February 23, 2007, Ed. 7 |
Produced by the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges |
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This Week in Legislative Applied bachelor's degree pilots 21st century instructional delivery methods
Next week in Legislative Defining “high demand” Possible higher education budget? Lots of policy bills trying to stay alive…
Legislative Hotline Hearing Impaired Washington State TDD Relay Service Legislature’s Web site Governor’s Web site TVW Web site Legislative News is published weekly during legislative sessions by the staff of the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges, 1300 Quince Street SE, PO Box 42495, Olympia, WA 98504-2495, telephone 360-704-4310, FAX 360-704-4415. Suzy Ames, editor
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Opportunity Grant pilots show early successThis week the Senate Higher Education, Senate Ways and Means and House Appropriations committee held public hearings on Senate Bill 5410 and House Bill 1096, building on the success of the current 10 pilot opportunity grant programs. The bills would allow low-income students to earn up to 45 credits in a job training program that is in demand in a particular region with money to cover tuition, books and some additional financial support depending on need. Students would receive career exploration and mentoring services through local Workforce Development Councils. Programs at two-year colleges and private career colleges would be eligible to offer the grant. Before the Senate Higher Education Committee, sponsor Sen. Jean Berkey, D-Everett, introduced the bill as a tool to help low-income adults. “I think there’s accountability for the student in having to maintain a 2.0 GPA, and I think the mentoring feature is invaluable,” she said. SBCTC Administrative Services Director Chris Reykdal and President of Shoreline Community College Lee Lambert testified before both the Senate Higher Education and Ways and Means committees. Reykdal presented data from the current pilot programs as an indication of the potential success for a statewide program. The average family size of students in the pilot programs is three, with an income of less than $13,000. “We have moved over 90 percent of these students from the first quarter to the second quarter,” he said. “The retention numbers… are quite staggering. It’s been phenomenal.” Lambert described his college’s Opportunity Grant pilot program in automotive repair. He identified the keys to success being programs with clear career pathways, community and industry partnerships, student mentoring, and flexible financial support. “This bill is about meeting the unmet needs of our underserved students so that they don’t have to choose between getting their children to daycare and pursuing an education, which is an investment in their children’s future,” he said. Shoreline Community College student Jesús Jasso is a father who was working two jobs before enrolling in the Opportunity Grant pilot program. “I’m going back to school to get a future,” Jasso said. “There is no other way I can do it without going to school.” Through the Opportunity Grant program, Jasso now only works one job, and receives money for his daughter to attend childcare when he’s in class. Jon Pozega, vice president for student services at Renton Technical College, shared his view on the impact of this bill. “We’d like to see the expansion of this program to all community and technical colleges,” he said. “We believe it’s going to be the salvation for many of our students.” Before the House Appropriations Committee, sponsor Rep. Phyllis Kenney, D-Seattle, said the pilots have retained about 90 percent of students due to the broad support offered by the colleges in partnership with local community-based organizations. “It’s been a real partnership in the community and they have real stories to tell,” she said. SBCTC Director of Student Services Nani Jackins Park spoke on behalf of expanding the 10 pilots funded by the 2006 Legislature, echoing Rep. Kenney’s statement that they are showing tremendous success regarding retention. Jackins Park said the program provides clear pathways for students and the additional wrap-around support services they need to progress through their education further and faster. In addition, she said the program has been responsive to local industry needs. Troy Hutson, representing the Washington State Hospital Association, said one in six jobs in the future will be in health care and they are working to improve the diversity of professionals in the health care industry to meet the needs of a more diverse patient population. The Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board’s Bryan Wilson expressed the board’s support for the bill in addressing the needs of businesses in Washington. He said adequate financial assistance is the number one barrier for getting individuals into workforce programs and the need for effective student support is the second. He stated the bill addresses both problems. George Scarola, representing the League of Education Voters, stated Opportunity Grants are a huge priority. He explained Opportunity Grants fill three needs. First, they provide education and skills attainment for those least able to participate in higher education. Next, they help participants to navigate the higher education system in a direction that leads to real jobs. And finally, they fill the workforce needs of local economies. Non-profit association Solid Ground’s Tony Lee stated he was lucky