PULLMAN, Wash. - Community Colleges of Spokane in Pullman will conduct classes on the Washington State University campus beginning April 3, the first day of spring quarter.
Today WSU and CCS announced approval of a partnership that ensures continued community college services in Whitman County. The partnership will expose community college students to university life and enhance college transfer opportunities. It will honor the separate and distinct missions of the institutions while enhancing the pathways between them.
“Washington State University has always been a strong partner to our community colleges,” said Spokane Falls Community College President Janet Gullickson. “Moving our Pullman operations onto their campus takes that partnership to a whole new level and allows us to greatly enhance the educational opportunities for our students.”
CCS serves more than 200 students in Pullman each quarter. Spokane Falls Community College offers two-year transfer degree courses and Spokane Community College offers adult basic education, GED prep and high school completion. For the past 16 years, their operations have been at the Gladish Community Center in downtown Pullman.
Nearly 80 percent of the community college students in the transfer degree courses plan to attend WSU or have attended WSU and are fulfilling some of their requirements at the community college, Gullickson said. This was one of the key reasons for the move to WSU.
Students will benefit from regularly scheduled transfer advising sessions with WSU admissions officers. Community college courses in Pullman are being offered in a way that will closely align with WSU degree requirements, Gullickson said.
CCS Pullman will operate out of the WSU Math Annex and Kruegel Hall. Students began taking tours and learning about the new locations earlier this year. The partnership has been in the works since last summer.
As part of the agreement, community college students will be able to obtain a Cougar ID card that will allow access to the WSU Libraries, Student Recreation Center and discounts at the dining centers.
“We are looking forward to having CCS students on our campus.” said WSU Provost and Executive Vice President Dan Bernardo. “We see this agreement as a first step in a new, mutually beneficial collaboration between CCS and WSU.”
“The dynamic partnership between CCS and WSU addresses the needs of the community in a collaborative and creative manner,” said AG Rud, chairman of the WSU Faculty Senate. “Working on the steering committee with CCS leadership represents a new partnership for the university and opens up new opportunities in line with its land-grant mission."
“We couldn’t be happier,” Gullickson said. “WSU leadership has been fantastic in working closely with us to make this possible.”
News media contacts:
Robert Strenge, WSU News, 509-335-3583, rstrenge@wsu.edu
Annie Gannon, CCS Communications, 509-434-5150, annie.gannon@ccs.spokane.edu