Registration is now open for Clark College’s 2021 Northwest Regional Equity Conference. This year’s theme is “Sharing Strategies for Equity and Anti-Racist Practices.” 

The online, two-day conference aims to improve equitable, sustainable experiences and outcomes for historically under-represented students and employees of the higher education system through effective instruction and anti-racist supports. This year the conference will broaden its scope of topics beyond higher education.  

“We see racism playing out before our eyes, and conversations around anti-racism are as much needed right now as they have always been, but what is really needed is anti-racism in action,” said Rashida Willard, Vice President of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Clark College. “We all benefit by sharing our experiences and learning from those who bring their expertise to these vital conversations.”  

This conference has been broadened to include governmental, non-profit, and corporate sectors. It is really geared toward individuals across the nation who would like to broaden their social justice knowledge or remove institutional barriers for historically underrepresented populations.  

Workshops include: 

• Bias and Discrimination in AI systems 
• A Call to Anti-Racism -Teaching Cultural Diversity to Health Care Students 
• Data Storytelling   
• Creating IMPACTful Mentoring Opportunities for BIPOC Students  
• Restorative Justice  
• Employee Engagement and Retention 
• Best Practices for Working with Incarcerated Students 
• Disability Justice 
• Building a Community of Collective Care  
• Making DEI Training Count: Overcoming Common Pitfalls 
• Creating Pathways for Native, Latinx and Afrocentric Education from High School through College 
• Equity in Student Conduct  

“We created the conference last year because we saw a need to elevate the discussion, seek out best practices, and take action,” said Willard. “These are the very issues we are working on at Clark College. We are working on becoming anti-racist – not just on paper, but in everything we do. We want to share these best practices with community. We are in a time of seismic change as our nation grapples with systemic racism, politics, the pandemic and the economy. The Northwest Regional Equity Conference provides a pathway forward for communities ready to take the next step.”  

For more information about NWREC: http://www.clark.edu/campus-life/student-support/diversity-and-equity/equity-conference/index.php. Those who need accommodation due to a disability can contact Clark College’s Disability Support Services Office at 360-992-2314, 360-991-0901 video phone. 

Keynote Speakers 

Talila “TL” Lewis is a community lawyer, educator, and organizer whose work highlights and addresses the nexus between race, class, disability and structural inequity. Recognized as a 2015 White House Champion of Change and one of Pacific Standard Magazine‘s Top 30 Thinkers Under 30, Lewis engineers and leads innovative and intersectional social justice efforts that illuminate and address grave injustices within education, medical, and legal systems that have gone unaddressed for generations. A recent graduate of American University Washington College of Law, Lewis has received awards from numerous universities, the American Bar Association, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton, American Association for People with Disabilities, the Nation Institute, National Black Deaf Advocates, and EBONY Magazine, among others. Lewis is a 2018 Roddenberry Fellow and a 2018 Atlantic Fellow for Racial Equity.  

Aaron Reader is a practitioner, poet, activist and educator, with extensive experience in diversity, equity and inclusion in higher education. He has served higher education in a number of capacities over the last decade from teaching, social justice, education equity, and currently is the Vice President of Student Services at Highline College. In addition to his work in higher education he has a passion for poetry and spoken word. He has been identified as workshop leader, facilitator and speaker for colleges, summits and conferences. Reader has been recognized as a local spoken-word artist who has a powerful, emotional, real, and conscious style.  

Dr. Angel B. Pérez has worked for over two decades to realize his belief that diversity and academic excellence go hand-in-hand, and that every young person who aspires to higher education should have the opportunity to achieve. A recognized thought-leader on issues of equity and access in American education, Peréz is a tireless champion for under-represented communities and a creative advocate for reform. Named by a Forbes article in 2019 as the most influential voice in college admissions, Peréz strives to build an educational ecosystem that better represents today’s America.  

High school students can learn how to take the next step in their education by attending one of four optional Virtual Running Start Information Night sessions hosted by Clark College. 