to be tapped to sit on the review panel for selecting the current pilot projects. “I was astounded by the quality of proposals and the outreach to the business community,” he said. “The proposals were clearly in areas of high demand with high wages … and targeted at those populations that have the least access to higher education.” Also testifying in support of both bills were: Kim Justice, State Poverty Action Network; Michael Itti, League of Education Voters; Mike Hudson, Association of Washington Business; Kevin McNellis, Whitman College and the Walla Walla American Latino Forum; and Pete Crow, Washington State Association of Plumbers and Pipe Fitters. Applied bachelor’s degree pilots discussed in HouseThe House Higher Education Committee held a work session and public hearing regarding the applied bachelor’s degree pilot program on Monday. During the work session, SBCTC Assistant Director of Education Services Loretta Seppanen explained the pilots originated from the need to create additional pathways for two-year college graduates with technical degrees to complete a four-year degree. She reported the four existing applied bachelor’s degree programs approved by the 2005 Legislature and selected in 2006 by the SBCTC have completed all the necessary processes to offer upper-division courses in Fall 2007. Special Assistant to the President for Bellevue Community College Elise Erikson spoke on behalf of Bellevue Community College’s Bachelor of Applied Science in Radiation and Imaging Sciences, which is one of the four projects. “This program is the only one of its kind in Washington,” she said. “It is a new and expanding field which is in great demand.” She said the degree will provide graduates with the management and advanced technology skills needed for career and salary advancement. Ninety-five percent of the students who will enroll are already working in the field and the instructors are professionals in the field, she explained. Erikson stated employers will benefit by having a homegrown source for educated and skilled managers, therefore reducing the amount they pay for recruiting out-of-state to fill positions. She urged the committee to provide funding for the second year of the program, which was not included in the governor’s budget recommendations. Without funding, it is difficult to recruit students beyond the first year and it will put the program’s accreditation process in jeopardy, she said. Committee Chair Rep. Deb Wallace, D-Vancouver, assured this was an oversight in the budget process. At the public hearing, House Bill 1885, which would expand the applied bachelor’s degree program, was presented by its sponsor, Rep. Roger Goodman, D-Kirkland. Rep. Goodman spoke on behalf of expanding the pilot program to include two technical colleges as additional pilots, specifically mentioning Lake Washington Technical College. He said he was amicable to an amendment proposed in the Senate to make one pilot a community college and one a technical college. SBCTC Director of Education Services Jan Yoshiwara testified on behalf of the two-year college system and of the high quality of the four existing programs already moving forward. She explained the State Board’s first priority is to secure funding for the existing programs in order for them to hire faculty to teach the students enrolling in Fall 2008 and to solidify their accreditation. Mike Metke, president of Lake Washington Technical College, spoke in favor of the bill and echoed Yoshiwara’s support for the existing programs. He explained Lake Washington Technical College is in good position to address an unmet need to increase access for technical degree graduates in their area. Also speaking in support were Ben Taves, welding instructor at Lake Washington Technical College, and Jeffrey Possenger, mayor pro tem for the city of Duvall. 21st century instructional delivery methodsThe House Higher Education Committee held a work session on Monday regarding methods of instructional delivery for the 21st century. The two-year college system presented information on the applied bachelor’s degree program (see previous article), 21st century libraries and shared instructional delivery through WashingtonOnline. 21st century libraries projectGerald Pumphrey, president of South Puget Sound Community College, said the libraries of today are vastly different than the scholastic monasteries of the past, with the abundance of information available to students via the Web. He explained the role of librarians has also changed over time, as they now must educate students about what constitutes an important or credible online resource. Pumphrey said funding for the digital library resources project would provide equal access for students, regardless of geographic location, and ensure two-year college students have access to the same resources as their counterparts at four-year institutions. Stan Horton, library director at Grays Harbor College and chair of the Library Media Directors Council, spoke of the advantage of utilizing the buying power of the entire system. Currently, when individual colleges have resources to purchase licenses they do so on a campus-by-campus basis, a method which is both costly and inefficient for the college and the system. Mindy Cosler, dean for library, learning resources and basic skills at Skagit Valley College, explained the project has broad support across the two-year college system, as well as support from the Washington Library Association. She added that a similar system has been in place