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!