The identical sessions will be held 6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 25; Tuesday, Feb. 9; Wednesday, Feb. 24; and Thursday, March 18. All four events, which are free and open to the public, will be held virtually over Zoom.  

Running Start allows eligible juniors and seniors to earn college credit while they fulfill their high school graduation requirements. Running Start students attend Clark classes along with “regular” college students. They can choose from a full range of academic and professional and technical courses. 

The program, which can significantly reduce the cost of a college degree, has proven popular in Southwest Washington. Some Running Start students are so motivated that they earn their associate degree from Clark at the same time that they earn their high school diploma. These annual information nights frequently attract hundreds of interested students and parents to the college.  

These information sessions are for students and parents who want to know more about beginning the program in Fall 2021. While the sessions are completely optional, they are a good opportunity to hear current Running Start students candidly describe their experiences in the program and to learn about the program benefits, eligibility criteria, expectations, timelines, and more.  

An American Sign Language interpreter will be available at each session. Additionally, the first session will be recorded and afterward available with translations into other languages online at www.clark.edu/runningstart.  

Running Start students pay for books, transportation, and some fees, but do not pay full Clark College tuition. Students can attend part-time or full-time under the Running Start program. Fees are subject to change by the Washington State Legislature. A fee waiver is available for those demonstrating financial need.  

Individuals who need accommodation due to a disability in order to fully participate in this event should contact Clark College’s Disability Support Services Office at 360-992-2314 or 360-991-0901 (VP) as soon as possible. 

For more information on Running Start, visit the Clark College website at www.clark.edu/runningstart. For information about Running Start Information Nights, call 360-992-2078.  

Clark College will honor the teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on Wednesday, January 20, with an online event celebrating Black leadership and creativity. The event, which is free and open to the public, will be hosted live on Zoom from 12:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.

The event will feature guest speaker Dr. Andrew Jolivétte, Professor and Chair-Elect of the Ethnic Studies Department at the University of California, San Diego. His topic will be “Black Lives, Black Leadership: From Mattering to Thriving.” 

The event will also include the singing of the Black National Anthem by GodSisterz as well as artwork from local artists Manny Dempsey and Hobbs Waters. 

For more information about this event, including link to the Zoom meeting, visit www.clark.edu/cc/mlk.  

Individuals who need accommodation due to a disability in order to fully participate in this event should contact Clark College’s Disability Support Services Office at 360-992-2314 or 360-991-0901 (VP), or visit Penguin Union Building (PUB) room 013, as soon as possible. 

About Dr. Andrew Jolivétte 

Dr. Andrew Jolivétte (Atakapa-Ishak Nation of Louisiana [Tsikip/Opelousa/Heron Clan]) is Professor and Chair-Elect of the Ethnic Studies Department at the University of California, San Diego as well as the inaugural founding Director of Native American and Indigenous Studies at UCSD. A former professor and Department Chair of American Indian Studies at San Francisco State University, he is the author or editor of nine books in print or forthcoming including the Lammy Award nominated, Indian Blood: HIV and Colonial Trauma in San Francisco’s Two-Spirit Community. His scholarship examines Native American, Indigenous, Creole, Black, Latinx, Queer, Mixed-Race, and Comparative Critical Ethnic Studies. 

Being a college student can be stressful for anyone, but it carries an extra layer of anxiety for the undocumented. Will they be able to access financial aid? Will they be asked for a Social Security Number? Above all, will talking with a professor or staff member compromise their safety and lead to deportation?

Clark College is taking a new step to reassure these students: It is creating a new logo that faculty and staff can display to show that they are a “safe space” for undocumented students, commonly known as Dreamers. 

The concept is much like the “Penguin Pride” sticker unrolled several years ago to indicate safe spaces for Clark’s LGBTQUIA+ students. As with that sticker, faculty and staff must undergo specific training before receiving the sticker—in this case, “Best Practices to Support Dreamers,” offered by the Office of Diversity Equity and Inclusion. 

