Bake salesmen
The annual bake sale will be held in Syre on Feb 13 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The math and science club will be hosting a periodic table of the cookies, and the service learning club will also be participating, in addition to others. The proceeds from the bake sale will be used as club funding.
Congrats, Tresha Dutton
Tresha Dutton will be the recipient of the Anna Sue McNeil Assessment, Teaching and Learning Award. This is a prestigious award bestowed upon individuals in recognition of outstanding contributions to teaching, student learning, and assessment, and for their commitment to supporting educational opportunities for students. Congratulations are due, in recognition of her outstanding accomplishments!
Got math?
The next Math Colloquium will be on Feb 23 from 3:35 to 5 p.m. in LDC 125. In this colloquium, Russell Stevenson will be presenting some interesting problems and paradoxes in the field of mathematics.
Survey crew ahead
The Associated Students of Whatcom Community College are leading a survey that will discuss the potential expansion of Whatcom’s Pavilion recreation center. Tables will be set up in Syre, Laidlaw, Heiner, and Cascade will be passed out around campus. The goal of the survey is to determine whether or not students support the estimated $10 million project that would expand the building to include a second story track, new workout equipment, and other multi-use rooms. The building, which, if approved, would be built in the next few years, would not cost students additional S&A fees. “We want everyone’s opinion, it’s so important that this decision is the campus’ decision,” said Kelsey Rowlson, ASWCC’s Public Relations Chair and member of the Pavilion Expansion committee.
App-a-palooza!
Whatcom will launch four new mobile application development courses starting fall quarter, making it one of only six colleges or universities in the to offer a mobile applications program. The courses are made possible by a $15,000 Perkins Innovation Grant. The courses will target mobile application development for smartphones, tablets, etc.
“The transition to hand-held devices is fueling the development of mobile applications — or apps — and the continued emergence of the industry,” says Linda Maier, Dean for Workforce Education. “Community colleges are the ideal training ground for students and working adults who want to find a job in the field.”
Higher education = higher priority
Sen. Michael Baumgartner has introduced legislation that would increase higher-education funding by $890 million by dedicating a portion of the state sales tax to college and university operations.
“Higher education is often the dividing line between a secure job and years of struggle,” Baumgartner said. “We must assure colleges are funded adequately to have a strong economy with a skilled workforce. This is not a new tax; it is a better prioritization of current taxpayer dollars. Twenty years ago the state paid 80 percent of the cost of higher education at four-year institutions; today that figure stands at just 36 percent.”
