Clark College fastest growing
in the state, president says

Clark College interim president Bob Knight reminded a packed audience attending his state of the college address in Gaiser Hall today that the community college is the fastest growing in the state.

Knight left no doubt that he thinks Clark is the best in the state, too.

“The state of our college is strong,” Knight said. “2006 was an excellent year. We opened the Clark College center on the Washington State University Vancouver campus. In addition to general studies, the Clark College center is the home of the Clark College nursing program.”

Knight said that Clark College nursing school graduates scored a 100% pass rate on the National Council Licensure Examination for last academic year. “That’s a remarkable accomplishment. There are only a few other colleges in the country that can say that,” Knight said.

Kight continued: “Our nationally-recognized nursing program is expected to grow by 40 FTEs beginning this fall.  And we are looking forward to adding night and weekend classes to meet the ever-growing need for trained health professionals in our community.”

According to Knight, the Running Start program continues to grow and is one of the largest in the state. Over 900 students are enrolled in the program this year. This program allows students to earn college credit while still in high school but not have to pay for tuition.

Clark’s Distance Learning program—“We call it e-learning,” says Knight, is the largest in the state, with the equivalent of about 1000 students.

Knight declared: “Under the leadership of Dr. Hal Dengerink, chancellor of WSU Vancouver our long-time partner, we signed an historic proportionality agreement, ensuring that any student who graduates from Clark College and wants to attend WSU Vancouver, can attend WSU Vancouver. That agreement, forged last spring by Dengerink, was signed by our president, Dr. R. Wayne Branch, and Lower Columbia College president Jim McLoughlin.

According to Knight, the first class on the Clark College campus offerer a bachelor’s degree began this quarter and is full. Eastern Washington University is offering a bachelors degree in social work on the local Clark College campus.

While the legislature has not yet acted, the Washington State Board of Community Colleges has asked that Clark College receive 442 full-time student slots this year, the largest growth for any community college in the state, Knight said

The state legislature is expected to authorize funding for construction of Clark College at Columbia Tech Center, according to Knight. He said the building will house 20 classrooms, seven science and computer labs, a 5,000-square-foot multipurpose area for conferences, offices for faculty and support staff, and parking for 700 vehicles. Clark College at Columbia Tech Center will offer general education classes, professional and technical training, basic skills classes, workforce development and personal enrichment courses and will allow us to better serve the eastern portion of our service district.

Effective tomorrow, Knight concluded, our address is 1933 Fort Vancouver Way. The college address had been on McLoughlin Boulevard, but expansion and renovation has moved the front door to the Gaiser Hall location on Fort Vancouver Way. The 1933 number is significant, Knight added, because it is the date the college was founded 74 years ago.

Mark Baum named executive director
of the Council for the Homeless

Mark F. Baum, founder and partner in Baum, Etengoff and Buckley, Vancouver law firm, who left the firm last summer to offer his talents in community activities, has been named executive director of the Council for the Homeless, council president Barb Baldus announced.

Baldus reports: “Mark’s arrival coincides with new strategies being developed by the board of directors to end homelessness in Clark County. New ways of thinking will lead to new projects, and the council is eager to roll up its sleeves and get to work.”

Baum says that, working together, “we can stem the epidemic of poverty leading to homelessness in Clark County.”

Baum is a graduate of the University of New York at Buffalo and the Gonzaga University School of Law. He has been an active member of the Voter Protection Project, Center for Civic Education and the Southern Poverty Law Center.

Calendar

InterACT, the discussion program where the audience is the panel, meets at noon Thursday, Feb. 1, in the 6th floor hearing room in the Public Service Center, 1300 Franklin Street. The topic is, “The New Political Landscape: Has Anything Changed?” There is no charge. Attendees may purchase light lunches in the Dragon Fly Café on the first floor of the center.

Wednesday, Jan. 31, headlines

Little fingers do the talking in classes offered at Legacy Salmon Creek Hospital--Columbian, Tom Vogt

WSP veteran Carrie L. Greene finalist for Ridgefield chief--Columbian, Jose Paul Corona

School levy failures don't deter home sales--Columbian, Howard Buck

Angelo Company discusses plans for ex-Denny's site--Columbian, Julia Anderson

Vancouver's Columbia Dance offers major arts venue--Columbian, Brett Oppegaard

Brooks Brothers coming to downtown Portland's underutilized Galleria Building--Oregonian

County hearings examiner gives OK for big store, rumored to be Wal-Mart; opponents to appeal ruling--Oregonian, Allan Brettman

Pilot survives emergency landing in Fairview--KATU, Nick Winkler (Video)

Fed holds interest rates unchanged; Dow up nearly 100 points--USA TODAY, Barbara Hagenbaugh

Boston's suspicious packages part of PR stunt--USA TODAY, AP

Millionaires tell how they did it--MSN Money, Kiplinger's Personal Finance Magazine