The project is the result of a collaboration between Digital Media Arts students and BUILD (Broadening Understanding, Intercultural Leadership and Development), a yearlong employee training program that focuses on issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion.  

After completing the inaugural BUILD cohort together, Deena Godwin, Marilyn Hale and Yusufu Kamara proposed creating a Dreamers logo for faculty and staff to display on windows, workspaces, or online to indicate safe spaces and community support for Clark College Dreamers. And who better to design such a thing than Clark College Digital Media Arts students?

Collaborating with Digital Media Arts department head Kristl Plinz and students enrolled in a beginning Digital Media Arts course fall term, the three BUILD members along with Diversity Outreach Manager Rosalba Pitkin helped define the client needs assessment, then participated in a student-led design pitch session via Zoom. After weeks of creative development, 24 student designs were submitted for consideration. A committee of 18 faculty, staff, and students—including Dreamers—voted on the designs. 

The winner, student Mia Linnik, was awarded a $500 tuition scholarship provided by Clark College Foundation. Her design features monarch butterflies, which have become a symbol for Dreamers because of their long migration patterns. 

Here is Linnik’s description of her winning design:  “This design incorporates the ideas of community, support and migration. The concept was to create a warm and uplifting feeling with supportive hands and a group of flying monarchs. The Earth communicates the idea that Dreamers are from all over the world, and that we are still a community no matter where someone was born. The hands wrapped underneath the Earth conveys a message of support and care. The monarch butterflies are a symbol for migration. The group of butteries shows community and togetherness.” 

One Dreamer commented on the winning design: “It shows me again that Dreamers come from all different backgrounds and we don’t have a limit or where our dreams/goals can take us. We are resilient and determined to go anywhere our education goals take us.” 

BUILD teammate and Economics professor Yusufu Kumara said of the winning design: “It takes me back to the first time I came to this country as a Fulbright Scholar in 2006. I met many others like me who came here from all over the world, and we were welcomed and embraced and made to feel like we belonged here by people who barely knew us. Looking at the winning design, I cannot hold back tears thinking back to those days, which considering what is going on now, seems like 100 years ago. I am filled with joy and very proud to have been a part of something bigger than myself. My wish is that this can carry over to other colleges and universities around the country. Let’s make this a national thing.” 

Designs by students Sarah Bounds and Jessica Peters tied for second place. Both students were awarded a $75 credit to the Clark College Bookstore, also compliments of the Foundation. 

It’s hard to know how many Dreamer students attend Clark College; by necessity, they often keep their status hidden. This has been especially true in 2020, when the future of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) initiative has been uncertain. However, the college has made a public commitment to not base admission decisions on immigration status and to not share students’ immigration status with others unless required to do so by a subpoena or court order. Furthermore, Dreamers who live in Washington state have an added source of hope: While they are usually ineligible for federal financial aid, they may be eligible for state aid through the Washington Application for State Financial Aid (WASFA).

Since the global pandemic began, Penguin Pantry—the college’s on-campus food bank for students—has doubled the amount of food it distributes monthly. It typically has distributed one box of shelf-stable food and a loaf of bread donated by community partners. Now Clark College is partnering with its own instructional programs to increase the food support it provides to students.

In October, Clark’s Cuisine and Professional Baking programs began donating food made in their lab classes to Penguin Pantry. This new partnership is a win-win for everyone. Students and their families are receiving nutritious, from-scratch meals. Culinary students are getting hands-on experience at a time when the pandemic has closed the campus restaurant, food service, and bakery.

“We’re giving it away, since we still need the practice and our restaurant is still closed,” said Daryl Oest, Culinary support technician.

In the inaugural partnership event on October 27, Penguin Pantry distributed 108 food boxes to Clark students and their families during a seamless curbside pickup system in the Red Lot 3 roundabout. Each box contained a breakfast, lunch, and lasagna dinner.

