BBCC working to create public-private partnerships

Though the 2013 Washington legislative session faces many challenges in the state’s budget, the session also offers opportunities to improve the state’s economy by investing in workforce development via public higher education.

Seventy percent of jobs in Washington State will require some postsecondary training by 2018, according to a report by Georgetown University. This trend is based on two principles: more education leads to greater productivity, and skill requirements have increased over time – a phenomenon known as “upskilling.” If Washington employers expect to compete globally, they must have workers with skills to match their needs.

These growing demands for education and skills come at a time when Washington has an unemployment rate of 7.8 percent (269,700 unemployed). Unfortunately, the state decreased funding for two-year colleges 23 percent from 2006-2011, the 15th highest decrease in the nation. BBCC’s share of those cuts has totaled approximately $3 million.

Decreased state funding has imposed difficulties for Washington’s 34 two-year colleges. For Big Bend Community College students, tuition has increased 46.5 percent since 2009. A student taking 15 credits today spends about $1,000 more for annual tuition than a student in 2010. Sharply rising tuition at two-year colleges is a barrier to access, which inhibits colleges’ ability to prepare skilled workers.

Funding cuts also erode the quality of educational services. Locally, BBCC lost 23 full-time faculty and staff positions over the past four years. Lost positions have reduced BBCC’s ability to serve the growing number of students seeking more education.

Moreover, decreased state funding for capital projects has restricted two-year colleges’ ability to provide 21st Century facilities and equipment. BBCC has had only one new building funded by the state in the past 50 years. Today, many of our faculty and students meet in ex-military buildings that are more than 60 years old and not designed for educational activities.

After years of enrollment growth combined with three years of budget cuts, our community colleges’ ability to increase enrollment with shrinking resources peaked in 2011-12. Enrollment dropped by 5 percent compared to 2010-11. Students are paying more for fewer services and options for course work.

The BBCC team has creatively responded to cuts by obtaining outside funding, enhancing private-public partnerships and improving support services to students. We have received federal grants to improve access and completion rates for first-generation college students. As a result, BBCC led the state’s two-year colleges in student retention and completion rates in 2011-12.

The BBCC Foundation, with support from generous private donors, also helps needy students by annually awarding 140 scholarships valued at more than $140,000, and by awarding another $10,000 to help students cope with financial emergencies.

Where budget cuts have prevented BBCC from obtaining instructors and state-of-the-art instructional equipment, grants and private-public partnerships have helped fill the gap. For example, Moses Lake Clinic and Samaritan Hospital contribute to pay the salary of a full-time nursing instructor at BBCC. REC Silicon recently donated $88,000 of computer equipment to furnish BBCC’s revived computer science program – and that gift can be leveraged to match other grants the college is seeking for workforce development.

Other partners like Grant County, the Paul Lauzier Charitable Foundation, and the Harry and Masie Masto Foundation provided financial support to construct the Advanced Technologies Education Center (ATEC).

BBCC continues to work with advisory committees to acquire support for high-demand programs, including aviation and aviation maintenance, health care, computer science, and truck driving. We also continue to seek grant funding for transfer programs and support services. Unfortunately, these measures do not fill the large gaps created by a decade-long disinvestment in public higher education.

The long-term solution to meeting the workforce needs of Washington is for our elected officials to find ways to invest in public higher education. We ask the public and employers to join us in encouraging support of the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges’ budget proposals.

Dr. Leas is the president of Big Bend Community College in Moses Lake.