at the four-year colleges for nearly eight years. She said purchasing the core collection of basic online resources would provide students, faculty and staff access to resources in high demand areas, such as allied health and information technology. Bill Bruner, faculty and former library director for The Evergreen State College, spoke to the proven success of the Cooperative Library Project, a consortium of the baccalaureate institution libraries, funded by the Legislature a decade ago. Bruner explained the two-year colleges were to be included in the project initially, but were delayed due to funding constraints at the time. “This is my third biennium advocating for this project,” said South Puget Sound’s Pumphrey. “We need it … I’d love to see it happen.” WashingtonOnlineSBCTC’s WashingtonOnline (WAOL) Managing Director Connie Broughton explained enrollment in online classes has grown exponentially over the past five years. About 13 percent of students in the two-year college system took online classes last year – more than 60,000 students. Broughton explained that WAOL was established by the two-year colleges to create and share online instruction in order to broaden access and create efficiencies in offering online courses. WAOL provides faculty with required training on how to teach online. “This completely online training course gives faculty the experience of being an online student before they are an online instructor,” she said. To date, there are 88 completely online courses developed with system funds and available to any college, she said. Examples include introduction to sociology and math for liberal arts. In addition, she said students are able to complete their associate degree, early childhood programs and adult basic education and ESL courses completely online. Broughton spoke of an innovative reservation-based program jointly hosted by Grays Harbor College, The Evergreen State College and WAOL. She also highlighted programs developed by a consortium of colleges in high demand fields, such as allied health and engineering, to meet local workforce needs. Lastly, Broughton spoke of the challenges being faced to meet the demand for online services. She echoed earlier testimony regarding the 21st century libraries budget request to ensure all students have access to the same resources regardless of where they live. “Our students work…so it’s not just distance, it’s the time constraint,” she said. “Online delivery is the way these students complete their education.” The House Higher Education Committee held a work session on Wednesday to hear information about Web-based advising systems in higher education. SBCTC Director of Student Services Nani Jackins Park said developing an online advising system will enable students to figure out the classes they need to complete a college certificate or degree program, including information on how courses transfer from a two-year college to a four-year college. She said the features of a comprehensive online advising system would include degree audit capabilities for two- and four year degrees, educational planning tools, and course equivalency management information. She stressed the need for a user-friendly system with a unified look and feel that provides up-to-date information, and is easy for faculty and administrators to navigate. “It is essential to provide students with 24/7 access to educational planning and advising resources,” she said. Kristi Wellington-Baker, coordinator of advising and retention at Walla Walla Community College, gave the committee an overview of Ed Plans, an advising tool currently being used by three community colleges and serving nearly 4,000 students. Jackins Park explained that Ed Plans is being used to illustrate the kind of online advising tool the two-year college system would like to implement statewide. She said Ed Plans has great potential to link up with Navigation 101, K-12’s highly successful planning curriculum, to help students understand what they need to be ready for college. Wellington-Baker demonstrated how Ed Plans enables a student to draw upon multiple data sources, such as placement scores, course offerings and availability, to create their educational plan. In addition, she said the tool improves communication between faculty, advisors and students. Tim Stensager, representing the Franklin Pierce School District and the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, spoke about the success of the Navigation 101 program in preparing students for college. “It is the information about what they need to navigate that next system that is so critically important,” he said. “Ed Plans would really help students in high school …it fits well with Nav 101.” Andi Smith, associate director in academic affairs division of the Higher Education Coordinating Board (HECB), spoke about the third piece of the Web-based advising tool, which focuses on helping students navigate between institutions and across two- and four-year sectors. David Stanley, manager of applications for Academy One, a private software company that has helped develop the HECB advising tool with a pilot project between the University of Washington and Bellevue Community College, explained how the system would work for students. The HECB’s Smith spoke of the close collaboration between the SBCTC and HECB in creating the comprehensive advising system. She said one of the most critical components of this collaboration includes making sure the technical platforms are developed in equivalent language and code in