Cuisine faculty member Robert Earl Frederick and his first-year students baked pans and pans of lasagna to provide 120 meals. Professional Baking department head Alison Dolder and baking students baked full-size pies. Additionally, students received a large box of nonperishable food and a loaf of bread.

Michael Scheidt, 20, a first-year cuisine student, maneuvered a wheeled cart laden with brown paper grocery bags containing a breakfast, lunch and dinner toward the curb outside Penguin Union Building.

“It feels really good to give back to the community,” he said. “We’ve all had hard times.”

During remote operations, Penguin Pantry has set aside one day a month to distribute food boxes. Students sign up in advance to secure a time slot to pick up the food in the parking lot. Those with dietary restrictions can request vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, or pescatarian items.

A student who drove up to the curb was assisted by Sharon Toliver, Security & Safety Services; Samantha Lelo, Student Life Program Support Supervisor; and Lauren Boys, ASCC Civics and Sustainability Director. They checked the student’s name against a list and loaded food into the trunk. Sarah Gruhler, Director of Student Life, supervised the distribution and ensured all ran smoothly.

Afterward Gruhler said, “The distribution went very smoothly. The students were so excited about the additional food. We’ve already had 22 returning students sign up for November’s distribution.”

Frederick added, “We are all looking forward to continuing this partnership in the long run.”

And in fact, while October’s distribution event was impressive, it was just a dress rehearsal for the big event: Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving dinner

November’s Penguin Pantry curbside distribution during Thanksgiving week will be a full, cooked Thanksgiving dinner with all the trimmings.

“We have plans for Thanksgiving to make sure our students are well taken care of during this tough time,” said Oest.

Frederick anticipates roasting 20 turkeys to prepare 150 Thanksgiving meals for students and their families. Dolder says baking students will contribute pies—not only tradition pumpkin, but also apple, marionberry, cherry, and pecan—as well as dinner rolls and a morning treat.

Dolder estimates it will take her baking students two weeks of class hours to make individual pies to feed 150 people. The job will be broken down into smaller tasks: making and freezing the dough, making the pie filling, rolling out pie crusts, and shaping them into disposable pie tins. Eventually, the pies will be assembled, baked, and then frozen again. When students pick up their Thanksgiving food boxes, their pies—and the entire cooked Thanksgiving dinner—will be frozen.

“It’s easier for us to serve frozen pies,” Dolder says. “And we have a ton of freezer space.”

Frederick adds, “It’s safer to distribute frozen food.”

With COVID, a greater need

Last spring, COVID prevented the on-campus Penguin Pantry from opening for walk-in visitors. Beginning in May, the Penguin Pantry began a monthly curbside food distribution following COVID safety protocols. In May, the pantry distributed 1,125 pounds of food to 165 people in 40 households.

As the pandemic has continued and many students and their families have lost their jobs in the subsequent recession, the number of students requesting food assistance continues to grow steadily. In September the pantry distributed 2,500 pounds to 305 students and their families. That’s more than double the amount from May.

As a partner with Clark County Food Bank, Penguin Pantry must carefully track its numbers and report them to the food bank.

The college has reached out to students to make sure students know about this resource—sharing information about it in online classes, on social media, and through a new text-message service the college has invested in.

“We’ve definitely seen an increase in the number of students requesting food,” says Gruhler. “Since we’ve been able to text students, there’s greater awareness of Penguin Pantry.”

Culinary school during COVID

Cuisine and baking students have continued their studies during the pandemic. They are able to meet in the kitchens for in-person lab classes using face coverings, social distancing, and daily temperature checks–all of which is becoming part of their career preparation. Their industry is changing rapidly because of COVID-19 restrictions.

“The industry will change,” said Oest. “We can’t see the crystal ball yet but whether it’s startups, more corporate food service, smaller restaurants, there will be food services moving forward. There will still be the need. These students have learned best safe practices for the post-COVID workplace.”

