.”

About 10 percent of any population — whether in the community or on campus — has mental health issues, according to Casey. The range of behaviors on campus can range from lacking social and problem-solving skills to attempted suicide.

Green River has embedded “human crisis response” into its emergency management plan with the Behavioral Intervention Team (BIT), a multidisciplinary team that meets on a regular basis to review and respond to reports of student behavior that may pose a threat of self-harm or a threat to the community.

By way of example, Casey said the shooter at Virginia Tech logged 70 behavior-related incidents all over campus, but there was not a holistic way to see a pattern.

The BIT process requires a “culture of reporting,” with information and incidents — e.g. a disturbing class essay or a Running Start student who has an episode at high school — funneled into one place so that, taken in total, it may be more readily apparent if there is an escalating problem.

Rapier said counselors go beyond the campus boundaries and network with community resources, including cultural organizations, food and clothing banks, and domestic violence resources, on behalf of their students.

Challenges to the community and technical college system include:

·         Increased funding for staffing, academic accommodations, safety communication systems, professional development, capacity-building, and partnerships.

·         Statewide technology systems.

·         Increased support and funding for mental health, counseling, and other community resources and referral agencies.

Elizabeth McHugh, The Evergreen State College director of counseling and health services, described the increase in student anxiety and stress over the past five years, coupled with limited campus resources and increased complexity, especially drug and alcohol issues combined with mental health issues.

Ted Pratt, Western Washington University dean of students, gave an overview of increase of usage of counseling center, including waiting lists for services.

Link to testimony (begins at 1:13:46).

Link to Green River presentation.

Bills

This week legislators took action on a number of bills CTCs are tracking this session:

·         SHB 2336: increasing higher education transparency by posting departmental budget information online. This bill passed the House 95-3 and has been scheduled for a public hearing in Senate Higher Education Feb. 20.

·         HB 2398: allowing CTCs to award honorary applied baccalaureate degrees. This bill passed the House 98-0 and has been referred to Senate Higher Education.

·         SHB 2486: allowing state funds to provide associate degrees for incarcerated adults. This bill passed the house 59-37 (2 excused) and will now be referred to a Senate committee for further action.

·         SHB 2546: making modifications to outdated higher education statutes. This bill passed the House 98-0 and has been referred to Senate Higher Education.

·         SHB 2613: making institutions of higher education more efficient through alternative payroll periods, predesign limits for capital projects, and other means. This bill passed the House 96-0 (2 excused) and will be referred to a Senate committee for further action.

·         ESHB 2626: concerning the WA Student Achievement Council’s educational attainment goals. This bill passed the House 87-10 (1 excused) and will now be referred to a Senate committee for further action.

·         SHB 2651: promoting higher education transparency by requiring budget information is posted online. This bill passed the House 97-1 and is scheduled for a public hearing in Senate Higher Education Feb. 20.

·         SSB 5969: awarding academic credit – tied to a degree or certificate – for prior military training. This bill passed the Senate 48-0 (1 excused) and has been referred to House Higher Education.

·         SB 6358: requiring CTCs to notify students of financial aid policies on a rolling basis. This bill passed the Senate 48-0 and will be referred to a House committee for further action.

·         SSB 6362: promoting higher education efficiencies through alternative payroll periods, aligning reporting requirements for four-year institutions under previous legislation, and other means. This bill passed the Senate 48-0 (1 excused) and will now be referred to a House committee for further action.

·         ESSB 6436: creates a stakeholder work group to study the College Bound scholarship program and make recommendations to the Legislature. This bill passed the Senate 48-0 and will now be referred to a House committee for further action.

Click here for a longer list of high priority CTC bills still in play.

Click here for a complete list of CTC bills being tracked this legislative session.

Session cutoff dates

Mandated cutoff dates determine which bills will continue through the legislative process. Here is the next round of important session cutoff dates fast approaching:

·         Feb. 18: house of origin cutoff (5 p.m.) – bills in their original chamber must be passed by 5 p.m.

·         Feb. 28: policy committee cutoff – bills in opposite house policy committees must receive a hearing and be passed.

·         March 3: fiscal committee cutoff – bills in opposite house fiscal committees must receive and hearing and be passed.

·         March 7: opposite house cutoff (5 p.m.) – bills in the opposite chamber must be passed by 5 p.m.

·         March 13: Sine Die – last day of the regular session.

Session resources

SBCTC Government Relations provides updated legislative resources throughout session:

·         The Bill Watch List – important bills being considered that may have significant impact on the CTC system.

·         The Bill Status Report – all bills being tracked by SBCTC staff during session.

·         The Weekly Hearing Schedule – schedule of weekly hearings where CTCs are testifying and/or monitoring bills.

·         Legislator information – contact information for legislators organized by college district, committee, caucus, etc.

