Columbia Basin College: Soaring into the Future
It has been a year of adaptation and success for students at Columbia Basin College (CBC).
The challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic forced our institution to rapidly shift to mostly online instruction in March 2020. Over a year later, we are deeply proud of the tenacity our students have displayed and the spirit of flexibility and innovation demonstrated by our faculty and staff.
We crafted new online models for instruction, adapting over 100 degree and certificate programs. We’ve embraced remote technology, acquired and distributed hundreds of laptops and wi-fi hot spots and found countless creative, improvisational solutions to keep our students moving forward.
Responding to Challenges
Statewide, Washington community colleges experienced a significant decline in enrollment over the past year, a total loss of 15%, measured from fall of 2019 to fall of 2020. Thanks to the efforts of our students, faculty and staff, the impact locally was nearly cut in half, as CBC experienced just an 8% enrollment decline during that period.
A student survey this fall showed 90% of students felt the college had been supportive of them during the pandemic, and 94% agreed the college had provided them with enough information to adapt to online instruction. The vast majority of students reported their courses had been presented in ways that motivated them to learn, with similar satisfaction in access to tutoring, advising, and technology.
Growing Programs
We were thrilled to add an Associate in Applied Science (AAS) in Agriculture Production degree this year. It’s a two-year program that offers three certificates: Crop & Soil, Precision Agriculture and Hydroponics & Greenhouse Management. Our Ag program, thanks to the Career Connect Washington Career Launch program, received $494,767 to provide students hands-on experience with the latest technology sought by employers in the Mid-Columbia.
Additionally, CBC is proud to have successfully launched its “Soar to Success” Open Doors program, partnering with school districts in Kennewick, Pasco and Richland to offer an alternate path to a high school diploma or GED for students aged 16-21. This program connects students with one-on-one academic advising to design an individualized path to completion.
Construction Begins on Student Recreation Center
We have broken ground on the new 80,000-square-foot student recreation center, which will feature extensive gym space, classrooms, fitness center and eSports facilities. This is the major construction that’s now visible on our Pasco campus just north of Interstate 182. It will be a state-of-the-art resource to enhance the wellbeing of everyone at our college. In addition to a main competition court for our basketball and volleyball teams, there will be a full-sized practice court and a third gymnasium space available. We expect completion of the facility in 2022.
Strategic Plan Process Underway
In March, we opened our Strategic Plan process for input from both our campus community and the community at large. This plan will guide the college through the year 2024. Our process has been designed to encourage equity, allowing all voices to be heard. We’d love for anyone who has a connection to CBC to please consider offering your thoughts, critiques and any feedback you may have.
Over this summer, all the feedback with be collected in a collaborative process to produce the final Strategic Plan for 2021-2024. We encourage everyone to learn more and get involved by visiting us online at columbiabasin.edu/strategicplan.
This story was originally published April 30, 2021 at 12:44 AM with the headline "Columbia Basin College: Soaring into the Future."