News

Four candidates from across the continental United States are under consideration as the next president of Columbia Gorge Community College. All four will be meeting college constituents during upcoming visits to Hood River and The Dalles.

Seventeen members of a search committee representing students, staff, faculty, college board and the public reviewed 44 applications for the presidency. The committee first narrowed that field to 10 semi-finalists for remote interviews, then recommended four finalists to the college board. The board unanimously approved the committee’s recommendation March 1.

A total of 166 individuals (81 current students and 85 other respondents) entered to win a Chromebook as part of the college’s recent student housing survey. Our congratulations to Federico Villa Sapien, the winner in this drawing. Federico’s name was selected at random using an Excel formula.

The housing survey brought responses from more than 300 participants. Responses will inform a housing market analysis to determine the feasibility of constructing student housing on The Dalles Campus. “If this project is to become a reality, housing must be constructed in such a way as to be affordable for students and economically sustainable for the college,” noted Dan Spatz, CGCC community outreach manager. Members of the college board will review the feasibility study in March, but no decisions are expected until later this year.

Jackson, Mississippi – Phi Theta Kappa will recognize 13 college presidents with Michael Bennett Lifetime Achievement Awards during PTK Catalyst 2018, the Society’s annual convention, in Kansas City, Missouri, April 19-21.

The Bennett Awards honor retiring college presidents who have provided consistently outstanding support to Phi Theta Kappa chapters and advisors throughout their careers. The award is named in honor of the late Dr. Michael Bennett, longtime president of St. Petersburg College in Florida. The 2018 recipients are:

After conducting a successful search, the East Cascades Workforce Investment Board (ECWIB) in January awarded a provisional contract to Columbia Gorge Community College (CGCC) for the delivery of comprehensive, year-round Adult and Dislocated Worker Services in Hood River, Wasco, Sherman, Gilliam and Wheeler counties.

The Adult and Dislocated Worker Program, under Title I of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998, is designed to provide employment and training services to assist eligible individuals in finding and qualifying for meaningful employment, and to help employers find the skilled workers they need to compete and succeed in business.

Gorge TransLink, a local alliance of regional public transportation providers, is working with a private partner on a feasibility analysis for a Monday-Friday commuter bus service from Portland to the Columbia Gorge. If there is enough interest, service could begin this year with amenities including secure WiFi, laptop trays and bike storage.  

Columbia Gorge Community College welcomed three new arrivals to its staff in January. 

Kathy Campbell joins CGCC as interim financial aid director. Kathy has more than 30 years of experience in financial aid working at community colleges in Oregon, most recently at Chemeketa Community College. “Kathy will lead a strong and growing team of professionals in our Financial Aid Department,” said Dr. Eric Studebaker, chief student services officer.

Websites are so commonplace that it’s uncommon to find a business which doesn’t have one. If your business falls into that category, or if you’d like to improve your existing website, or if you’d just like to create a personal website, Columbia Gorge Community College has the answers.

For the past two academic terms, CGCC has been offering a one-year Web Development Assistant certificate, and the college is pleased to announce that, pending final approval, beginning next fall students will also be able to earn a Web Design Assistant certificate.

It’s no secret that affordable housing, in the Columbia Gorge, is in short supply. The high cost and low source of rental housing continues to pose challenges throughout the region. Understanding how this housing situation affects current and prospective students at Columbia Gorge Community College will provide necessary information to better assess the need for affordable on campus, student housing.

The college is considering the development of housing on its campus in The Dalles. While this housing complex would primarily serve students enrolled in the institution, access to college staff and faculty as well as other sectors of the community, such as seasonal farmworker housing and wildland firefighters may be available. Investment in campus housing would, in turn, leverage funding allocated by the Oregon Legislature to build a skills training center on campus.