Governor Jay Inslee has appointed Cristhian A. Canseco Juarez to the Clark College Board of Trustees. Canseco Juarez is a first-generation college graduate, as well as an immigrant and an alumnus of Washington State University Vancouver. He is deeply involved in community service in Vancouver, providing resources for those who have historically been under-represented. 

“I’m honored to join the Clark College Board to support students and our community,” said Canseco Juarez. “I want to give back to this community and do my part to help create a more inclusive, equitable and enriching environment for students and their families.” 

Canseco Juarez currently serves on the Board of Directors for Lighthouse Community Credit Union. He serves as treasurer for the Southwest Washington LULAC Council and he volunteers as a council member at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church. He also participated in last year’s Clark College Presidential Search Committee.  

Canseco Juarez earned his Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from Washington State University Vancouver and graduated from Hudson’s Bay High School in Vancouver. He and his family have lived in Vancouver for 25 years, having emigrated from Mexico to the United States in 1991. 

He begins his term on January 1, 2021 and is filling the position vacated by outgoing trustee Jada Rupley. Rupley was first appointed to the Board in 2010 and has served two five-year terms. She has served in a variety of roles in Washington’s education system over the past 25 years: as a teacher, psychologist, principal, and associate superintendent. She is currently the Superintendent of the Clackamas Education Service District in Oregon.  

“Jada has provided a depth and breadth of education experience that has been invaluable to Clark College,” said Rekah Strong, Chair of the Board of Trustees. “We are grateful for her work on the board, her expertise, and her passion for helping students succeed.” 

The Board of Trustees consists of five members appointed by the Governor of Washington. Members serve five-year terms and must live in the college’s service district. The Board is responsible for strategic planning; development and approval of college policies; and approval and oversight of the operating budget. 

When COVID-19 switched Clark College’s spring quarter classes from on-campus to online learning, Welding Technologies students were ahead of the curve—and therefore were not as affected as other programs with hands-on labs. Instructor John Kuhn already had pivoted to the hybrid model of classes (part online and part in-person) via an online Canvas shell during summer 2019. At the time, it was a good way for students to complete the bookwork portion of their course. During COVID, it has allowed students to not fall too far behind, because they’d already been working online. 

“We were pretty fortunate to have gotten started a year before with hybrid,” says Kuhn. “It gave students an opportunity to study more in depth at home. We got a little deeper into theory, the bookwork, utilizing more YouTube welding videos. It proved effectively that they understood the information.” 

Because safety is paramount, students in the Welding 102 introductory class must pass a welding safety test with 100 percent. In the past, some students had to retake the test in order to pass. Hybrid learning increased students’ understanding of the material and translated into a higher percentage of students who didn’t have to take the test a second time. 

Welding students returned to campus labs in mid-June to complete their spring quarter practical welding assignments. Because Welding is a year-round program, the students returned for hands-on welding labs during summer quarter, too.  

A program made for social distancing 

Even before COVID, welding students already were wearing personal protective equipment and were socially distanced. Students suit up for every lab class: heavy, flame-retardant coat; steel-toed work boots with a metal plate added to protect feet; leather gloves; goggles; and a welding helmet with built-in face shield. Students work in individual welding booths, far removed from other students. 

We visited the welding lab as six first-year students were finishing their class project: a flange, a small version of the pressure vessel built by second-year students. Pressure vessels are used to store and transfer liquids and gases under high pressure. Welding on pressure vessels must be exact and meet rigorous standards to withstand working conditions. 

All the students we spoke with were eager to enter their chosen field. The outlook is promising: The number of welding jobs in Washington is projected to grow about 3 percent from 2019-2029, about average for all occupations, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. In the Vancouver-Portland metro area, the average wage for a welder is $23.98 per hour or $49,887 annually. That’s about $8,000 higher than the median wage nationally.

Student story: Jessica Pellham

Jessica Pellham, 26, had no welding experience—and even lacked any experience with tools—when she started the Welding program in fall 2019.  

