Columbia Basin College: Soaring to new heights
It has been another remarkable year at Columbia Basin College (CBC). We have served more than 11,000 students throughout the year, helping them learn English, complete a high school credential or study in one of our more than 100 degree and certificate programs. We are proud to be the Tri-Cities community college.
Growing Programs
In fall 2019, we began offering our seventh baccalaureate program in Teacher Education. It is a privilege to work together with our K-12 partners to prepare more teachers for the growing population in the Tri-Cities. In fall 2020, we will begin offering our eighth Bachelor of Applied Science degree in Health Physics to provide local education and professional enrichment opportunities to current and future Hanford workers. Both new baccalaureate degrees were created in response to the local community need for skilled professionals in these high demand fields.
Our Running Start program continues to grow – with 1,457 students enrolling in fall 2019 compared to 1,326 in fall 2018. In a recent study, Running Start students were found to finish a college degree or certificate well above the U.S. average. Many are able to complete an associate’s degree and a high school diploma at the same time. A majority of these students also go on to receive a bachelor’s degree.
Continuing Guided Pathways Work
We will continue focusing on Guided Pathways work, which has a positive impact on student success. Our priority is providing streamlined and accelerated pathways for students into and through CBC so they can achieve their educational goals and successfully enter the workforce or transfer to a university.
We are expanding our commitment to advising by incorporating a caseload management model where advisers are assigned to a specific School: Arts, Humanities & Communication; Business; Career & Technical; Computer Science; Education; Health Sciences; Math, Science & Engineering, and Social & Behavioral Sciences. The advisers work with their assigned students to create educational plans that provide a path for them during their time at CBC and support them from their first day to their last day.
We are also working with WSU Tri-Cities and Eastern Washington University to provide a seamless transition for students between our schools. These partnerships are necessary for students to have direct pathways between institutions.
Breaking Ground on Student Recreation Center
We are about to break ground on a new 80,000-square-foot student recreation center which will feature extensive gym space, classrooms, fitness center and eSports facilities. At CBC, we promote the wellbeing of everyone at our college. This will be a great resource for our students, faculty and staff. We expect to occupy the recreation center in the fall of 2021. Launching New Website and Intranet
In July 2020, we will launch a new external website featuring an abundance of new features and content, as well as CBC’s first intranet. Developed with input from users ranging from employees, alumni, students and the Board of Trustees, these new websites will offer better and easier ways to explore, learn, work and connect with CBC while meeting accessibility requirements.
Developing Strategic Plan
We are embarking on a strategic planning process that will articulate CBC’s goals for the next three years. The new plan will be the outcome of an inclusive and consultative process involving students, faculty, staff, alumni, trustees and community members. It will be guided by our mission, vision and values, and enable us to focus on key initiatives to build a stronger community and help more students succeed. We are excited for the year to come, and will continue working hard to meet the needs of the Tri-Cities. Please contact me if you have questions or comments. Go Hawks!
This story was originally published April 23, 2020 at 5:01 PM with the headline "Columbia Basin College: Soaring to new heights."