Students rally, CTC bills progress in session

Nearing the session halfway point, legislative work is evolving as the first round of cutoff dates pass. Legislators are now moving from hearing bills in committees to debating bills on the chamber floor. For community and technical colleges this means closely monitoring bills for amendments, tracking budget discussions, and providing information to decision makers.

This edition of Legislative News contains highlights from the week where CTCs monitored and testified on a number of bills and CTC students rallied support for higher education in Olympia.

Postsecondary education for inmates

A measure to reduce recidivism rates through prison education received a public hearing before the Senate Human Service and Corrections Committee on Thursday, Feb. 6. Sponsored by Sen. Jim Hargrove, D-Hoquiam, Senate Bill 6344 would allow the Department of Corrections (DOC) to offer post-secondary education degree programs within its existing budget. Current law limits prison education to basic skills, vocational, and high school diploma or equivalent courses.

Marty Brown, SBCTC executive director, clarified that the bill would not cost the state more money. “This bill would not ask for additional money,” Brown said. “We’re actually here, we hope, to save you money on recidivism.”

Bernie Warner, DOC secretary, agreed, saying the bill would allow for a broader spectrum of prison education. “This really is one of the best investments in our portfolio of services to reduce recidivism and increase public safety,” he said.

Ed Brewster, Grays Harbor College president, cited research on the impact of education on recidivism rates. Education provides an opportunity for ex-offenders to find jobs, he said, which “contributes to lower costs of incarceration, increases public safety, and decreases the cost associated with the criminal justice system in general.”

Link to testimony (begins at 29:50).

CTC students rally, make voices heard

Sporting colorful T-shirts, scarves and banners representing community and technical colleges, hundreds of students rallied on the capital campus on Friday, Feb. 7 to urge continued legislative support for two-year colleges. This year’s event titled, “Washington’s Greatest Investment,” was emceed by Peninsula College student Emma Sackett, Washington Community and Technical College Student Association (WACTCSA) acting president. A large crowd of elected officials, legislative and staff members, and higher education stakeholders gathered in support.

Rep. Chris Reykdal, D-Tumwater, kicked off the event followed by student speakers Kary Ortiz-Rangle of North Seattle Community College, and Robert Lasker of Pierce College Fort Steilacoom. Marty Cavalluzzi, Pierce College Puyallup president, and Debrena Jackson Gandy, Highline Community College trustee also rallied the crowd.

Other legislative speakers included Rep. Norma Smith, R-Clinton and Rep. Hans Zeiger, R-Puyallup, both members of the House Higher Education Committee. Speaking on behalf of the Senate were Senate Higher Education Committee Chair Barbara Bailey, R-Oak Harbor and Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles, D-Seattle.

Bills

After yesterday’s first policy committee cutoff, here are bills still in play that impact community and technical colleges:

·         ESHB 1769: creating efficiencies for higher education institutions.

·         ESHB 1817: allowing undocumented students to be eligible for state financial aid (Dream Act).

·         SHB 1858: awarding academic credit for prior military training.

·         SB 2285: studying state dual credit programs.

·         SHB 2336: increasing higher education transparency by posting departmental budget information online.

·         HB 2396: increasing participation of underrepresented students in Running Start.

·         HB 2398: allowing CTCs to award honorary applied baccalaureate degrees.

·         SHB 2486: allowing state funds to provide associate degrees for incarcerated adults.

·         SHB 2546: making modifications to outdated higher education statutes.

·         SHB 2651: promoting higher education transparency by requiring budget information by category is posted online.

·         SSB 5969: awarding academic credit – tied to a degree or certificate – for prior military training.

·         SB 6523: allowing undocumented students to be eligible for state financial aid and providing $5 million for the State Need Grant (Real Hope Act).

Click here for a longer list of high priority CTC bills still in play.

Click here for a complete list of CTC bills being tracked this legislative session.

Session cutoff dates

Mandated cutoff dates determine which bills will continue through the legislative process. Here is the next round of important session cutoff dates approaching:

·         Feb. 11: fiscal committee cutoff – bills in fiscal committees must receive a hearing and be passed.

·         Feb. 18: house of origin cutoff (5pm) – bills in their original chamber must be passed.

·         Feb. 28: policy committee cutoff – bills in opposite house policy committees must receive a hearing and be passed.

·         March 3: fiscal committee cutoff – bills in opposite house fiscal committees must receive and hearing and be passed.

·         March 7: opposite house cutoff (5pm) – bills in the opposite chamber must be passed.

·         March 13: Sine Die – last day of the regular session.

Session resources

SBCTC Government Relations provides updated legislative resources throughout session:

·         The Bill Watch List – important bills being considered that may have significant impact on the CTC system.

·         The Bill Status Report – all bills being tracked by SBCTC staff during session.

·         The Weekly Hearing Schedule – schedule of weekly hearings where CTCs are testifying and/or monitoring bills.

·         Legislator information – contact information for legislators organized by college district, committee, caucus, etc.