News

The Oregon Student Child Care Grant Program helps parents enrolled in college to obtain safe, dependable care that supports their children's development while allowing completion of the parent's academic programs.

An applicant must be an Oregon resident with a child or legal dependent age 12 or younger in need of child care, or, if over age 12, who satisfies the requirements of special needs; be a citizen or eligible non-citizen of the United States; be enrolled or accepted for enrollment as an undergraduate at an Oregon postsecondary institution; maintain satisfactory academic progress; and not be in default on any federal Title IV loan or owing a refund on federal Title IV funds previously disbursed.

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.

Income tax season is fast approaching, and upcoming classes at Columbia Gorge Community College will give people many of the tools needed to prepare their own returns and even help community members through the volunteer Tax-Aide Program. One class is geared specifically to students and their family members. Here’s an overview:

“Maximizing your Education Credit” is a two-hour course that covers eligibility rules for claiming an education credit on your income tax filing. This explains why dependent status matters, discusses the 1098-T form and standard method for calculating credit, offers tips on how information from the college’s business office can help maximize the credit, and provides suggestions for record-keeping.

Columbia Gorge Education Service District, Columbia Gorge Community College and the JOM Parent Committee hosted the first annual College/Career Day for 11^th and 12^th grade Native American students from North Wasco Co., South Wasco Co., Dufur, Hood River and Lyle school districts on October 3, 2017.

The  full-year scholarship application will be available Monday, Feb. 5. Applications may be found in the CGCC Student Services department at The Dalles Campus or Hood River-Indian Creek Campus as well as online at https://www.cgcc.edu/financial-aid/scholarships.

Applications must be delivered to the CGCC Student Services department in The Dalles or Hood River no later than 5 p.m., Thursday, April 26, 2018.

CGCC's schedule of classes for Winter 2018 is available now online.

New students interested in taking credit classes should fill out the admissions form online and then call Student Services to make an appointment for placement assessment and advising. Continuing students may need to meet with an advisor to get their "OK to register" enabled, so they should check their student account under "My Program Planner" to see if they have an OK. If not, please contact Student Services.

Mid-Columbia Economic Development District's 2017 annual Gorge Economic Symposium takes place Nov. 2 in Stevenson. This yearly, half-day event shares economic and employment trends at the regional and county level with presentations by Washington economist Scott Bailey and Oregon economist Dallas Fridley, covering Hood River, Wasco, Sherman, Klickitat and Skamania counties.

Columbia Gorge Community College (CGCC) Foundation awarded full-year scholarships to 42 students attending CGCC in the 2017-18 academic year. These awards totaled $99,097. Scholarship applications for Winter/Spring 2017-2018 are available now in Student Services at The Dalles Campus or Hood River - Indian Creek Campus as well as online.

Applications must be delivered to Student Services on The Dalles or Hood River campuses no later than 5 pm, Thursday, Oct. 26, 2017.

Columbia Gorge Community College board members this week formally opposed efforts by the White House to rescind the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, joining a national effort by the American Association of Community Colleges to encourage federal legislation allowing DACA recipients to pursue higher education in the United States.

College board members also urged the public to contact Members of Congress in support of DACA and enactment of the “Dream Act” or comparable legislation to safeguard those who arrived in the United States as children but who have not yet achieved citizenship.