Category Archives

Bellevue College

What’s New?

Nov 27, 2023, BC Trustee Appointed Chair-Elect of ACCT Board of Directors
Richard Fukutaki, chair of the Bellevue College Board of Trustees, was recently elected chair-elect of the Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT) Board of Directors. The ACCT is a national nonprofit organization for community, technical, and junior college trustees, which brings together college leaders to address real-world challenges and help students succeed through advocacy and education.

What’s Newsworthy?

Nov 14, 2023, BC Ranked #13 in the Nation for Online Learning
For the third consecutive year,?Newsweek has collaborated with the respected global data firm Statista to unveil America’s Top Online Colleges and America’s Top Online Learning Providers 2024. Rankings are based on a survey of over 9,000 online learners, as well as our research about the institutions. Bellevue College is ranked in the top 20 – just below Harvard and Yale.

Nov 2, 2023, BC Celebrates Nomination for the Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence
The Aspen Institute named Bellevue College as one of the 150 institutions eligible to compete for the $1 million Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, the nation’s signature recognition of high achievement and performance among two-year colleges.

Grays Harbor College

What’s New?

Dr. Carli Schiffner assumed the role of President of Grays Harbor College in July, 2023, bringing with her a wealth of leadership experience and a passion for higher education. Prior to her appointment as President, Carli served as the Deputy Executive Director of Education at the Washington State Board for Career and Technical Colleges (SBCTC). Her portfolio at SBCTC included workforce, transfer, dual credit, basic education for adults, corrections, Guided Pathways, policy research, student services, e-learning, and innovation. She championed tribal partnerships, expanded baccalaureate degree development, secured funding and implemented climate solutions curricular work, promoted accessibility, and advocated for student services.

We are currently looking for a new VP of Instruction as well.

What’s Newsworthy?

We have a new Student Union and Student Services building under construction. Set to open in Winter Qtr. sometime in February. The new SSIB will house GHC’s Student Services departments. The building will also include a coffee bar, dining area for students, and space for student life.

The top floor of the SSIB will feature a conference center with space to seat up to 550 people, meeting rooms, and instructional spaces.

Vickie Jenkins – Vickie.jenkins@ghc.edu

submitted by Paula Truman

Two classified staff winners, Ashley Schultz, ACT 2 Program Coordinator, won the SCC Classified Staff of the Year, and Christine Burge, SCC Registration Office Support Supervisor, won the STTACC Classified Staff Exemplary Award … congratulations to Ashley and Christine for their work with students.

CCS Human Resources offered a strong training schedule for staff this fall, with both old and new sessions, including Supervisor Series Parts 1-3, How to Get the Most out of your Work/Life Benefits,  FERPA, New Lean Recruitment Training, Sexual Harassment/Discrimination, Monthly Supervisor’s Roundtable, Creating Equitable Learning Environments: Addressing Microaggressions, Search Advocates Training, Being a CCS Ambassador: Help Boost the CCS Image and Enrollment, The Ethics Act: Following the Law, Leave Management, Interview Skills for Internal Applicants, P-Card & Travel, Central Receiving/Facilities/Purchasing, Awkward: Relearning Communication Rules, and Active Shooter.

A new training session that really enhanced the actual well-being for staff and focused on both the work and personal sides of life for both classified and exempt was the How to Get the Most out of your Work/Life Benefits session; staff across the spectrum, from lower paygrades through deans, discussed how to access tuition waivers and how they benefited from the opportunity to use the waivers. It can be a great resource for every employee, and I would strongly urge staff to check it out!

Two upcoming CCS Classified Staff Training and Development training sessions are scheduled for Nov. 19 and Nov. 22; topics include training on Microsoft Teams and the TLC, Teaching and Learning Center, What We Offer Classified Staff.

Although SCC was never closed, we did have a short period of time with no students on campus. The campus is finally echoing with the sounds of students with approximately 50% of our classes in person. Programs requiring in person labs, such as Welding, Cosmetology, Culinary, etc. resumed on campus classes earlier in the Pandemic season with other programs following later. On the service side, culinary offerings resumed first with the opening of the bakery and Orlandos, opening on limited schedules about a year and a half ago. Divisions such as Horticulture/Greenery and Cosmetology resumed business later last year. Sodexo resumed service this quarter, providing coffee, sandwiches, salads, and catering services.  The Allied Health students are getting back into the public volunteer business too, offering free cardiac and vascular ultrasounds to volunteers before their students head out into the community for their clinicals; volunteers see a glimpse of their health, and students get to practice on someone other than the same classmates, day after day!

Submitted by Barbara Collins, Region D Coordinator

Please note – this post has been delayed approximately 6 weeks due to unforeseen circumstances.

Summer is over and there is a chill in the air. This will be my last submittal before I retire in October. The past weeks have been a whirlwind of organizing processes and preparing to say goodbye, I will miss my BBCC and SBCTC colleagues. The relationship building over the last 25 years remains important to me and through the pandemic; I am not alone when I say that I miss day-to-day connections with those we care for so deeply.

Last week, President Tweedy presented a new 5-Year Mission, Vision, and Guiding Principles for BBCC that focuses on community, communication, and accountability. I believe we are all lifelong learners, and BBCC is doing an excellent job including all employees (new hire to veterans) so they understand each is a valuable contribution to success for teaching and learning.

Prior to the 2021 graduation ceremony, BBCC took time to celebrate personnel who announced their 2020-21 retirement and/or received awards. Here are the classified staff employees. Retires also receive a handmade quilt by our talented group of employees.

The word goodbye sounds so final, so for now I will just say farewell. I wish the STTACC Board success in the coming year. Vacancy notifications for the STTACC Board will come through your email from a college contact or another board member. We need STTACC to continue their success as a foundation for mentoring, teaching, and training for all classified staff leadership opportunities. Please consider how you can help.  If you are interested in leadership, talk to your department director and contact president@sttacc.net soon so the leadership team can begin planning for the 2021-22 year.

Submitted by Corinna Whitehurst, College Contact

Update from Walla Walla Community College

Walla Walla Community College celebrated the return of in-person services by holding an Open House on June 24th.  The event featured information tables from several WWCC programs as well as some of our community partners such as WorkSource & Blue Mountain Action Council (BMAC). Staff were on hand to share general WWCC information and program information for Nursing, Culinary, Computer Science, TRiO – Student Support Services, Bachelors of Applied Science programs, Workforce programs, and Transitional Studies. Visitors were able to pick-up free WWCC logo items and go on a tour of our new Student Recreation Center. The event was such a great success that a second Open House will be held in August.

On July 26^th, WWCC hosted a group of 43 student leaders representing Future Farmers of America (FFA) chapters from all over Washington State.  The FAA students came to visit WWCC as part of their Washington Agricultural Leadership Experience (WALE) and District Officer Training (DOT) Training Event activities.  

WWCC Student Life was excited to announce that the new Student Recreation Center is scheduled to open this Fall.  Construction for the new student-funded center was completed in 2020 and our students are eager to begin using the facility for health activities, to be around other students with similar interests, and for general well-being. 

In addition to the gym facilities, the center contains a common area, basketball court, and dance studio. WWCC employees will be able to gain access to the Student Recreation Center facilities by signing up for one of the physical education classes on campus. The Walla Walla Campus has also been able to offer monthly COVID-19 vaccine clinics for July, August, and September in the Student Recreation Center. The clinics are open to all WWCC students, staff, and the Walla Walla community.