“I kind of started out as a baby,” Pellham laughs. “I wanted to get into a trade. I tried machining. It wasn’t my thing. Then I watched my fiancé’s grandpa welding.” 

It intrigued her. She tried welding, and she discovered she had an aptitude for it. 

Pellham says, “It’s hard, physical work, but for me, it’s so worth it to do something I love to do.”  

“She has excelled fantastically,” says Kuhn. 

Pellham works fulltime at a packing warehouse and goes to Clark fulltime, too. When her cohort began, she was one of three women. Now, a year later, she’s the only woman left in her cohort, but there are more women in the second-year cohort. 

“I’m hoping to see more women in trades,” she says. “We can do it, too.” 

Pellham’s eventual goal is to be hired on a union or government job.  

She adds, “I’d love to weld on submarines or ships.” 

Student Story: Jeff White

At 60, Jeff White of Washougal is the oldest student in the cohort. Two years ago, he was laid off from his job as a boiler operator at Georgia Pacific in Camas, a job he’d held for 30 years. White qualified for the Trade Adjustment Assistance Program, a federal program to retrain displaced workers due to overseas competition. The program has paid for all his college expenses. He is living on unemployment while he attends Clark. 

White’s goal is a job in construction welding. He is a fourth-generation Washougal resident, and hopes he does not have to move to find work after he completes the program. 

Student story: Ben Barton

Ben Barton, 29, has worked in restaurants since he was 16. A year ago, when he was working as a server at La Bottega in Uptown Village, he was considering making a career change when a co-worker told him about Clark’s welding program.  

“I was ready to do something that was stable,” Barton says.  

He researched the welding program and applied in summer 2019, but the fall cohort was full. There was so much interest that a second section was opened beginning winter 2020. He started the welding program full-time in January while he continued working at the restaurant 30 hours a week. Then COVID-19 closed restaurants in March, and he was laid off. To make up for the lost income, he applied for unemployment benefits.  

“I’m thankful for unemployment,” Barton says. “I’m going to school to further myself so hopefully I’ll never have to be on unemployment again. Financially I’ve been okay. Obviously, you cut back your spending and you end up making your own meals again. Groceries are cheaper than eating out. My girlfriend and I are both in the restaurant industry and are good cooks.” 

During spring quarter no hands-on labs were offered at Clark. Students kept up with their online bookwork, but they could not get into the labs to practice what they were learning. 

“I was really thankful that Clark opened our shop back up for us,” he says. “The welders out there working in the industry are still working during COVID. I was at a stalemate. In limbo. I couldn’t work. I couldn’t do my welding [studies] to further my career.”  

“I was one of the few COVID affected positively,” Barton says. “I was juggling school and working. Now I can focus on school.” 

Visit www.clark.edu/cc/welding to learn more about the Welding Technologies program.

A permanent ballot drop box has been installed on Clark College’s main campus. The walk-up ballot box is in the Red 3 parking lot, near the flagpole and south of the Penguin Union Building. 

“Clark College has always served as a hub of civic engagement in this community,” said Clark College President Dr. Karin Edwards. “We’re excited to be able to continue this tradition by having our campus become a point of access to the democratic process.”

The new ballot box is one of 22 permanent ballot drop boxes in Clark County. These are available 24 hours a day from October 16 through 8 p.m. on Election Day (November 3). Find locations of all ballot drop boxes in Clark County on the county’s website. Use this Google Maps widget to help find directions to the drop box closest to you.

Election Day is Tuesday, November 3.  

• Mail-in ballots must be postmarked by Election Day.  
• Drop-off ballots must be delivered by 8 p.m. Election Day. 

If you wish to return your voted ballot in person on or before Election Day, take it to Clark County Elections Office, 1408 Franklin Street, Vancouver. Hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day. To reduce the spread of COVID-19, masks and social distancing are required for in-person services. 