order for the systems to “hand shake” at critical times in the process. State Board Member Reuven Carlyle spoke on behalf of the technology piece of House Bill 1131, which would create the Passport to College Promise program. Under the bill, the State Board would be responsible for developing and maintaining a Web site and outreach program for foster youth with information regarding higher education application processes and financial aid. He said a dynamic portal would include things such as financial aid information, calendaring issues and advising support, and would draw on the existing efforts already underway. “One example of this would be to connect with the type of dynamic advising systems that you already heard today,” he said. Preparing students for college-level work The House Higher Education Committee held a public hearing on two bills that relate to tests for college-placement, House Bill 1559 and House Bill 2109. HB 1559, sponsored by Rep. Richard Curtis, R-La Center, requires the SBCTC, the Higher Education Coordinating Board and the four-year institutions to develop a common college math placement test, and establish common scores for determining placement in math courses. Curtis told the committee he sponsored the bill to bring higher education and K-12 closer together, with the hopes of reducing math remediation. “We shouldn’t have to pay for an extra year of college when our student gets A’s and B’s in high school,” he said. “I’d like to make sure we connect the disconnect.” HB 1209, sponsored by Rep. Glenn Anderson, R-Fall City, would require the University of Washington and the SBCTC to develop a common math placement test for the whole state; require the four-year and two-year institutions to adopt and publish minimum scores on the math placement test, the SAT and the ACT; prohibit four-year universities from offering pre-college courses; and require school districts to make available to high school students the option to take the math placement test, the SAT or the ACT at no cost. Anderson praised the Transition Math Project, which brings together all of the key agencies and institutions to work together to reduce math remediation. “[But] we’ve got to get to a point of execution,” he said. “The closer we get to some common understanding or baseline, the more informed parents and students will be.” Several people testified on both bills and urged for continued support of current and future work of the Transition Math Project (TMP) rather than the passage of either of these bills. Brian Jeffries, speaking on behalf of the TMP and the SBCTC, described an effort that is already underway to design a common college math readiness test. He said the test will help students know if they are ready for college math. This plan has agreement among the 40 public colleges and universities. Jeffries noted that with state support for the TMP, this test could be ready by fall 2009. “We’ve got to get this done. To reach the level of agreement among the institutions, K-12, two-year and four-year, and state agencies was no easy task. We are committed. We are serious about this – if we have the resources to do so,” he said. Ron Dalla, of Eastern Washington University, described himself as one of the pioneers of TMP. “A common readiness test makes a lot of sense,” he said. “[However,] you need more than one placement test because [students are] placing in a variety of levels of math. That’s a decision that should probably be left to the institution.” Rick MacLennan, of Olympic College, spoke in favor of the TMP and described how his college is testing a pilot project providing its college placement test to local high school students through the TMP. “We see this as an early retention effort,” he said. Also speaking in support of the work of TMP were: John Lederer, HECB; Cindy Morana, Council of Presidents; and Kyra Kester, Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. Hearing Highlights: Connecting students and small businesses On Monday, the House Higher Education Committee held a public hearing on House Bill 1823, creating the business school association for small business growth. The purpose of the association would be to connect students, faculty and staff from Washington’s institutions of higher education with small businesses and the non-profit community in order to expand students’ knowledge and skills. Sponsor Rep. Phyllis Kenney, D-Seattle, said the bill would allow students to gain real world work experience while assisting small businesses. “Internships are so important for getting a foot in the door in the work world,” she said. Bellevue Community College business faculty member Leslie Lum testified in support of the bill, highlighting the positive experience of connecting students with small businesses across the state. “These businesses want students,” she said. “Small businesses are the backbone of our economy and are a perfect fit for the community and technical colleges.” Part-time faculty bill heard in Senate The Senate Labor, Commerce, Research and Development Committee held a public hearing Tuesday on Senate Bill 5020, requiring that part-time community college faculty be paid on the same scale as full-time faculty. Sponsor Sen. Ken Jacobsen, D-Seattle, said that while there have been advances in part-time faculty pay, it has not gone far enough. “The collective bargaining process has failed part-timers,” he said describing what he felt was a lack of support from full-time faculty for part-time faculty