Students are spending more time at home during the COVID-19 pandemic. But it may an unsafe situation for students who are targets of domestic violence. October is recognized as Domestic Violence Awareness Month. In the United States, 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men have experienced some form of physical violence by an intimate partner.  

While in remote operations, Clark College has amplified its online services for students who may be victims or witnesses of domestic violence. The Clark College Supports Survivors web page outlines the resources that are available for students.   

“We continue to find ourselves engaged in vital conversations focused on the importance of acknowledging and effectively responding to sexual, gender-based, and intimate-partner violence and harassment,” said Cath Busha, Dean of Student Engagement. “In this spirit, we reaffirm our support of all survivors, as we explore new ways of creating a safer and more caring community that does not tolerate violence of any kind, especially as we learn and work remotely.” 
 
At Clark College, employees are encouraged to make a report when they hear about situations a student may be involved in that includes domestic/dating violence, sexual assault, stalking or sexual misconduct. Students can also make a report on their own behalf. To report instances and access support, visit the Title IX reporting link.  

The Washington State Coalition against Domestic Violence  says domestic violence is a pattern of behavior that one person uses to gain power and control over the other. These behaviors can include: 

• isolation from friends and family 
• emotional abuse 
• monitoring 
• controlling the finances 
• physical and sexual assault 

Issues of domestic and dating violence are extremely serious and often difficult to discuss and report. 

“When we play a role and speak out against harmful attitudes and actions, we all help reduce stigma and domestic/dating violence,” said Christina Longo, Director of Compliance at Clark College.  “We must be dedicated to ending violence as a social problem, as we continue to support each individual student and community member in need of resources.” 

Clark College believes all students deserve to be safe. They deserve to be respected and they deserve to be heard.  

This article was written by Clark College Office of Student Affairs.

Today, Clark College announced that its 2021 winter term will be taught online with limited face-to-face labs.

“I realize we just began fall term, but registration for winter term is quickly approaching,” said Clark College President Dr. Karin Edwards. “It is time to make the next decision in a series of difficult ones regarding how we will deliver education in such an unpredictable environment as this pandemic.”

Clark has decided to extend remote teaching modalities through the end of the Winter 2021 term.   

Students will have three modality options as they make registration decisions for winter:

• Online – Classes will be fully online and asynchronous.
• Remote – Classes will be taught online with scheduled synchronous instruction components (i.e., live sessions using Zoom or other video-conferencing apps).
• Hybrid – Lecture components will be fully online and lab components will have scheduled face-to-face instruction. Date, time, and campus location information will be included on the schedule. This modality will be reserved for specific career technical programs and labs with hands-on requirements. Strict safety protocols will be maintained to protect the health and safety of students and faculty.

As a large institution with thousands of students and more than 1,000 employees, there remains a significant risk of exposure to COVID-19. Clark College consulted with the State Board of Community and Technical Colleges, public health authorities, other colleges, students, and faculty in making this decision.

“This is a difficult decision because we want to see our students back on campus,” said Edwards. “But we also want to safeguard our students’ health. By making early decisions, we can put into place plans to support students, continue to improve our online processes, and provide students with optimal instruction online.”

Clark College has been in remote operations since Gov. Jay Inslee’s “Stay Home, Stay Healthy” proclamation in March. Already, the college has taken many steps to help support students during this extraordinary time of social distancing. The college has distributed free loaner laptops and wifi hotspots to students, set up an online emergency grant application to support students facing financial crises, and established “virtual office hours” for all its student services.

With respect to winter term and college operations, there are numerous decisions that will need to be made. 

The college’s ability to accommodate on-site activities such as athletics, student club meetings and scheduled events will be dependent on several factors, such as guidance and restrictions placed on campus activities by the State of Washington. 

For the time being, Clark College will continue to operate remotely and limit or prohibit on-campus activities. As restrictions are lifted, Clark will develop procedures and protocols that will allow those activities to occur on campus safely.

Winter Term at Clark College begins January 6, 2021.