issues. Chair Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles, D-Seattle, disagreed, stating a historical lack of funding from the Legislature has exacerbated the pay disparity over the years. SBCTC Director of Human Resources John Boesenberg testified on behalf of the two-year college system with concerns that the bill intrudes too far into the local bargaining process. He explained that faculty teaching and non-teaching assignments are made through the local bargaining process. While the bill allows for the assignment of non-teaching duties to part-time instructors, it requires instructors who don’t have those duties to be paid the same as those who do, he said. “Without a pay differential there wouldn’t be an incentive for full-time or part-time faculty to do those extra duties assigned to them,” he said. Keith Hoeller, Patricia Peterson and Doug Collins, representing the Part-time Faculty Association, testified in support of the bill echoing the testimony from Sen. Jacobsen that collective bargaining has failed part-time faculty. Enhancing higher education accountability The House Higher Education Committee held a public hearing Wednesday regarding House Bill 2051, enhancing higher education accountability. Sponsored by Rep. Glenn Anderson, R-Fall City, the bill would establish a higher education data center at the Office of Financial Management, require the Higher Education Coordinating Board to track specific direct and indirect higher education costs, and develop and publish a higher education report card. “The two year college system strongly supports accountability,” she said. “We believe the public has the right to know the results of the investment that is made in higher education.” She explained the system uses data extensively to report achievements, as well as areas for improvement, to both the governor and Legislature. “We have worked with the Legislature and governor on system performance measures over the last four biennia related to our three key mission areas,” she stated. “We have consistently reported progress on those measures.” In addition, she said the State Board is establishing a set of key metrics to measure progress toward the goals set in its System Direction, as well as measurements for student progress and an incentive system for improving student achievement. Additional testimony was heard from Mike Bogatay, Washington Student Lobby; and Harlan Patterson, special assistant provost for the University of Washington representing the Council of Presidents. Foster youth support considered Thursday, the Senate Ways and Means Committee held a public hearing on Senate Bill 5515, which would provide outreach and information to foster youth about opportunities for higher education, including financial aid options. In addition, the program provides scholarships covering tuition and living expenses, and provides financial incentives to higher education institutions that enroll and retain eligible former foster youth. Sponsor Sen. Derek Kilmer, D-Gig Harbor, introduced the bill. “To me, education is about opening doors and unfortunately the door to college and the ability to fulfill one’s hopes and dreams has not been open to all kids in our state," he said. State Board Member Reuven Carlyle testified in support of the bill. He described his belief that the bill will open doors for more foster care youth to access higher education. State-funded need grant awards at five Historically Black Colleges and Universities The Senate Higher Education Committee held a public hearing on Thursday on Senate Bill 5365, which would create a pilot program allowing up to 100 students to use their state-funded need grant awards at five Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) in other parts of the country. There are currently 105 HBCUs, which were established prior to 1964 to serve the African American community. The State Need Grant is currently only eligible at colleges and universities in Washington. Barbara Clarkson, a trustee at South Puget Sound Community College and a member of The Thurston Group of Washington State, testified in support of the bill. The Thurston Group is a non-profit organization that provides opportunities for students of color to attend higher education through recruitment, college tours, and programs that bring the graduates back to Washington to work in fields that are in demand. Clarkson said The Thurston Group is working with the community and technical college system to create articulation agreements so students can more easily transfer from two-year colleges to HBCUs. “The Thurston Group not only sends students away to study, they graduate and now they’re beginning to return to Washington state to be student teachers in our North Thurston public schools,” she said. “This will help to add a pool of teachers and help to diversify the classrooms, especially as Washington state is gaining a more diverse population.” SBCTC Student Services Director Nani Jackins Park spoke in support of the bill’s intent to increase the participation of students of color in higher education. “We have to see this as one tool in a multi-part strategy,” Jackins Park explained, while also expressing some concern. “While supporting students’ opportunities to attend HBCUs, we also strongly believe in the need to invest in initiatives in our state to increase the access, progress and graduation of students of color." Several graduates of HBCUs spoke in favor of expanding the bill to include more than just five colleges and universities.
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